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It’s easy to underestimate what it takes to create a successful content marketing plan that produces real results. It’s a much more complex undertaking than just publishing a blog post now and then. A marketing plan that incorporates every piece of content is a must. Here are six rules everyone should follow to engage in effective content marketing.
1. Content is part of the customer experience
Because your content relays a message to your audience, you must keep customer experience in mind. That means you should view your content from your audience’s point of view – not your own. Instead of focusing solely on the blog on your website, for example, you may want to branch out into email newsletters, social media posts, and even video to enhance your readers’ experience with your brand and meet them where they already spend their time.
2. Know what you have to offer that your audience wants
Too many brands fall into the “more is better” trap when it comes to content marketing. What matters is that your content is targeted to your specific audience and you know exactly what their problems are and how you can help solve them. Figure out how you can offer your customers the most value, and do it with your content.
3. Take inventory
Take an inventory of the content you already have. You might have a collection of blog posts, articles, whitepapers, podcasts, and so on that you can leverage. Decide whether each piece is ready to be used, needs to be updated first, or won’t be used at all. Then, you’ll have a more accurate picture of what you still need. You may also find you can get multiple uses out of one piece of content by tweaking it for different audiences, so knowing what you have is an economical strategy, too.
4. Inspire your audience
When you aren’t sure where to start, inspiring your readers is a solid strategy. As you work on building your brand, focus on the structure of your content and how it can inspire your audience to achieve their objectives by connecting with you. This, in turn, will help you achieve your objectives, too. Win-win!
5. Keep it simple
There is no reason to overcomplicate your content strategy. Keep your focus on developing brand awareness through your message, knowing your audience, and providing them with what they want: relevant, useful, and entertaining content. When you keep your content marketing streamlined and simple, the whole process becomes much easier and more effective.
6. Embrace imperfection
Everyone starts somewhere. Don’t waste time by waiting until everything is 100% perfect to launch, or you never will. If you’re just starting out, take your audience on the journey with you, sharing your highs and lows and letting them know you’re new to the world of content but excited about what you have to offer. They’ll become a part of your community and feel like part of the team – because they are.
Follow these simple rules for content marketing and get ready to reach new heights this year.
