5 Do's and 5 Don'ts for Successful Content-Driven Marketing

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There has never been a better time to use content-driven marketing to reach your target audience. Content-driven marketing is a strategy that seeks to educate buyers while turning them into customers. It brands you as an authority who is willing to share what you know in addition to offering goods or services. A successful content-driven marketing campaign will turn buyers looking for solutions into customers and your existing customers into loyal evangelists.

As with any other marketing plan, there is a way to go about it for maximum benefit. Here is a list of do's and don'ts for getting your content-driven marketing strategy working for your brand.

DO

1. Do understand your audience.

The best way to understand and market to your audience is to develop a buyer persona. Figure out who would best be served by your product based on characteristics like age, spending power, geographical location, and the problem this customer would like to solve. Include the channels through which this customer is most likely to be reached. The tone you use in your content should speak to this personality.

For example, if you want to market to males ages 30 to 35 who own motorcycles, you need to get inside the head of this persona. What are his concerns? How much money is he willing to spend on his hobby? Does he use social media, or is he more likely to respond to emails?

By putting yourself in your ideal customer's shoes, you can show the audience that you know what you are talking about. Express this in your content. 

2. Do make sure to have a detailed and documented strategy.

Content-driven marketing begins with a well-documented plan. Your strategy should address all your creative goals, including what to focus on in your content, how often to post, and the best places to post. Decide what steps you will take to optimize your content and how you will track the success of your efforts. A detailed strategy complete with alternative actions for what doesn't work is essential. 

3. Do create a distribution plan for your content.

Distributing your content relies heavily on your target audience. Blog posts are an excellent way to get a lot of information in front of consumers, but not all buyers will take the time to read them. For those who prefer to have their purchases influenced by someone they can relate to, a blurb or video on social media might be preferable. Email continues to be an effective way to market as the content is targeted, and most people check their email boxes every day. 

Integrated marketing is an excellent way to distribute content over multiple avenues. Talk to your media partner about the best way to get your message out for maximum exposure.

4. Do analyze your results using reports.

It is important to measure the parts of your marketing plan that are working, what needs tweaking, and what can be improved or abandoned altogether. Analyzing your efforts helps you optimize your strategy. When you work with a media partner, you will gain access to reports that will keep you on the right track.

5. Do use a media partner.

Marketing can get very complicated, especially when you are trying to sell yourself. While you are busy running your business, you need someone who has the time and expertise to handle all the ins-and-outs of an effective content marketing campaign. A trusted media partner has access to tools that can help you increase brand awareness, generate leads, and foster engagement with your customers.

DON'T 

1. Don't showcase robotic or repetitive content.

Repetitive content is boring and insincere. You can't establish yourself as a trusted source if the information you put out is old news. Keep content fresh by posting often and updating what's already working as needed. You want your audience to know that there is a human person who cares about their needs sharing information rather than a robot programmed to spit out redundant facts.

2. Don't create content as part of standalone campaigns.

To amplify the power of your campaign, you must take a holistic approach. Construct a multi-step marketing plan that will hone in on your specific goals. For example, if you only use content as part of social media, you will miss out on potential business. Spread your message far and wide. 

3. Don't only talk about your products and services.

Content is about education. You want to inform the public about your products or services, but you also want to keep them engaged beyond just the awareness stage. Utilize blog posts to expand into subjects related to your brand, but offer fresh content that circles back to the core of your business. Give the audience more than just a sales pitch once you have their attention. 

4. Don't do it half-heartedly.

The purpose of your content strategy is to gain more leads that will convert into sales. You are trying to establish a relationship with buyers who will repeatedly turn to you to solve their problems. If you take a half-hearted approach to this mission, you won't be very successful. Give your content your full attention. Post often and keep it current. This will not only keep your existing customers on board, it will help you entice additional business. 

5. Don't mistake more followers for more engagement.

A follower is not an engaged customer. Someone might sign up for your emails without ever opening them. For this reason, you must create content that is relevant and eye-catching. An engaged consumer has the most potential to become a loyal customer. 

When you embark on a content-driven marketing campaign, your goal is to reach and engage your target audience. Following these tips can help you create content that will improve your bottom line. Working with a media partner can help you get the maximum benefit with the least amount of effort on your part.