Most people who struggle with content, often use the “Throw Spaghetti Approach” to content marketing.
What does that mean?
Are you mindlessly throwing content out to your audience with the hope that is sticks?
I want to ask you…
What’s your goal with each piece of content?
One way that you can make content creation simpler is by understanding what your goals are for each piece of content that you create.
Let’s look at some potential goals that you might have for the content you create and publish.
Brand Awareness
Some content that you publish needs to be to get more people aware of your brand.
The types of content that can do this range from publishing books, webinars, and even blog posts.
If this type of content goes viral then that’s even better.
This content is not created to necessarily make sales, but it probably will.
At the end of this type of content, you’ll ask your audience to like, comment, and share.
List Building
Some of your content should be devoted to list building if you have your business (a topic which I harp on with my clients).
List building is the one way you have online to create an asset for yourself that can go with you no matter what happens to the technology you currently use.
This type of content may consist of a freebie (lead magnet) of some kind plus a landing page and sign up form.
Engagement
Most of the content you put on social media will be to increase engagement between you and your audience but also your audience with themselves.
You might use surveys, questionnaires, and discussion starters for this type of content.
Driving Traffic
Traffic-driving content will consist of both on and off-site content.
You may guest blog for someone who serves your audience, or you might have an influencer mention your site and drive traffic to it with a gift for their readers.
A great way to drive traffic is to host an affiliate contest too.
Providing content for them is also part of your content creation needs.
Generating Leads
The best way to get leads is to use list building strategies such as giving away a freebie or hosting a webinar.
The key is to ensure that the freebie is really something only your audience will want and that the webinar is on a topic only your niche audience needs to know about.
Making Sales
If your goal is to make sales, ask for the sale.
(Again another soapbox topic for me…you must make offers consistently)
This may be done with a blog post, an article, or a sales page.
Either way, the content should focus on benefits over features and then ask for the sale.
Ask them to buy right now by providing an easy way to do it.
Improving Customer Retention
If you want people to stick with you once they buy from you, it’s imperative that your follow-up series (e,g, via your autoresponder) is well thought out.
This is where segmentation can help tremendously.
Making Repeat Sales
Depending on what type of things you sell, you may want them to buy more of it, or you may want them to buy something else.
The content you send to them via email will help guide them toward that end.
When making a goal for the content you create it’s best to choose only one goal for the content so that your audience knows exactly what to do once they consume the content.
