How to make people care about your digital content marketing

Digital content marketing isn’t dead. Nor is it simple. Blogs are still popular. They haven’t died out. And marketing efforts in the content realm have grown in popularity.

So, why do so many people say blogging or content marketing doesn’t work? Because they failed to get their customers to care about theirs.

And why people care about digital content marketing and how to get them to care about yours is actually pretty simple.

It generally has nothing to do with the format. The inclusions like SEO or pretty design or professional broadcast quality this and that’s help, but you can’t allow the technical to overtake the chemistry. And the frequency you post or the fresh marketing content, while helping Google and giving clients a reason to come back, only gets you so far.

A great Google ranking or a good looking website is pretty useless if no one wants to stay or make contact.

It’s all about surprising, delighting and connecting.

No matter how good your mechanics or timetable are, if the heart isn’t in it, your content, blogs, podcast, video, whatever it is, it won’t work.

Here’s how to get people caring about your digital content marketing efforts

Know what your intentions are

A lot of businesses write what looks like every other business writes about in the industry. But digital content marketing for the sake it of won’t get you far.

You need to know who it’s for and why they want it. You need to know what kind of content they need at each stage of their customer journey with your product.

This will also help you determine what format works best and the topics blogs or other content need to cover.

So, how do you determine what kind of content marketing is going to float your customer’s boat?

There are a variety of different ways to get these opinions and preferences:

• Use personas to determine what your customers want to learn
• Put up a Facebook poll
• Include a short Typeform or similar survey in your newsletter
• Ask people to tell you in the comments section of any social media platform you can name
• Contact customers and ask them to do interviews with you
• Use the information in customer emails and queries to your website
• Chart the content and reasons calls are made to your call centre to identify hot topics and pain points

And think about the difference between a customer who knows your brand versus someone who only knows they have a problem you could potentially solve. Write blogs and make videos and other content that will help them at any stage of their journey with your business.

Don’t over think it

Digital content marketing looks like it’s super involved, but it’s not really. It’s about matching what the audience wants with what the platform provides.

How to shake that it isn’t working or it’s too hard feeling – Audit your marketing to see if you are on track.

Check whether your main pages of the website and descriptions on your social media match your intentions. Tweak them regularly to make sure they do. And if you’ve left it a while, rewrite your digital content marketing on a page by page basis so as not to overwhelm yourself and see what results.

research well

When it comes to research, data is your friend. Make sure you have your Google Analytics setup. And that you check in with the social media platforms you use on the regular basis.

Learn what you are ranking for and boost it by adding like terms. You can do this by using simple tools like Keysearch or LSI Graph. These SEO tools can help you find like-minded keywords and include them in your copy on blogs or as additions to pages.

focus on what you want to say

There’s a reason why Google and social media platforms (and politicians) work in repeatable, keyword rich phrases. It’s because they work.

The algorithms that Google and social media platforms may vary but they have one thing in common. The more you talk about a particular topic, the more you’ll stand out for it. And the more you’ll demonstrate your authority on that topic.

Pick topics you want to be known for and write about them a lot. Get known for talking about those topics elsewhere.

Make it easy to talk about you

If it’s one thing that digital content marketing is great at, it’s putting exactly what you want people to say about you right in front of them. People don’t want to scramble for how to describe your much-needed service at dinner parties or when pitching to the boss. They want to seem intelligent by explaining it succinctly.

To do that, you need to give your customers repeatable blocks of content. Give the satisfied or interested customers the words they need to sell your services and products. They will use them on their friends, co-workers and anyone who says, “does anyone know where I can get a <insert your product here>”.

What’s the simplest way to pitch yourself?

A simple framework that works in your digital content marketing and in person is:

“For <target customer>, who has <customer need>, <my product> is a <market category> that <one key benefit> unlike <competition>, <the product’s unique differentiator>”

Still confused?

For small businesses in need of digital content marketing, Unashamedly Creative is communications specialist that brings a background of agency and product marketing that, unlike other marketing and copywriting freelancers, gives me the ability to plan, write and even train you in the art of using content effectively.  

Make it actionable

Have you ever wondered why blogs, promotions and sales pages all have that call to action at the bottom? It’s because your customers want to know what to do with what they’ve just learned. From television commercials asking us to act now through to web pages with the obligatory call to get in touch, calls to action work.

That’s why digital content marketing professionals include them all the time.

Never forget that your new customer doesn’t know your product or you. They want your guidance. And they want to be looked after. You can only do that if you tell them what step to take next.

Show some personality

When you’ve got five different websites open or you’re trawling a bunch of profiles on Instagram, it will be the digital content marketing that stands out that gets the customer.

How do you stand out in the cluttered marketplace?

• By making it easier than anyone else to access your contact details and get the party started
• Demonstrating extra knowledge and an openness to sharing that knowledge
• Having a personality that appeals to the target market that seems confident and in charge
• Relaxing and not taking yourself too seriously when marketing to the often marketing allergic public
• Having a sense of humour and perspective when it comes to feedback
• Wearing your heart and your values on your sleeve to appeal to more than simple consumerism or need

Give customers something to grab onto that makes you a cut above the rest. Don’t follow what the competitors do. It’ll only make you blend into a big pile of marketing crap with no discernible qualities of your own.

And say something different. Everyone can rewrite the same 5 digital content marketing tips. Not everyone can make it an adventure. Think about how you can put your own spin on things and entertain the client on your own terms.

Want to learn how to make your digital content marketing fun for both you and your customers? GET IN TOUCH NOW.