As members of SEMpdx, we get to go to awesome monthly learning events featuring some of the brightest players in our industry. This January was no different, as speakers Heather Lloyd-Martin and Lisa Williams shared some strategies gleaned from their many years of content writing experience. In this post we’ll share some of our favorite takeaways from the event.
1. Be decisive.
It can be exceedingly difficult to commit to one strategy and stick with it long enough to evaluate its success. With ever changing Google, Facebook, and Twitter algorithms to keep track of, it’s easy to feel like one can never quite get a hold on how to address content marketing. Lisa reminded us that we need to weigh our options, develop a strategy and execute it, at least for awhile. Processes can change, approaches can be adjusted, but the most important thing is to do something. Time spent agonizing over how to proceed is time wasted, especially when you could be interacting with your audience. Speaking of audiences…
2. Pick one audience.
If we followed our social intuition we would try to speak to every potential client, partner, donor, etc. on our channels. Why limit the pool when we could appeal to many? The truth in digital marketing, however, is that when you attempt to reach everyone you’ll likely end up reaching no one. The reason for this is that people connect with brands on a personal, values-driven basis. If your messages are overly vague and broad, you miss the opportunity to form real bonds with your audience. For this reason, pick one principal audience and tailor your content to their needs and desires. Establish your base and others will follow.
3. Find your one thing.
Good brands possess at least one thing that makes them unique. If you’re the one law firm in your area that offers free consultations or a 24-hour answering service, build your content marketing plan around your exceptional service. Use your one thing as the cornerstone of a larger story; you’re the firm that places the needs of your clients above billable time or strict office hours. Over time your content story will grow bigger than free consultations, transforming into something that has inherent personal value to those who come into contact with your brand.
