Have you noticed a recent increase in the branded digital content brands have been distributing? You’re not alone. The past months have shown a massive shift in the way in which brands are connecting with their audience and content marketing has become the name of the game.

WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

Lexico describes it as, “A type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, and social media posts) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.” Content marketing isn’t a new concept, but the recent rise in its demand is impossible to ignore. Social media, e-blasts, and paid ads will help your brand stay afloat during these times. However, putting out digital content without any kind of plan or strategy will get you nowhere. Your time and brand platform are precious assets. Don’t waste them by putting out content that doesn’t serve a purpose. Let’s get into how to use these methods strategically.

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY

Your audience is consuming digital content now more than ever! Statista shows a worldwide 44% increase in the amount of time consumers are spending on social media. People desire human connection. Right now, in-person interactions are few and far between. The best way for your brand to offer those personal connections is through social media. If your brand typically provides in-person services, such as a concert venue or a restaurant, social media is your best method to stay relevant and keep your audience engaged. But that doesn’t mean just putting out random posts here and there. Your presence should serve a purpose and align itself with your brand. That includes imagery as well as content. What value can you provide to your audience during this time. Your messaging strategy should revolve around that value.

PAID AD STRATEGY

Right now is a great time to reconsider your paid-ad strategies. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has stated, “In a time of disaster, people rely more on social services…we are seeing surges in traffic, especially in areas most affected”. Maybe prior to the pandemic, paid-ads weren’t beneficial for your business. But now, as internet traffic increases, paid ads might be a better way to get more eyes on your content. A benefit of paid-ads is the ability to target those who are most likely to be interested in your brand. They’ll give your business a better chance at being discovered, even as people are stuck at home. With paid ads, strategy is the key to ensure a return on your investment. Haphazardly putting out paid ads with no foresight will result in you spending money and not seeing any results.

EMAIL STRATEGY

Developing a strong email list is an invaluable way to communicate directly to an audience that is interested in what you have to say. If someone is interested enough in your business to subscribe to regular updates, it’s best to make sure that your content provides enough value to hold their interest. The best way to do that is through strategy. To develop your messaging, listen to your audience and answer their questions. Provide insight that only you have the ability to provide. If you keep your e-blasts fresh and worthwhile, your audience will remain engaged and continue consuming the information that your brand is putting out there.

SEO STRATEGY

Similar to paid ads, strategizing your businesses website can help to get you discovered by the right people. Unlike paid ads though, optimizing your site for search engines doesn’t require continual costs and allows for organic discovery. Some SEO techniques include strategically placed keywords, well written meta-descriptions, video implementation, image captioning, as well as internal and external links. The tricky part about SEO implementation is monitoring what works and what doesn’t and adjusting from there. This is done by keeping track of your site’s analytics as changes are being made and taking note of what is getting you the most productive organic traffic.

UTILIZING ANALYTICS

Let’s dive deeper into how to use your analytics to develop and maintain successful content marketing strategies. The beauty of digital content is the ability to track it’s progress. Each social media platform offers analytics to track which posts are getting the most engagement or views. There are also a number of website platforms provide stats that monitor your sites traffic, engagements, and conversions. This data is gold. These analytics tell you which messaging your audience gets the most value out of. It tells you how and why people are finding your website and how much time they spend on which pages. Use those insights to rework any strategies that aren’t working, or push harder on messaging that your audience is loving. It’s not easy work and requires knowledge and persistence; but in the end it will pay off.

SPUR OF THE MOMENT ADJUSTMENTS  

One of the most important mindsets to keep while developing strategies is flexibility. Recent months have taught us that what might be a great strategy one week can be completely unusable the next. A good strategy can turn sour in the blink of an eye. It’s important to acknowledge when that happens and be able to quickly and successfully shift directions. Consider fast food marketing in the past few months. Previous marketing strategies centered around brand awareness and keeping products at the front of their audience’s minds. However, the sudden industry shift demanded that those brands alter their strategy to showcase their delivery methods. Don’t let your brand fall behind in times of societal shifts. React quickly to rework your strategies to avoid playing catch up. Good strategies require agility.

REDISTRIBUTE YOUR MARKETING BUDGET

If you’re currently relying on dated marketing strategies, maybe it’s time to rethink your marketing budget. Digital consumption is on the rise. Your brand can benefit greatly by shifting funds into digital content marketing rather than less engaging marketing techniques. Content marketing is direct and speaks to the people who are searching for you. It provides answers before your audience even has to ask and most include calls to action. So consumers aren’t left wondering what their next steps are. Now is a great time to evaluate your budget to determine what can be allocated more strategically.