If you’re familiar with content marketing, then you probably know that content that doesn’t stand out is quickly lost in the digital noise. Truth be told, a lot of brands fail at content marketing, and they are not sure of the reason for this failure.
For most brands, it’s not that their content marketing fails; but rather, it’s their strategy that falls short.
When it comes to content marketing success – it’s all about strategy and following the right practices. So, how exactly do you create content that checks all the boxes? What best practice content marketing should be followed? Let’s discuss.
Table of Contents
5 Content Marketing Best Practices to Embrace in 2023
Read to find out best practice content marketing to create content that provides value and drives results.
1. Connect Your Objectives and KPIs with Your Content
Let’s talk about getting your goals and game plan aligned with your content. But hold on, before you even think about where to put that content, you need to have a clear plan for growth. Big companies usually have this all figured out, while smaller ones might need to put some time into making theirs.
Start by mapping out where you want to be in the short and long run – think monthly, quarterly, yearly, and even five years down the line.
Once your growth plan is good to go, you can dive into crafting your content strategy and giving it some specific targets. These are like checkpoints on your content journey. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are your buddies for keeping tabs on how your content is doing and whether the goals you’ve set are being reached.
Imagine you’re aiming to hit a certain percentage (let’s call it X%) of website traffic that’s:
- Converting into leads
- Converting into paying customers
- Subscribing to your emails
- Forwarding or sharing your content
- Following your brand on social media
- Downloading lead magnets
- Coming back every month
Also, keep an eye on other growth stats that can be linked to your directly. This includes metrics like per lead costs, value of each sale, and even customer loyalty.
Starting with clear goals and KPIs is like having a treasure map – you know where you’re headed and what’s worth digging up. With this best practice content marketing, you can tweak and fine-tune your content for maximum impact.
2. Define Your Audience and Their Needs
For content success, you must get close and personal with your target audience.
Why’s this a big deal? Well, think about it: when people need to buy something, they’re likely to search about it on the internet first before making a decision. That’s why content creators need to have their audience in mind – it’s like speaking their language. Because if you don’t, you might just end up with content that’s more snooze than spark.
When your content vibes with your audience or helps them see what’s what, they’re more likely to hit that “buy” button.
Time to bring in the data! One smart way to whip up content that hits the bullseye is by scooping up some demographic data. Content SEO tools like Google analytics are gold mines for learning about your audience. They provide customer insights on their age, interests, education, and mores.
3. Streamline Content Process
To make your content creation process faster and smoother, you must develop a content marketing strategy
First things first: picture the journey your potential customers go on. Imagine it’s like a three-step content marketing funnel – starting with them getting to know your stuff (that’s the top of the funnel), then digging deeper (the middle of the funnel), and finally, deciding to take action (the bottom of the funnel).
Now, for each of these steps, you need content that fits perfectly. Think about guides, interesting blogs, catchy social media posts, and even some serious research – all matched to the different parts of the journey.
Also, you will need content marketing calendar tools to keep everything on track. Gather your team, brainstorm ideas together, and figure out who’s doing what. Regular spreadsheets are fine, but if you want something more organized, check out tools like Google Calendar, Kanban Flow, Trello, or the flexible Contently. These tools will help you master your content creation with style and precision.
4. SEO Optimize Your Content
In the digital age, people use search engines to buy things, and that means your website needs to show up in those search results. To shine online, your site needs to be optimized for search engines (SEO). Here’s the scoop: when your site is well-optimized, more people visit it. Those top three results on Google? They snag 75% of all the clicks, so getting there is a big deal.
More SEO-friendly pages on your site means more chances for major traffic. That’s why creating SEO content that covers what your buyers are looking for is like gold.
But don’t just wing it! Smart SEO content starts with a smart strategy. Instead of fixing things later, weave SEO magic into your content from the get-go. How?
- Research your audience first using tools like SurveyMonkey or Typeform.
- Dig into keywords. Use Google’s Keyword Planner, or fancier tools like Moz, SEMrush, or Ahrefs.
- Go in-depth. Cover your keywords’ topics and more with tools like Ink or MarketMuse.
- Go long! BuzzSumo says meatier articles over 1,000 words rock.
- Stay focused – no fluff!
- Toss in visuals to keep it interesting and helpful.
- Give a clear call to action to keep readers engaged and on your site.
So, remember, content marketing with seo isn’t just important – it’s the key for getting noticed online!
You might also want to read: Competitive SEO Analysis: Complete Guide for 2023
5. Include Appropriate CTAs for Every Content Piece
Let’s delve into the art of crafting the perfect Call-to-Action (CTA) for each piece of content in your strategy. The linchpin here? Your CTA needs to sync up seamlessly with your chosen keyword.
Why the keyword, you ask? Well, it’s a window into the reader’s or visitor’s intentions.
Consider this: someone typing in “what is SEO” is clearly seeking an introductory piece to grasp the concept of SEO. Bombarding them with technicalities or urging an immediate purchase is at best perplexing and at worst, off-putting. Instead, propose a relevant eBook or ask them to subscribe to your newsletter, tailored to their specific stage in the buyer’s journey.
Now, picture a keyword like “best SEO tools for marketing.” This query signals a more advanced stage, someone on the verge of a decision. In this case, it’s time to pivot – a CTA for a free demo, a detailed spec sheet, or perhaps an insightful case study would be on point.
In essence, the keyword acts as a guide, steering you towards the apt CTA that aligns with your audience’s readiness.
Conclusion
So, armed with these 5 best practice content marketing, you’re now ready to tackle the content world with confidence. Keep your audience at the heart of your content, infuse it with purpose and authenticity, and watch as your efforts pay off.
