How To Create A Winning Content Marketing Strategy

A few years ago, the word "content" made people think of the ingredients listed on product packaging. These days, content has a much broader meaning. In the online space, it generally refers to articles, videos, blogs, podcasts, audio clips, and social media materials. High-quality content offers a direct channel to interact with clients and promote your services. But what can you do to build your online presence and offer your readership real value? Here are 5 top tips to create an effective content marketing strategy for your eLearning organization.

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1. Identify Your Audience

When you have a conversation with someone, you want to talk with them, not at them. The goal is to interact with them so that they form a connection with the content. A two-way communication is always more effective, especially when you’re trying to get someone to purchase your product or service. The first step in creating this kind of rapport is to speak your target audience's language. And it’s impossible to do that when you don’t know who your audience is. Put together a profile of your ideal customer categories. How old are they? What do they like? What matters most to them? What can’t they live without? Who do they spend their time with? Once you have a framework of who you’re talking to, tailor your message to meet their needs and address their issues. For example, an organization looking for an extended enterprise LMS will want to know more about key selection criteria.

2. Define Your Message

What defines an effective communicator? Is it someone who never runs out of things to say, or one who makes you want to listen? They say nothing is new under the sun, but in the information age, there’s always something innovative to share. The trick is to make people want to hear it from you. Think about what you want to tell your customers, and how you want to convey it. Craft content in the most interesting, effective, consumable package that you can. Generally speaking, your customers should absorb our content without having to work too hard. For example, avoid technical jargon for content that must appeal to the masses, instead of just experienced HR managers or L&D pros. You can even build a template to help your team generate content that ticks all these boxes.

3. Check Out The Competition

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery. While we don’t advocate copying other brands within your industry, you can still learn a lot from them. Think about the companies you admire, and list the ways you’d like to be like them. Then, think about the ones that make you cringe and make a list of their strengths. Think about their tone and their online persona. How do you want your customers to perceive you in comparison to how their customers view them? Look at their approach to communication. Find a comfortable spot for yourself, deciding how often you’d like to refresh your content. You don’t have to post every day, but you need to update your online assets regularly. Also, consider creating evergreen content that stands the test of time.

4. Find The Right Media Outlets

Once you know what you want to do and have seen what your peers are up to, it’s time to fire up. You will need several tools to make your content marketing strategy effective. First, decide what online platforms you want to use. Your most important tool is your website. It serves as a home base for all your content. You may also choose to use social media. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are helpful tools to share your ideas and meet your clients right where they are. At the most basic level, you can use the online platforms themselves to manage your content. However, you can also find an aggregate app that combines all three and allows you to manage them in one spot. Some apps even allow you to pre-set and post updates ahead of time. Another great place to reach your target audience is by posting content on eLearning Industry.

5. Develop A Calendar

Online information is deliberately produced with the aim of educating, entertaining, inspiring, and ideally, 'going viral'. The best way to keep customers interested is to be consistent. You will soon realize it’s hard to find new things to write about off the top of your head. This is where a calendar comes in. Once a week, or even once a month, sit down with your team and plan all your posts. Decide how often you want to upload content and start brainstorming ideas, or create the content in advance and queue it up. This includes blog posts, audio-visual content, and even social media posts. Upload your calendar onto your automated content disseminator and schedule it to go live on a pre-selected date. As you build your calendar, include pieces that speak to your company’s objectives. In addition, think about upcoming promotions or events you may be hosting. For example, you can host a workshop to educate your audience and bring in new business.

Creating a winning content marketing strategy makes your life easier and your sales cycle more effective. Start by deciding who your target audience is, and what you’d like to say to them. Look at what other companies do in order to see what works and what doesn’t. Identify the best tools for your own company and set a realistic posting schedule. These simple steps will put you well on the way to winning the content marketing game.

Are you interested in exploring the basics and benefits of content marketing? Download our free eBook The Ultimate Guide To A Winning Content Marketing Strategy to get more tips and tricks on how to generate leads, drive traffic to your site, boost conversion rates and use the SEO/SEM and Google Revenue Model to your advantage.