If you want content that gets more action, then these four content types are for you.
Often businesses and marketers create articles or posts without thinking through the “why” for the content. They are committed to publishing online, which is great. But they often publish more willy nilly than thoughtfully.
The problem is, there’s a cost to creating content. It may be your marketing department’s time or my time writing for you. Of course, the investment is worth it if what you get written accomplishes your goals.
So here are…
Four Content Types You Might Want to Create
1. Optimize Content to Presell
This is what happens just before a sale, getting into the prospect’s mind. Here we provide the information people need before the decision to buy. “Preselling content” creates a level of trust. That’s because we aren’t selling, we’re helping.
A presell sequence could work like this: we post a link on our social media pages to an article on our blog. It offers tips on how to solve a problem that our customers have relating to our products. There is no sales copy in this article, just useful information. This gets your prospects comfortable with your company.
And, because readers get excited about fixing the problem addressed in the blog post, you create momentum toward the purchase of your service. At the bottom of the article is a link to the Homepage on your website. Or a link to your Sales Page for a specific product or service that you offer relevant to the article.
Informative content that delivers value makes your prospects and customers like and respect you more. That leads to sales online.
2. Optimize Content for Email Sign Ups
An email list is a massively valuable asset. Here we create content that induces prospects to give us their email and subscribe to our list. One way to do this is in the form of a free offer. This offer can be any of the following (I’ll use my content marketing business for the examples below):
- Create a useful tool: Best blog posts template.
- Self-assessment: Optimized homepage checklist.
- Free Report: 5 Destructive Beliefs that Destroy Your Internet Marketing
- Ebook: Discover YOUR Unique Customer to Company Connection
(Note: I haven’t created an email sign up piece yet, but you can subscribe here and I’ll be sure to get you my “content for email sign-up”!)
3. Optimize Content to Build Engagement and Deepen Relationships
Today’s successful online marketers carry on conversations with prospects. Online, markets ARE conversations. We’ll create content that overtly invites our visitor to participate and become engaged.
- Let your visitors take part in the conversation by commenting on your blog posts. Then jump in and respond to the comments.
- On social media, be social by soliciting comments.
- Encourage your readers to contribute content by inviting them to ask questions.
- Ask the expert. This is a good source for a blog post. We can’t answer all questions, but can get the best ones in posts.
- Ask for feedback.
4. Optimize Content for the Seasons
Here we’re thinking of selling the right product at the right time. Plan content for the times of year where your audience is more likely to buy your products or need your services. For example, retail at Christmastime and real estate sales in the summer.
So how do you make money with your content? It’s easier to hit the mark when you approach your content creation with purpose. Ask yourself: Why are you writing this article? What should this web page accomplish? How does the content you’re creating fit in with your content marketing plan?
And keep your audience in mind with every piece of content you create. The result will be a web presence with content types that connect with your prospects. That grabs their attention. And leads them to action.
Until next time,
Nick
Find out more about me and my content writing services here. Subscribe to my email for tips, strategies, and online writing secrets. Also, if you Like my Facebook page, you’ll get content marketing ideas from experts all over the internet.
