The Master Marketer BLOG

On the Internet Content Strategy is King

Posted by Jeffrey Schmidt on Tue, May 08, 2012 @ 10 PM

We've probably all seen it as we've browsed company websites: the blogs that, clearly, no one reads. You find a nice-looking site, it seems to have good products, but when you look at the blog, it's nothing but post after post of generic information with no comments from readers nor any Likes/Retweets on social media.

Most likely, what those sites lack is a clear content strategy. That's what often makes the difference between effective inbound Internet marketing and simply blogging into an uncaring void.

Content Marketing

Content Strategies in Internet Marketing

It's hard to exactly define "content strategy" in a single phrase. It covers both the reason and the methods for your online communications. Basically, like any other marketing effort, Internet marketing needs to be targeted. You should have a good understanding of your demographic base, and produce content that they actually want to see.

It's not enough to simply put your message out there. Your message has to be planned and formatted to create a real impact among the people you want as your customers.

The Four Guiding Ideals of Content Strategies

In a recent article, Rachel Lovinger identified four key elements of a good content strategy, in regards to engaging your customers and leads. I find they work best as questions to ask yourself, to decide if you're on the right track with your content:

  • Is it relevant? Are you making posts that are relevant to your market's demographics? This covers both style of writing and the actual content. If you aren't posting on subjects your market is interested in, in a style they want to read, they probably won't be interested.

  • Is it useful? This isn't just about factual accuracy. Architectural concerns such as the structure of your site and its ease-of-use factor in here as well. Your site should be easy to navigate, and provide a wealth of information that draws in both visitors as well as search spiders.

  • Is it efficient to produce? One of the key benefits to Internet marketing is that it can be quite inexpensive to engage in, compared to traditional marketing. Are you producing content in a way that's cost-efficient and uses available technologies to spread its reach?

  • Is it comprehensive? A good content strategy is integrated into every aspect of your website. Issues should be covered in depth, and you should look for gaps in the presented knowledge to keep putting new ideas forward. Making it comprehensive also leads to it being more dynamic and engaging.

Developing a Content Strategy for Internet Marketing

Answering those questions is a good start, but to have a truly effective content strategy, you need to go deeper than that. You need to think about the purpose of your online content, besides "to increase leads." What sort of "face" do you want to put on your company? What narrative voice will you use? What are you trying to tell your visitors about yourself in your blogs and Tweets?

Of course, the best way to decide this is to have a deep knowledge of your customers. Understand what they want, and you'll be able to see how to deliver it to them. Dig into those market research reports and see what you can discover.

Look to the Future

You might not strictly need a content strategy to get your ideas online, but having one goes a long way towards making your Internet marketing efforts a success. The better you can articulate the purpose of your content marketing and how you are delivering content that your customers want, the more mileage you'll get from your marketing.

Call DeepSky Marketing to find out how you can create a meaningful and profitable content strategy for your company. DeepSky Marketing is a company that provides businesses with profitable marketing systems and verifiable return on investment (ROI). To schedule a brief no-cost consultation call 707 823-3888.

Posted by Jeffrey Schmidt
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