Content marketing and inbound marketing is kind of, the new SEO. Google, as we’ve heard a million times, loves great content and great content attracts genuine links.
The process is easy, the execution can be a bit of a b@stard to do though.
- Identify your target audience
- Find out where they hang out online e.g. which Reddit forums and Facebook groups etc
- Identify your target audience’s common questions and pain points
- Use a tool like SEMRush to ID low competition search terms regarding the questions & pain points
- Create useful, in-depth copy/posts that helps your target audience
- If resource available, create videos for YouTube based on posts that get most traction
- Create short videos suitable for social – with captions
For blog content, see if you can match the topics you’ve found, with specific keywords, ideally with the highest volume.
Check the search engine results pages (SERPs) and identify any keywords which have “weak” or somewhat irrelevant results.
It’s a bit beyond the scope of this post, but look to optimise your blogs for “rich snippets”, by using lists and html tables.
To check for keywords, you’ll need Keyword Tool like SEMRush to do this, or search “free keyword tool”.
Keep each blog post specific to one or two keywords.
You can also promote your blog posts with outreach, although some content marketing gurus, say you’re better off investing all your time in creating content, rather than promoting it.
For Reddit, you can use this great Reddit Keyword Tool, to identify the most common topics of discussion, in a given forum/subReddit.
The backbone of good content, is that, well, it’s actually good – well written, easy to read, full of visual assets if possible.
When it comes to blog posts, make the content scannable with lists, bullet points and images. If you have the resource, infographics are always a good addition to a blog post.
Statistics are also a great way to attract links and citations from other websites. For example, if you work out the average price of a [given product or service] in the UK, it’s relatively likely to attract links. If you sell UK holiday homes or used campervans, you might work out the average price of new camper van, or the cost per holiday of an overseas holiday versus a holiday home.
Help, Help, Help, Sell
Gary V’s book Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook is a bit old now, but the adage of setting up a sale several times, before trying to promote your service or product is still valid, in my opinion.
The “jab” in the book title, is the useful or entertaining content aimed at your target audience
The “right hook” is a blog and/or social media post that aims to sell a product or service.
Consider:
- Would you follow a social account or blog that’s just trying to sell you a service or product?
- For example, if an accounting software company has a Facebook account that just promotrs its software directly in every single post, not many people will be interested. However, if the Facebook page posts about tax saving tips, digital marketing for small businesses etc it’s likely to get more engagement.
I’d also avoid lots of
- Behind the scenes posts.unless you’re an established brand, nobody gives a shit
- Virtue signalling posts
You might follow a brand or company on social media etc, that just promotes itself, if you already know the brand, or if you’re interested in working at the company.
However, unless you’re an established brand, or you create content just for recruitment purposes, then it’s generally best to create blog and social media posts that help, entertain, and/or interest your target audience.
Establish yourself as an authority in your niche, with helpful & insightful content
Drew Griffiths (2022)
It can definitely help to promote discounts and offers on social platforms and blogs, but that’s generally the that’s the “right hook”, whereas the “jab, jab, jab” relates to the helpful, insightful content that should take up about 75% of all your posts.
If you’re in the business to business sector for example, you can gain brand awareness and an online following by providing posts that provide helpful advise on SEO, PPC, Social Media Marketing, Digital Marketing Tools etc. If you’re just trying to directly sell your office chairs, or accounting software in every single blog and social media post, you’re probably not going to get a large, engaged, following.
Don’t Post Links all the Time on Social Media
Social media platforms, from Facebook to LinkedIn, all want to keep users, on their platform. Links will tend to take people onto different websites, and as a result, posting links to your blog etc, will tend to kill your organic reach (the amount of people who see your social media post).
Keto Diet Products Example
If you were running a business selling Keto supplements and foods. You can study the Keto subreddits and Facebook groups, and you’d probably find that there are lots of questions regarding keto desserts.
Jump onto SEMRush, or another SEO Tool and find search terms, and potential headings for blog posts – that have a low level of competition – i.e. it’s relatively easy to rank for.
Create in-depth keto dessert blog content that’s better than what already exists.
Optimise the content for the search terms that you’ve identified on SEMRush.
Reformat the content for social media. Captioned videos tend to do well, as these are the least popular form of content – social media is full of images and text posts, so it’s a bit easier to stand out with a video.
Consider creating a free eBook about keto desserts. Promote the eBook on social media to “warm up” your target audience to your brand* Remarket your products to those that download the eBook.
Create a serious of posts & videos regarding the best keto desserts, the best sweeteners and the best supplements to help with sugar cravings.
*It’s difficult to sell products, particularly high value products to people on Facebook, Instagram etc, as they’re not actively searching for something to buy. Best practice is said to be, create an offer e.g. an eBook, Webinar etc that’s directly of interest (and NOT necessarily directly about your product) and advertise it to your target market on social media – Then remarket to those that engage with your advert.
Hope this blog post helps!
I know the irony about in-depth, long format content that I’m touting in this post, but please bear in mind, I’m writing this on my lunch and I’m not trying to sell anything. Well, unless you want to buy an MMA T-shirt.
Examples of Great Content Marketing
The channel covers how to put together powerpoints, how to create videos for your small business and lots of marketing fundamentals for business owners
Daniel posts about tips on how to optimise your SEO, SEO mistakes to avoid and some very high level, useful SEO techniques and strategies to adopt.
Net World Sports have a great range of highly visual buyers’ guides, size guides and a regularly updated blog.
Small Business Dad 