Blog Makeovers: Tips for interesting content that will drive customers straight to your brand
Cear copy, lists and tips, and clear call-to-actions are the craze this year to give your eContent a 2014 makeover!
These days, when people have a question, they turn to the internet. Consumers routinely enter their questions, and Google answers it with a blog or eBook. It’s like magic. Marketers know this and are looking to better understand how to develop content that will help drive consumers to their products and services. Social Media Examiner’s 2013 social media study found that 58 percent of marketers are blogging, 62 percent want to learn more about it and 66 percent plan on increasing blogging activities.
In general, eContent is about connecting with customers and providing help around a topic related to an industry, therefore instilling brand loyalty. It’s not about direct selling. Offering up information is a great way to get consumers to take a closer look at a product or service and try it.
For example, if you’re a hardware store, you might create content around fixing a leaky pipe, preparing a wall for painting or installing a kitchen sink. A hospital might publish tips for a healthy diet, information on vaccinations or signs for when it’s time to go to an emergency room.
If you are The New Yorker Hotel you publish eBooks on things to do and sights to see while in New York City. Their strategy earmarks eContent to improve SEO rankings and increase traffic, conversions and revenue. “We’re in the most competitive market in the world,” says John Yazbeck, director of sales and marketing for the hotel. “Our eContent efforts have made a marked improvement.”
Indeed they have. Using a patented social software listening tool for Twitter that constantly looks for opportunities to put content in the hands of travelers, they’ve generated more than 800 conversations which lead to 337 prospects over a four-month period, most of which came from the blog.
Blog or eBook? Most people understand that a blog is a short, regularly published post written by an expert offering information or provoking thought. An eBook is an evolution of a white paper, but significantly more user friendly with graphics that help tell a story and move a reader along. For instance, The New Yorker Hotel has gotten great mileage from their New York travel tips eBook.
What does effective content look like? Here is a five-part checklist that can help businesses make sure that eContent survives the acid test in order to publish information that instills brand loyalty and drives consumers toward brand.
Crisp, concise content. In the age of tweets and text messages, people are looking for information, and they want it quick. Make sure your blogs don’t get too lengthy. If you have more info to share, consider the way you format it. Make it easy to find information throughout if someone is just skimming your text.
Lists, tips, how to’s and questions. Blog posts and eBooks formatted in these styles receive more views, shares and “likes” on Facebook. Think of these as the modern day self-help manual.
Clear call-to-actions. Readers have read your content, now what? You must have a clear call-to-action to get them to take the next step. For example, “Liked what you read? Contact us for more info” or “Want to learn more, sign up here!”
Personality. Your content should have a “voice.” And that voice should reflect the personality of your business. You don’t want there to be any disconnect.
Relevant content. Sure, you may have an opinion on the latest election, but if your business isn’t politics, you shouldn’t talk about it. Make sure your content aligns with the overall goals of your business.
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