Why Better Content Equals Big Business
Think very carefully about your circle of friends and acquaintances. Now think of that one person that somehow misses every social cue, always interrupts and talks at you and abruptly changes the subject without even listening. Unfortunately, this is how the majority of businesses with online content operate. This isn’t broadcasting. Online marketing is about engagement. If you are producing static content without actively listening to whom you are writing for, we feel it’s our duty to gently inform you that you’re boring everyone! Seriously, you’re wasting your time and cheating your business with crappy, unappealing content.
Learning to Communicate Digitally
Would you continue speaking to a crowd if all of your words were falling on deaf ears? No? Then it’s time to re-think your content strategy! Think about that circle of friends and acquaintances again. Communication with each person likely differs thanks to a diverse set of perspectives, interests and temperaments and yet you manage to find a way to make it work by understanding how they function. This is a lot like producing content online. Great brands are like great friends. They are expert listeners and by constantly listening to what’s valuable and relevant to their target audience, they are able to form a more authentic relationship with their clients and it all begins with having a range of high-quality content. Try this on for size:
Better Content…
Serves a higher purpose.
Great content is about so much more than selling your business. Just forget your corporate mentality for a moment and remember your humanity. The people you are trying to engage with are just like you. They have the same needs, wants, fears and skepticism and are assaulted daily with thousands of the exact same marketing messages that you think make your own content so unique. So what makes the best brands so special? Empathy. They are people reaching out to people and using content to begin a personal dialogue. Clients don’t just give you their time and money; they give you their trust. If for no other reason, this alone should be why your communication with them should always be authentic, purposeful and empathetic. This alone will improve the success of your business immeasurably.
Kicks things up a notch (or four).
If you think peppering your sad copy with those tired little SEO phrases is enough, you have a lot to learn. While a high rank on a search engine may mean higher visibility, these “fish hooks” do not guarantee conversion. Conversion happens on your website and that will be hard to get if your site is a big fat bore. Online content should be varied, possess a strong point of view and be designed to keep visitors wanting to know more. Because of this, a website is never really done. Its pages, its articles, its delivery should constantly change and improve. Doing so not only shows your audience that you actually give a damn about what matters to them, it also drastically improves brand recognition and consumer confidence, which are more effective at achieving conversion than simple SEO.
Keeps you infinitely more relevant.
There is a definite social and technological revolution happening right now and it will continue pushing forward whether you are on board or not.How we communicate is changing, customer expectations are changing, channels of communication are changing and if you aren’t up to speed in your content production and methods of delivery, you’re nobody in the online arena. As a business owner, you must be open to new ways of reaching people and ensuring that your voice in the public dialogue matters. To do that, your “voice” must be worth it. It must be worth their time. There is a great big world out there with millions of strangers you want to have on your side. From measurement to brainstorming to production to tracking, constantly improving your content will improve your relevancy, strengthen your business relationships and keep you prepared to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the digital marketing revolution.
