create an awesome content marketing strategy in five easy steps!
TRANSCRIPT
@49Digital
How to Create an Awesome Content
Marketing Strategy in Five Easy Steps
Hi, I’m Helena HillTeacher and Online Entrepreneur
Welcome to this free course on how to kickstart your
content marketing strategy! After you’ve finished the
slides you will find a short workbook where you can put
some of the things we’ve covered into action and start
converting more visitors into paying customers!
AGENDAIntro: Finding time for Content Marketing
1. Getting to know your customers
2. What makes your business different?
3. What do your customers really want to know?
4. Types of content
5. How to create awesome, relevant content
6. Worksheets
FINDING TIME FOR CONTENT
MARKETING These days we’re all hearing the term ‘Content Marketing‘ almost as often as other digital marketing terms such as
SEO, social media , inbound etc…
In fact, the difference between each of these areas of marketing is diminishing as the digital era firmly establishes itself as the primary marketing channel for most
businesses worldwide.
So, if you’ve heard of Content Marketing you probably know that you should be doing it.
However, as a busy business owner or marketing professional, other demands on our time rarely allow for hours (if not days!)
researching what our audience wants, producing relevant, quality content and developing strategy to get it out there.
In this free course we’ll explore quick fire ways of kickstarting your Content Marketing strategy without having to spend much time doing it! In fact, you should be able to most of this work in 60
minutes!
Here are five steps to help you get started with content marketing and well on the way to creating an awesome Content Marketing strategy! You’ll probably find that you’re doing most of these things already but
didn’t realise it – you might already be a content marketer!
LET’S GET STARTED!
Getting to Know Your Competitors
1
If you know your industry/business area well then this really should only take a few minutes. For example, if you run a Real Estate business, it ‘s more than likely that there are other Realtors/Agents serving the same
geographical area.
Getting a good idea of who they are and what they’re up to online is super easy – just pop a search term in to Google! For example, a term such as
‘Realtors in Long Beach WA’ brings up everything from websites to Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, Google+ and Pinterest pages!
Google search term
Social media results
Organic results
Taking a little time to visit some of these pages will be time VERY well
spent. You will find that there are some businesses who have a website
as well as a Facebook page, some that don’t have either (oh yes, it’s
true!) and others that are very active on several social media channels.
Use what you find here to determine which social media channels are suitable for your business. For example, visit competitor Facebook pages
and Twitter accounts and take a look at how often they post and, most importantly, which types of post attract the most engagement with their ‘likers’
and followers.
Memes?
Video?
Questionnaires?
Photos? Tips?
How to…?
Testimonials?
Now Complete Worksheet One
What Makes You Different? 2
Taking some time to find out what the competition is up to may have been rather
enlightening!
Not only have you found out what (if anything) your competition is up to online, you might well have discovered that your business offers
products or services that they’re not or that you can do better.
Here’s your opportunity to create some great
content.
If you struggle with content creation here’s how to get started!
Now, we’re not saying that you should name and shame your competitors for not offering something; more that you should be sharing what you offer to your
customers!
So, what might these differences be?
Ask yourself, what makes my business unique?
• free delivery?
• exceptional service?
• expertise in your niche?
• an unrivalled customer experience?
• a free trial?
• a product or service your competitors don’t offer?
• a superior product or service?
• something else?!
Is it…
Now Complete Worksheet Two
3
Getting to Know Your Customers (and their pains!)
Unless you regularly offer your audience interesting, valuable, educational and
relevant content, the likelihood of repeat custom is
substantially reduced.
Run the same search that you used for competitor research. Take another look at blog comments, social media posts, replies and engagement. What
do their customers like or dislike about your competitors’ services or
products. What could they do better? What are they doing well? Can you
solve a particular problem or provide something that is hard to find?
How?
The sooner you discover what your customers actually want and expect the better placed you will be to create an
amazing content marketing strategy!
Now Complete Worksheet Three
Content Type
4
Go back to it again! Let’s take a Facebook page. A good Facebook page should be made up of a variety of different types of posts. What do I mean by that?
Traditionally, content has been mainly text but with the rise of content marketing this has changed considerably. For example, a business can post pictures, polls
and even video on their page. They can ask questions, share a white paper, recipe or tell their customers about their latest blog.
Remember that research I asked you to do on your competitors?
Content Types
Webinars TextImages
White papers
VideoInfographicsBlogs
Forums
Newsletters
Comments
Podcasts
BUT…
For example, if you’re a natural writer but not so confident on camera then YouTube might not be for you! If you’re an artist then using social tools such
as Pinterest might be more your thing. If you’re a chef then share recipes with your customers to try at home over Facebook, blog posts or twitter.
Only use content and content marketing channels that you feel comfortable with.
Be creative!
Now Complete Worksheet Four
Content Quality
5
Never publish content without first asking yourself…
• Is my content valuable to my customers? • Will my customers learn something from my content? • Is my content relevant to my industry and my customers’
needs? • Does my content solve a problem or answer a question? • Would I buy from me after reading/watching/listening to my
content?
If you’ve researched your competitors, decided how you are (or are going to be!) different and identified areas of your industry where you can offer something relevant, educational and valuable you’re well on
your way to being a savvy content marketer!
GO FOR IT!
Now Complete Worksheet Five
YOUR CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY WORKBOOK
Use the following activities to kickstart your awesome content marketing strategy!
WS 1: Your competitors: Check the relevant boxes as you research what your competitors are up to online.
WS 2: How are you different? Note down five ways in which your business is unique.
WS 3: What your customer wants: From your customer research write down five to ten ‘needs’ and ‘wants’.
WS 4: Types of content: What types of content would be best suited to solving these ‘needs’ and ‘wants’?
WS 5: Quality Control: Check each box each time you publish content on your website or social media.
WS 1: Your Competitors Competitor 1 2 3 My Business
Website
Facebook Page
Google+
tumblr.
WS 2: What makes your business unique?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
WS 3: My Ideal Customer Wants To Know 1. The pros and cons of a product or service 2. A ‘How to’ guide 3. Where they can buy… 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
WS 4: Content Type Competitor 1 2 3 My Business
Blog
Podcasts
Webinars
Memes
Newsletter
White papers
Forums
Other
WS 5: Quality Control - Is My Content… 1. Relevant? 2. Interesting? 3. Useful? 4. Valuable? 5. Sharable 6. Engaging? 7. Passionate? 8. Educational?
Thank You!If you enjoyed this e-book, please share!
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