Effective content marketing is very similar to a high-quality hunting expedition. Instead of focusing on a large group, a skilled hunter focuses on one specific target. The same principle applies within the most reliable content creation tips available today. If you aimlessly strive to reach a massive crowd, you will fail miserably each time. Here are several tips and tricks that you can use right now to work on addressing your targets more effectively and efficiently than you ever have before:
Collect the Data to Identify Your Target Audience
You simply cannot connect with an audience that you have not identified yet. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between an “audience” and a “target audience.” You can fill a room with random people off the street and have an audience. However, what if you only wanted to fill the room with people who would be interested in your products and services? That is how the target audience stands out in this area.
Entrepreneur encourages brand owners and marketers to form solid conclusions by collecting objective data – such as customer needs, market trends, and key demographics. You can use that information to create a customer persona that outlines the traits and qualities exhibited by a target customer. Make sure that you include such factor as education, income, sex, and age to boost the accuracy of your assessment and improve your chances of connecting with them.
Different Platform, Different Content
It is easy to adopt a “copy and paste” mentality when posting your content through various social media platforms.
Most platforms and pages allow you to post the same message on multiple sites with a simple click or keystroke. However, according to Inc., you must remember that what works on one platform will not necessarily work for another. For instance, posting a lengthy message on Facebook may seem doable, but how would you present the same message through a character-limited platform like Twitter? Make time to create unique posts for each online outlet and social media platform.
On the same token, you should only invest in social media platforms that cater to your target customers. If you are focusing all your attention on a specific platform that most of your audience members do not even use, then you are only wasting your time.
Focus on In-Demand Answers, Not Common Knowledge
As you analyze the needs and expectations of your target audience, you must also consider what your audience already knows. The last thing you want is to spend a considerable amount of time and effort focusing on questions that already have answers. What is commonly known within your target audience? If necessary, make a list to ensure that you stay away from those specific points. There might be some “advanced” angles that you can take to expand on those topics – digging for the questions that your audience still asks. However, you can tarnish your reputation and nullify your expertise by only posting and promoting common knowledge.
Examine Customer Feedback, Respond Accordingly
When was the last time you responded to a customer’s comment or complaint? Quite a few content creation tips advise you to respond in a timely fashion to keep the lines of communication open – especially during the digital age of social media. However, you need to take it a step farther if you want to target a specific customer need or expectation.
Find creative and clever ways to turn your customer complaints and concerns into content. For instance, you may need to revisit and revise your FAQs if you find that the same question is asked by multiple customers. You may even be able to expand on a specific issue or concern highlighted by a customer to create engaging content that will boost exposure and drive more traffic to your online presence. The key is to figure out how to shine a spotlight on the concerns of one customer and then reflect the light to shine it through your entire audience.
Shift Gears When Necessary, But Stay on Track
Any racecar driver will tell you that it is vital to shift gears whenever you are behind the wheel of a vehicle with a manual transmission – especially if you are engaged in an action-packed race with many other drivers. While shifting gears, though, champion drivers know that their eyes and overall focus must stay on the road – not the gearshift.
The same principle applies to anyone looking for content creation tips to implement right away. There is nothing wrong with “shifting gears” – or changing the pace of your online presence to open yourself up to new opportunities. However, this does not mean you should switch your lane or get off track. Doing so will only boost the risk factor and increase the chances that you will crash your “content car” into the wall. There is nothing wrong with change if it is a guided change based on logical reasoning and sound judgment.