The ultimate goal of marketing is to gain more customers. You have to hone every facet of your marketing efforts.
Start with your content marketing, which has more effect on conversions than most other marketing functions. Statistics clearly show this.
According to Aberdeen research, growth in unique site traffic year over year is 7.8 times greater for content marketing leaders than among followers. Obviously, content marketing snags more leads than most other marketing techniques.
Another advantage is the incredible cost savings of content marketing against traditional advertising. It costs 62 percent less than traditional marketing and generates about three times as many leads, according to Demand Metric.
There are many ways you can improve your content marketing to attract more customers. Here are suggestions for some of them.
1. Post Reviews
A company that wants more readers and potential customers can get them by posting reviews on products and services its consumers are more likely to use. This will generate greater organic search traffic and establish your company as a brand authority.
To see an example of how this is done, check out this post from Top Workout Reviews. The majority of this company’s traffic is generated through the many exercise and diet reviews posted to the site.
This is an excellent way to attract search traffic and keep customers coming back for more information.
2. Use Power Words
Power words can be employed in content writing to drive a specific action. They are also useful for eliciting a particular emotion in readers, which can make your brand more appealing to them.
For example, consider this example of an advertisement from Print magazine. It highlights an advertisement from a period when new clothing designs were difficult for the status quo to accept.
The advertisement used words like “mercifully restrained,” and “quiet individuality” to send a subliminal message that got consumers to purchase something new that they might normally avoid.
3. Choose Topics Your Customers Agree With
Trending stories and controversial topics attract a high volume of page views. You could create a deeper connection with consumers if you write on a subject they firmly agree with.
This is especially true when it comes to social shares. Most people don’t want to associate their personal pages with posts they don’t agree with, so they won’t share information unless it’s in line with their values.
Since word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most effective forms of promotion, social shares will are invaluable for lead generation.
4. Attract Readers with a Little Controversy
On the other hand, controversial issues also garner multiple page views, sometimes many more than any of your other posts. They will arouse more conversation and engagement as people share their reactions and point of view on the issue.
But a note of caution is in order here. Controversial topics can easily become bad publicity if you’re not careful. Always remain respectful in your content and try to keep unnecessary bias out of the conversation.
Limit your use of controversial matter to keep discussions in check, and try not to engage too much with the negative content so as to avoid a PR nightmare that could blow up in your face.
5. Raise Brand Awareness
This content marketing principle starts with the premise that target readers don’t know much about your brand, products, or services. It’s your job to enlighten them with your content marketing.
Lessons in branding are often best learned from the experts. Coca-Cola is one of the most prolific brands in the food industry, and its content marketing was a big factor in getting it there. The colors and emotions the company managed to associate with its brand have made it forever memorable.
6. Put the Most Important Things First
According to research from Microsoft, the average person’s attention span is eight seconds. People will continue to read if you’ve hooked them within that time frame, but if they aren’t engaged before the eight seconds are up, they’re liable to wander elsewhere.
For that reason, you’d be smart to follow the inverted pyramid format with your content. The most important information (i.e., the most newsworthy) should come first. That’s where you share vital information, followed by general details and background info.
The first section has got to hook the reader; the rest will pull him or her toward your call to action. That’s customer attraction in action.
