Using Content Marketing To Drive Credibility

Raspberries.

 

What does creating original content have to do with raspberries?

 

Nothing. But the mere fact that the word “raspberries” has been randomly dropped into this article is proof positive that this is a piece of original online content. There are plenty of computer programs available to cut corners by churning out robotic content for websites. While those articles are loaded up with facts and figures they won’t have “raspberries:” that original creative flair. That’s what you should be striving to put into your content: originality.

Search engines are getting smarter. Google has launched several algorithm upgrades – the Penguin and Panda updates - which specifically targets websites that produce “spam” content. The Google spiders can tell the difference between an original piece of online content and something that has been “spun” or pasted together with a computer program. The new algorithm updates not only the take a look at the structure of a sentence, they also analyze the relevancy of content , the number of backlinks to the website, the number of times that an article or content gets shared using social media and so many other factors.

Guess which content goes to the top of their rankings? That’s right; it’s the original content. Google wants its users to receive maximum benefit from its searches and you should want the exact same thing for your online visitors. The best way to build up your company brand is through great content that your readers want to share. Here’s what you need to consider with every piece that you write or create:

Teach and Entertain

Readers go online to do two things. Be entertained or find a solution to a problem. Once you have an understanding as to what your target audience wants to do online, you can create the right piece of content that will attract your markets’ attention.  In other words, choose whether each piece that you write or create is going to be informative or fun to consume. You can’t solve all the world’s problems but when it comes to your little corner of cyber space you should be providing solutions that meet their immediate concerns. You should also provide a reason for those users to return to your site. That will only happen if you can put a smile on their face with your content. Get cheeky with the headlines. Don’t shy away from quirky graphics. You can still maintain a professional presence but keep it human and not robotic.

Build Trust and Credibility

Thanks to those Google algorithms, internet surfers are becoming a savvy bunch of readers. They can also quickly spot a “spam” article. Loading up your site with content for the sake of content is going to turn off that visitor. You might not make a sale on that first visit but if you plan your content marketing campaign (or a drip marketing campaign), you can slowly build up trust by creating original content that your target audience will want to read.  Your audience wants to find a reason to not do business with you. So, make sure that any content that you produce specifically targets your intended audience and their needs. When you’ve built that trust they’ll be coming back again and again.

Start a Conversation

With the advent of social media, email and blogs, we get the chance to join and be part of any community. This means we all have a chance to share our experiences and opinions. Give your users that opportunity by inviting them into the discussion. Your content should end with a call to action, whether that’s a link to more articles on your site or a question inviting the reader to leave a comment. Or even sign up for a newsletter. When you engage readers to share their thoughts they’ll come back to see who is commenting on their comments. That’s how you build an online community.

Questions? Feel free to ask and we’ll do our best to answer. (See how that works?!)

 

4 Mistakes That New Bloggers Make When Starting a Blog

With the changes that Google has recently implemented to their search algorithm, content marketing has become the newest buzz word. Instead of driving traffic using Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics, websites that post a lot of great content on their website are becoming more successful in getting higher rankings.  Having a blog on your website has become one of the best tactics any marketer can use to stand out from the crowd and also attract the attention of search engines.

 Much like a Twitter or Facebook account, a blog is another way to reach out to a vast global audience. Blogs can also lend great support for a business not only to direct new customers to a web store but also provide great content to keep loyal customers coming back for more.

However, just because it is easy to set up a blog doesn’t mean every blog will be a success. Here are some common mistakes that new bloggers make and you should avoid:

Copying Content

There is an abundance of resources available all across the internet to support your blog but that doesn’t mean you should just be cutting and pasting a bunch of articles. You should always strive to have original content.

That doesn’t mean you can’t be inspired by an article or video to write a post. In fact, you can even use that post as link on your site. Many search engines want to provide their users with quality content, and they check if the information that you provide isn’t a duplicate from another site. If you’re running a business blog and don’t fancy yourself  good at writing, there are plenty of talented writers who can help create 100% original content for your blog.

Diving In Without Research

To get the most out of a blog you need to do a little research. From a technical standpoint you could literally start a blog within seconds by registering a name on one of the easy blog sites like Wordpress or BlogSpot. Then what?   Find out how a blog works in terms of links, pings, tools and how to drive traffic. You should also be looking for the various blog networks that you can plug your blog into. This will help you spread the good news of your blogging efforts.

Cluttered Layout

A blog is not a scrapbook. Yet, some new bloggers try to crowd as much of the “whiz bang” features onto their blog as possible. Take it slow. Just as you should be researching where your blog should live, you should also research the various templates you have at your disposal for layout options.

Start with what appeals to you. Is it easy to find what you’re looking for on a site? Can you quickly access archive material? Is the font pleasing to view? What’s great about blogs is that the layout designer will also get credit. Look for that credit at the bottom of your favorite blog and use that for a reference for your own blog.

Boring Headlines

A blog is the sum of all its posts. Those posts begin with a strong headline. Consider every time you pick up a magazine or newspaper: Isn’t it the headline which first grabs your attention? That’s what you should aim for with your own blog posts. Asking questions is always a good way to pull a reader into a blog. Keep it simple but make it original.

How to build a great LinkedIn presence

If Facebook is for friends and family and Twitter is for a quick comment on any topic, then LinkedIn should be considered the professionals’ social media networking site. Since its inception, LinkedIn has developed a solid reputation as a straight forward web portal where business professionals can connect, share resources and stay up to date with the latest industry news (whatever industry that might be). There are many people who have used LinkedIn as a kind of a virtual resume site. Additionally, many businesses are turning to LinkedIn to enhance their company profile. As with any other type of social media presence, the more you put into LinkedIn, the more you’ll get out from it. The following are some helpful hints on how to build a great LinkedIn presence.

1.      Join In On the Discussion

No matter what your business niche is chances are there are already dozens of groups on LinkedIn engaged in the kind of ongoing discussions you should be a part of. Before diving in, make sure you read through some past posts to get a “feel for the room.” Also, before posting edit your comments to make sure you’re presenting yourself in a positive light. Don’t forget to provide a link back to your own LinkedIn page.

2.      Stay Updated

Leave the status updates about what you’re having for breakfast or what you thought about last night’s Game of Thrones for Facebook. On LinkedIn your status updates should be strictly professional. That doesn’t mean they have to be humorless, but stay focused on your reasons for using LinkedIn which is to enhance your profile or company brand.

3.      Start A Blog

If you own or operate a business you’ve got a lot to say. Starting a blog is way for you to share your insights and begin a conversation. Pick a topic in the news for inspiration or relate a recent challenge in your business and how you overcame that. Remember you’re not aiming for a Pulitzer; you just want to stay relevant. Promote your blog on LinkedIn, either through your company page or your own personal profile.

4.      Maximize the LinkedIn Apps

Put LinkedIn to work on your page by including polls, SlideShare and events. It’s another way of keeping your site active and giving other LinkedIn users a reason for returning.

5.      Start a Conversation

Just as you should be joining in on the conversation on other pages, you should start a conversation of your own. Hopefully, if you get traffic to your page you’ll be able to pull in other professionals to keep the discussions going. This isn’t about sales pitches but conversations between professionals.

6.      Create a Strong Headline

Headlines are what pull users into a profile. Try to create something that is equal parts catchy and intriguing. Don’t hesitate to rotate out some strong headlines to keep your profile fresh.

Low cost online marketing tactics to drive awareness for your small business

Marketing can be expensive, however, you don’t need a six-figure budget to drive results. Here are some great tactics you can put into action that will help you build buzz and drive traffic back to your website. While these ideas are not expensive, they will definitely take a bit of time and effort to master.  

1)      Blog commenting:  This is a simple and effective way to drive traffic back to your website or blog. Blogging is a social activity, a two-way conversation between the writer and their readers so if you join the conversation you must add value to it. By posting insightful comments on other blogs, you not only build relationships with the bloggers but also with their readers. Remember to only comment on blogs that are related to your industry or targets your market demographics.

2)      Posting in message boards: Although they may have been around since the beginning of the internet and are relatively unchanged, they are still extremely effective for driving traffic and building awareness. There are thousands of message boards around the internet for almost every topic. By joining and participating in their discussions and consistently offering great advice, you will be considered as an expert and drive traffic to your website. 

3)      Search Engine Optimization: Search Engine Optimization has become one of the most important marketing tactics that you could use to drive traffic and awareness to your business. With millions of people using Google and other search engines every day, why shouldn’t you target your website to them? By ranking higher in the search engines, you have the opportunity to drive thousands of visitors every day to buy your services and products.  

4)      Create a blog: Regardless of what you sell online, you must have a blog. The benefits of writing a blog goes beyond building a relationship with your prospects and customers, it can also help your site’s organic SEO ranking. Because Google ranks websites higher that post frequent content that people link to, having a blog makes great sense for your company. By posting great content, stuff that people can’t find anywhere else, you are positioning yourself as a resource that people go to for information. Make sure that you share your content through social media sites such as Digg, StumbleUpon, Facebook and Twitter. For many websites, a blog accounts for a large portion of their monthly traffic. By converting that traffic into leads, you can have your sales team follow up and make them customers.

5)       Build your social media presence: You should be taking the opportunity to have a company profile or page on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+.  They will be good areas to get new clients that you normally wouldn’t get. And the best part is that it won’t cost you anything except the time it takes to maintain your profiles. Don’t forget that people are on your pages because you provide content that they can’t find on their own. You build up your profile when you share and participate in the social web.

6)      Be a guest poster:  Another great way to get some awareness and traffic is to write guest posts on other blogs within your industry. With thousands of blogs found on the web, you will be able to find a few popular blogs that you can write for. And the common thing that all these blogs want is more content. By writing guest posts, you will not only get organic traffic but, even more valuable, backlinks that can help you with your Search Engine Optimization campaign. 

7)      Video marketing or YouTube: Now that they appear in search results, videos have become a great way to market your service or company. You can optimize them to appear higher in the rankings and create great videos to show clients how good your products and services are.  Remember, people go to YouTube to either learn or be entertained.

8)      Get interviewed: Getting publicity from major news outlets is hard, however, you can still get publicity from blogs and smaller online newspapers. Contact various bloggers and give them a reason as to why they should interview you. Mention your company’s achievements or why their readers will find you awesome. If they say yes, they will most likely email you some questions and post your response.

There are many ways that you can generate awareness and branding without having to spend money, it just requires some creativity and effort. There are many examples of companies achieving greatness through using low-cost marketing tactics and competing effectively against their competitors. If they can do it, so can you.  Just be aware that you must be willing to put in time and energy to get results.