Have you perfected your mind reading superpower or better yet, started paying attention to what your target market wants? If so, then develop some content already and give them something to talk about (thank you Bonnie Raitt)! The point of content development is to give your avatar or your target market content that they’ll want to engage with and take action on.
Before you hunker down for feverish typing sessions, take a step back and decide where you want this content bus line to end.
Content development should begin with the end in mind.
Let’s pretend that you want to teach wannabe gardeners how to cultivate their garden from the comfort of their own home with the promised result that they can conveniently learn how to be a master gardener. Here’s a simple example of how you could develop content around that end goal.
A potential 3 step plan could look like this:
Step 1 – Download a free planting calendar (lead magnet)
Step 2 – Get a free seed packet bundle, just pay shipping and handling (tripwire)
Step 3 – Join the Online Green Thumb Garden Club membership program (core offer)
Master Gardener. Check.
Now that you have the end in mind, it’s time to map out your content creation strategy.
Create an editorial calendar
One of my favorite ways to get organized is with a content calendar. Instead of trying to decide what to write about each week, you can just refer to your trusty calendar (provided you actually fill it out).
You can base your monthly themes and weekly topics on feedback and questions you’ve received in conjunction with your keyword research. You’ll also want to keep in mind any planned promotions or launches so you can create content that will tee up your offer.
With the 30,000 foot view in mind, let’s zoom in on three types of content in the customer journey.
Download my free content calendar template so can plan out your content creation strategy and get in front of your ideal customer.
1. Develop content that introduces your brand to your target market.
Do you have “Hello, my name is…” content? In other words, do you have content that gives your brand exposure? If you’re struggling with developing a clear and concise message, I highly recommend reading the book, Building A Storybrand by Donald Miller.
Introductory content can include:
A weekly blog post, podcast, or video (FB Live, YouTube, etc.). You want to build that like, know and trust with your audience through consistent content. As simple as it sounds, the key to building an audience is consistency. I know my favorite podcasts and Youtube channels publish their content on the same day each week. I can count on their content like clockwork and that lends to their trustworthiness and credibility in my eyes.
Daily social media posts. Decide on the platforms you can consistently show up on and then post frequently ( in general 1x a day when starting out). If your main platform is Pinterest or Twitter then you’ll likely need to post 5x or more a day. In case you’re still deciding on what social media channels you should use, you may want to consider YouTube or Pinterest for their search engine capabilities (just sayin’).
When considering what to post and when to post, keep in mind, The 60/30/10 rule. This rule suggests that 60% of your posts should consist of engaging content, 30% should consist of shared content, and 10% should consist of content that promotes your products or service.
A microsite with niche content that drives traffic to your website. (fancy-schmancy)
2. Optimize content that converts to leads.
Have you ever gotten cornered in conversation by someone that you were trying to avoid? We all know what it feels like to want to escape a physical conversation, yet many times we’re unknowingly creating the same unpleasant experience with our online content.
The best way to get people to engage in conversation (not look for the nearest exit sign) is to simply develop content around what your avatar has already expressed interest in.
Keep people interested in what you have to say by showing them how you can help solve their immediate problem and guide them to success.
Once you’ve built a rapport with your target market, they’re likely to want to take the next step: sign-up, opt-in, or subscribe to a specific piece of problem-solving content (aka lead magnet) in exchange for their email address.
Here are a few lead magnet ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
- Quiz
- Checklist
- Video
- Audio file
- Webinar
- Swipe file
- Discount code
- Template
3. Optimize content that converts to sales.
It’s one thing to have someone trust you with their email address, but to trust you with their wallet, requires that you go the extra mile to remove mental roadblocks and objections to your product or service.
To optimize your content so it converts to sales, you might want to include content such as:
- Customer success stories
- A Master Class
- Free Trial/Consultation
- Comparison Sheet
One of the reasons why tripwires are effective is because they’re a micro-commitment; meeting your audience where they’re at in the relationship. Think about the software trials that require you to enter your credit card information or the FREE book, just pay shipping and handling offers?
Once someone has made a micro-commitment, they are more likely to take action on your core offer. This is why it’s important to have a content strategy and to think through the content needed to create a path to your core offer.
Ready for the next step in your content marketing journey? Read my post on Content Distribution to get a step-by-step plan for getting your content in front of eyeballs.
Let’s get to it. Turn that inspiration into perspiration!