Content Marketing (or Inbound Marketing as it’s sometimes referred as) is a phrase we see time and time again as business owners. But it’s one of those terms that is a little tricky to define. My definition of content marketing?

Providing useful content for your audience so that you can build relationships to sell your services/products.

Here’s a list of some of the content you could be producing:

- A blog
- Videos
- A podcast
- Social media
- Emails

Content marketing can truly transform your business. It can take your company from ‘meh’ to ‘wow’, helping you fall head over heels in love with what you do once again. The question is: just how can content marketing benefit your business?

Here is my comprehensive list of ways content creation will enhance your sales.

SEO Boost

Google and other search engines LOVE a website that frequently updates its content. One easy way to do this is to create content on your site in the form of blogs.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a complex and confusing world. But Google says plain as day:

“Creating compelling and useful content will likely influence your website more than any other factor”

Why?

- Blogs are heavy in juicy keywords that will help your website show high in search engine results.
- Users will want to share all kinds of content and may even link your website from theirs, both great trust signals for Google.

So high quality content = benefiting your audience and, in turn, your SEO.

Build Relationships

Building relationships with your audience is paramount to a good marketing strategy.

At the end of the day, your audience isn’t hanging around unless they’re getting something from you. When they land on your website, they want to be entertained, to learn something or connect with real people.

You might like: How to Write Content that Converts.

Content is all about your audience. The first step in making sales is to find a loyal audience. And the first step in finding a loyal audience is showing up with content that they want, content that makes them want to come back. To help you succeed, you’re going to have to help them succeed first. So create for your audience, really help them out and give them a clear takeaway from your content.

Build Trust

It’s all well and good calling yourself an expert. But anyone can do that. It doesn’t mean anyone will believe us, right?

So, we have to PROVE we’re experts in our field to our audience.

Creating content will position you as an expert in your industry or niche. By routinely producing high quality content, you’re expertise will be recognised over time. And when you’re recognised as an expert? Clients and customers come knocking at your door.

REuSABLE

A piece is content is just like a little black dress, a staple that can be reused time and time again. By creating a single piece of content, you have something in your back pocket to share, tweak or repurpose for another platform.

For example, after writing this blog post:

1. I can use each section as a separate social media post. That’s 7 social posts right off the bat.

2. Then I can tease it apart for my email list.

3. I can then chat through this list in a video on YouTube.

4. Then I can simply use the sound recording from the video as a Podcast episode.

That’s at least 10 extra pieces of content from the original. Handy, isn’t it?

It’s Cheap

Most of these content methods are free or extremely cheap to create making them brilliant marketing tools for all businesses. If you’re bootstrapped in the early days of your business, you can grow a very good foundation for cheap with these marketing methods…

- A blog: most likely already included in your website.
- Video: start with your computer’s camera and upload to YouTube for free.
- Podcast: start by using your phone or computer to record and upload to Spotify.
- Social Media: you can achieve a lot with social media without paying for ads.
- Emails: MailChimp is free up to 2000 subscribers.

Works for your Industry

No matter what your industry is and no matter how dry you think it is, interesting and engaging content can be created. The trick is to really target your audience specifically. Target their dreams, fears and problems and you’re able to speak their language.

I’ve worked with a lot of businesses in different industries over the years and trust me, any niche can be made interesting using the audience-first method.

Looking to define your audience in detail? Check out my Website Starter Workbook.

Go Promote

Hands up who’s unfollowed someone because they just won’t stop spamming you with promotions?

*raises both hands*

It’s annoying and pushy isn’t it? It’s definitely not what content marketing is all about.

So when you’re producing free, useful content and rarely promoting your product: you’ve earned an interest in your promotions.

My best tip for this is to follow the 80:20 rule. This involves offering free content 80% of the time. The other 20% is for promoting products and services. It works like a charm!

SO many reasons to crack open the laptop and get creating! What’s not to like, eh?

P.S. If you’re thinking this all sounds great but you’re a little short on time, I’m here to help. Check out my digital marketing services here.