Today’s post is all about how to massively increase the power of your online marketing or content marketing!
I would like to start with a couple of simple questions. If someone posted a flyer through your door, advertising an event you were not interested in, what would you do? You’d throw it in the bin. If you picked up a hire car and its radio was tuned into a boring station, what would you do? You’d switch channels.
Why?
Because people are only interested in content that is relevant to their tastes and needs.
Content marketing and relevance
For your content marketing, (blogging, email marketing, social media updates etc) to work, it needs to attract, engage and then convert your audience. This means it needs to be highly relevant to them. It needs to motivate them to take action. It needs to compel them to buy from you, call you, email you or visit you. It needs to inspire them to go from being a reader (passive) to being a participant (active.)
To create content that can achieve all that, you need to know what your ideal profile of client or customer is (herein called clients,) and then write exclusively for them.
Who are you writing for?
Who is your ideal client? This is a really important question for you to answer, as until you know exactly who you are trying to motivate, compel and inspire, you can’t possibly get your content right. You should have such a clear idea of who you are writing for, that you can see them in your mind’s eye. This is vital, if you want your content to really resonate with them.
Over on my marketing blog, I know exactly who I am writing for. I write for Bob (or Barbara). They own a small business and want to achieve better sales results or win more clients. They have a moderate understanding of marketing and will have tried some marketing in the past, but they want better results. So, they are looking for professional marketing advice they can trust. Then, when they arrive on that blog, that’s exactly what I give them. I focus 100% on providing marketing information to help small business owners boost their sales and profits; in plain English, with no buzzwords or bullshit. It works extremely well, as you can see here!
Content Marketing: Get specific
If you want to get the best results from your online marketing, you need your very own Bob or Barbara to write for. Get specific. Don’t try and appeal to everyone. By being 100% relevant to your target market, you massively increase your chances of connecting with them and converting them into clients and advocates. Listen to what they say. Monitor them on social networks. Learn what their problems are and produce content that helps them find the answers they need. Be a resource they learn to trust. Just make sure you are focusing on the right people.
PS: It REALLY helps if you genuinely like them too. I love entrepreneurs and small business owners. I am also passionate about content marketing and love writing about it and helping others with their content marketing. I believe this comes across in everything I write.
Over to you
What tips do you have, for making your content as relevant and engaging to your target market as possible? Please share them with us!
Photo: Stefan Baudy
I’ve been recently running through some ideas for new apps and I did a little survey amongst a small group of friends and associates. If it doesn’t help them to do tasks, save time, money nor energy they are not interested in whatever else it can or might do for them.
The same applies in business and in life in general.
Hi Anthony,
People are always looking to the world, based on it’s relevance to them and what they believe. The better you know your marketplace and the more focused your content is on their needs and wants, the better.
Thanks for the feedback sir!
[...] develop their own unique style, but ultimately, your uniqueness is what people want. If you have something interesting to say, which you share with people in your own unique style, you stand a far greater chance of earning [...]
[...] than content value. High value content attracts links, shares and subscribers. It draws people, creates conversions and makes things [...]
[...] for whom the point of using Google+ is to simply rack-up shares. Most are looking to develop a targeted network of prospective clients and advocates, whilst positioning themselves as an authority in their particular field of [...]