Tag: audience

The Ultimate Guide to Effective Content Marketing Strategies for Business Success

October 19, 2023

Content is king. This is an adage you’ve likely encountered in the realm of digital marketing. It’s more than a cliché; it’s a fundamental truth. In today’s fast-paced, digitally driven world, content marketing is your ticket to success. It’s the means by which you engage your audience, build trust, and drive your business forward.

To navigate this ever-evolving landscape, we’ve assembled the ultimate guide to content marketing strategies. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, there’s something here for you.

1. Know Your Audience Like the Back of Your Hand

Your content won’t resonate if you don’t understand who you’re talking to. This goes beyond basic demographics. You should know their pain points, desires, and behaviors. Build buyer personas to guide your strategy. For example, if you’re selling fitness equipment, your audience might include fitness enthusiasts, busy parents looking to stay in shape, and seniors wanting to maintain their health. Tailor your content to address the specific needs of each group.

2. Start with a Solid Content Plan

Success in content marketing is often a matter of planning. Develop an editorial calendar. Decide what types of content you’ll create, when you’ll publish, and what goals you want to achieve. A solid plan is your roadmap to success. You can plan a series of blog posts about a topic related to your industry, with each post building upon the last. This creates anticipation and keeps your audience engaged.

3. Quality Over Quantity

It’s not about churning out content like a factory. It’s about creating content that matters. Invest in well-researched, high-quality pieces that provide real value. A single great article can outperform a dozen mediocre ones. Suppose you’re in the travel industry. Instead of publishing daily articles with shallow insights, create comprehensive destination guides with in-depth information, stunning visuals, and local tips.

4. SEO is Your Best Friend

Optimizing your content for search engines is crucial. Proper keyword research, on-page SEO, and an understanding of the latest search engine algorithms can propel your content to the top.

If you run an e-commerce store for organic skincare products, conduct keyword research to discover which terms potential customers use when searching for these products. Optimize your product descriptions and blog posts accordingly.

5. Engage, Don’t Just Publish

Your content should initiate conversations. Encourage comments, ask questions, and be responsive. Engaging content is often shared more and can go viral. For example, after posting a blog about the latest smartphone, ask your readers which feature they find most appealing and why. Respond to their comments, keeping the conversation going.

6. Diversify Your Content

Don’t stick to a single format. Mix things up with blog posts, videos, infographics, podcasts, and more. Different people prefer different mediums. Imagine you’re a culinary brand. Alongside your traditional recipes, consider creating short, engaging cooking videos for busy home cooks.

7. Tell a Story

Storytelling isn’t just for bedtime. We’re wired to respond to stories, so weave narratives into your content. This could be the story of your brand, your customers, or a fictional tale that illustrates your point. For example, if you’re a craft brewery, share the story of how your brewery was founded. Include anecdotes, struggles, and successes to humanize your brand.

8. Leverage User-Generated Content

Your audience is a goldmine of content ideas. Encourage user-generated content like reviews, testimonials, and social media shoutouts. It’s authentic and persuasive. For instance, if you’re a fashion brand, encourage customers to share photos on social media wearing your products. Feature these images on your website to showcase real people enjoying your clothing.

9. Measure and Adapt

Track your content’s performance using analytics. See what works and what doesn’t. Be ready to adapt your strategy based on data. In particular, if you’re running a blog, analyze which topics generate the most engagement and traffic. If posts about healthy eating outperform, consider creating more content around this theme.

10. Promote Your Content

Don’t expect people to magically find your content. Promote it via social media, email, and other channels. A great piece of content is wasted if no one sees it. Suppose you offer productivity tools. Share your latest blog post about time management on LinkedIn, where professionals actively seek such advice.

11. Be Consistent

Consistency builds trust. Whether it’s your publishing schedule or your brand voice, stay consistent. It helps create a reliable image in the eyes of your audience. Such as if your brand has a playful and humorous tone, ensure all content, from blog posts to social media updates, reflects this style. Consistency in tone builds a recognizable brand image.

12. Monitor Trends

The digital world evolves quickly. Stay updated on the latest trends, both in your industry and content marketing. Adapt to what’s new and relevant. for instance, If you operate a tech-related blog, stay up-to-date with emerging technologies like AI or blockchain. Write articles that explore how these trends affect your industry.

Content marketing isn’t just about creating content; it’s about creating value. Your content should inform, entertain, and inspire. It should meet your audience’s needs and help them solve problems. When you focus on these principles, content marketing becomes a formidable tool for achieving business success.

How to Avoid Content Quality Failures

January 15, 2014

2014’s marketing plan for call-to-action involves quality content as the amount of content being produced is increasing greatly. This is due to the increased number of marketeers that are using content marketing along with social media feeds that allow for the content to be spread at an exponential rate. To create quality content, it’s important to understand what NOT to do and we’re here to help you.

Don’t be a constant stream of promotional messages. If you keep shoving your “buy, buy, buy” message in you audience’s faces, they will eventually get annoyed and stop listening. Consumers know the basics of marketing talk and are used to avoiding advertising on a daily basis. Their advertising detectors  are able to block out phrases that are primarily promotional.

Don’t just use generic information. If you can apply what you’re saying to everything, then it means nothing. A lack of specificity can confuse your audience and make it harder for them to relate to your content. By adding specific details about your company and product, you can tell a better story that shapes what you represent. These intricate stories will leave details that will remain in your audience’s mind when they think about your product.

Don’t make it too difficult to read. Illegible fonts or colors make for bad design and keep your audience at bay. Difficult words do the same. When you are speaking to your audience, you want them to understand what it is you are trying to convey without having them turn to a dictionary. Use simple words that everyone can understand because you don’t know what kind of audience you have and you want to have the largest possible reach.

Don’t forget to be human. You don’t want your content to sound like it was written by a machine or is a reciting. Your audience wants to feel important; not just another number. They want to really be convinced and feel special for it. When you speak like a human, they will respond accordingly and feel a stronger connection to what you have to offer.

Quality content is very important when it comes to marketing as it is the craze of this year’s tactics. Make sure you don’t make any of these mistakes in your marketing efforts. Not only is it important to make sure you are creating great content, but you need to make sure that you aren’t doing anything to hinder the influential things you are trying to say. These mistakes will hold you back and it’s important to understand them firsthand before they hold you back!

Where is Your Social Media Audience?

November 27, 2013

As marketeers spend loads of money on their social media campaigns, they are looking to reach out to their audience but are they focusing on a specific demographic? If a business focuses on a certain demographic, they would be able to gear their ads towards their audience more. A social media audience survey by Strata shows the breakdown.

In general, women between the ages of 18-29 yrs dominate in social media networks. They communicate constantly on almost all devices and networks more than men. It is also surveyed that Hispanics with an low income that live in an urban area use social media the most as well.

Social Media Breakdown by Strata

We know women, Hispanics, those with an income under $30K and those who live in an Urban neighborhood are the most active on social media networks. However, we need to understand it more in depth as this information is too general. Let’s break down the different social media networks with their most active users to see what audience to cater to with each network.

Facebook Breakdown by Strata

Facebook has the broadest age band as it has been around for awhile. Those from college students to those that are middle-aged are all pretty active on Facebook. It isn’t just limited to college students, but also involves parents that want in on it as well. They often join as well to connect with their kids on the same level and also monitor their activity while they are away in college. This gives you an opportunity to have a larger reach.

Twitter Breakdown by Strata

The usage of Twitter is significantly lower than that of Facebook. It is for those who constantly put the effort in engaging in the network and therefore, those who are older do not partake. Those between the ages of 18-29 have more to say and complain about and therefore, Twitter is their venting go-to. It is a quick way to get feedback and allows brands to communicate with their audience easily through almost instant customer service.

Pinterest Breakdown by Strata

Pinterest is a female dominated social media network. It is mainly for those that have time to engage in DIY projects and new recipes. Those who have money also engage as they get ideas to redecorate and change their lives. Because of this, the demographic for this can be between women in college to those that are housewives. With the constant ideas flowing through the site, the site shows how to better your life to make every aspect from fitness to house decor visually pleasing. If your brand is related to clothing, jewelry, decor, food, etc. Pinterest is the place to go for your target demographic.

Instagram Breakdown by Strata

Instagram is the most recent recent social media network and it is still growing. Photographs with captions and hashtags combine all other social media networks into one. It is visually appealing, presents a status and is categorized by hashtags similar to Twitter. There are also likes and comments involved for engagement with each post. Because it’s a newer network, only the younger generation is stronger participating as of now. However, Instagram is a already a very strong network and is still growing.

It’s important to understand your audience and what social media networks they participate in. Marketing costs a lot of time and if you place your efforts in the wrong areas, you will be wasting your time. Check to make sure your demographic is being reached in the best way possible. Social media is growing more and more each day with each network and it’s important to understand where each network is heading in relation to your business and audience.

PPC: Mobile Ads Driving Traffic

July 30, 2013

Smartphones used to be owned by only businesspeople and maybe 10% of the average population. Now, about 80% of the people in the U.S. have a smartphone. This device, with online data and every social media network imaginable, is now in the palm of everyone’s hand. This means that advertisers can now market their audience anywhere on the go. What’s great about this is not only the unlimited location for advertising, but also the ability to really track and personalize ads for your audience.

Each individual person’s smartphone can show a person’s locale as well as keep track of their interests based on what they post on social media and what they look up on their phones. This makes it much easier for advertisers to target their audience. You can target them based on interest of topic or convenience of locale. By doing so, the effectiveness and click-through rate of ads is exponentially higher than advertising to the people with different interests as a whole. Google Think Insights studies show that 88% of mobile ad clicks led to organic clicks, leading to a minimal loss of traffic. This proves that targeted mobile ads are the turn of the century for advertisers.

Google Think Insights Analytics

The ability to track and target customers is the most effective marketing method and mobile advertising through smartphones allows this to happen. The 80% incremental click-through rate of mobile ads is incredible. Moving your marketing towards mobile is the best thing you can do for your brand and if you don’t get on it, your competition will so just do it. Invest in mobile because if you don’t, someone else will.

The Importance of Image

July 8, 2013

Advertising and branding is what makes your company. It is the image you portray to others in how you represent yourself and reputation in this manner is everything. It isn’t only important to present yourself in a positive light but you must maintain this image as well, regardless of how long you’re been in good standing.

Well-known Food Network chef Paula Deen was recently released an “apology” video for using the N-word and stating other racist terms. It was also clear that the video wasn’t an apologetic one, but rather one that would point fingers at others for her mistakes. With the very-uncomfortable-to-watch interview came the destruction of Deen’s business empire. The alleged racist comments cost her three widely-popular shows on Food Network as the network fired her. Deen’s sponsors also cut ties to her brand with this toxic publicity. Walmart is also dropping the her line of Southern cookware and decor.

Reputation is everything about a brand and it’s important to maintain a positive image. Branding yourself is just the start but getting your audience to love you and your brand is what really makes it thrive. Make a statement with your brand, get people to love you and work to keep that love and you will have a success!

Redesign Your Website The Right Way

June 25, 2013

Marketing advertising design is one of the most important things for your brand. The market out there is evolving everyday and because of this, many brands redesign their website, logo or even both. Redesigning your brand may seem tedious and difficult but here are some steps to ensure you go about it the most efficient way:

redesign

1. Understand Your Audience. Remember that you already have a defined audience as this is a redesign rather than one you are starting from scratch. The purpose of this step is see who is positively responding to your marketing and to ensure that they continue to do so. This step can also help you to broaden your audience with the information you obtain. By analyzing exactly what links and what ads you are getting leads from, you can enhance those ads more to give them the most potential in the future.

2. Determine an Effective Look and Feel. Are you going to maintain the design and impression you already have on your audience with slight changes or are you going to completely change your presence? Designing a landing page takes a lot of thought as to what you want your brand‘s appearance to be. This one ad can change the viewpoint of how people feel about your company in both a positive or negative manner and reputation and attraction is key in the marketing world. Make sure you are set on the theme you are planning on portraying as this is what people will see you as now rather than what you were in the past. It’s encouraged to take this step with an experienced graphic design company or creative design agency to help transform your vision into a reality on the web.

3. Establish your goals. Are you trying to gain more leads in the same areas? Are you trying to expand your design to become responsive with the growth in mobile technology? This is the most important step as it is the reasoning behind your redesign. If you were happy with the way things were going, there would be no need for one. A new design means that there are new goals you’d like to achieve. Therefore, you need to recognize what exactly is you want before going through the process.

Design and content are the most crucial parts of marketing. The look and feel as well as the message given to your audience is what makes them want to participate in your service or product. This list can help you to understand the process to recreate yourself to enhance your brand.

For more information on rebranding or help on the design and development of your website, contact us at 1-855-826-9378 or email us at info@vanwestmedia.com.

ThingLink Brings Image Interactivity to Social Media

April 24, 2013

The saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words,” but imagine how much a picture could be worth if it was embedded with content, links, videos and more! With the integration of ThingLink, an interactive image platform, and social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter, anything is easily accessible.

Tweets and Facebook status updates are now transformed from 180 characters of mere text to a portal of endless possibilities. What was once a tweet with a simple image of country artist, Joy Collins, is now an interactive portal to her official website, Facebook profile, Google+ profile, YouTube channel, Instagram and so much more! The difference is incredible and Facebook quickly jumped in with a ThingLink app as well.

“Images are becoming forums for conversation and discovery that include sharing, touching, commenting, and remixing rich media content created by others,” said Ulla Engeström, CEO of ThingLink. “ThingLink is now enabling a new kind of discovery experience on Facebook Timeline that evokes emotion and brings moments to life in ways that drive higher engagement.”

The ThingLink app now allows an engaging, interactive fan page for Facebook. With the ability to link to each person’s profile in one image along with many other links, static images are now discovery experiences. Every image contains a story and ThingLink allows people to tell that story in every way possible by embedding other sources of information. This interaction platform not only helps your audience, but it also builds a new level of analysis for your company as well! A myriad of social behaviors can now be explored with detailed statistics for you to analyze your audience. Click here to create your ThinkLink app for your Facebook page!

Flipboard 2.0: The Revolutionary Magazine

April 15, 2013

The next generation of Flipboard was released about 2 weeks ago and more than half a million magazines have already been created. Flipboard, a personal magazine app, gained massive popularity with 53 million users. This app allows people to collect and save articles, photos, and videos for one’s own use or to share with the public. With the ability to do all this in one app, anyone can become an editor and a reader. This personalized magazine gives people only the content they want to see instead of a public magazine intended to serve the public as a whole.

flipboard

What makes great advertising is giving the people what they want. The more geared towards the audience a product or service is, the more likely it will become a hit. Flipboard gives people what they care about without any information they deem is unimportant. It also gives audiences the ability to organize and personalize their content as well. From current news to gossip to social media networks, Flipboard brings everything one would need together all in one place. By having things that matter to you, you are more inclined to be involved with an app such as Flipboard.

flipboard (1)

On top of the great service Flipboard provides people, the design of the app also paves a road for audiences to enjoy as well. The app is physically appealing as well as useful. With the structured minimalism, the navigational features of the app come easily to both editors and readers. The “flip” motion makes it easy for people to search through their self-made magazines and to search for content to fill their magazines. It is important for audiences to easily navigate through what you have to offer so they are more inclined to participate. The responsive design of the app allows people to easily use Flipboard on their computers, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones. The dynamic features of the app as well as the services offered from Flipboard make it a very successful app.

Advertising Errors: Big Macs and Mental Health

April 12, 2013

Are you addicted to Big Macs? Can you stop eating them anytime you want? Do you drown your emotional sorrows with this tasty burger? McDonald’s created a “Mental-Health parody” to advertise their widely-popular and beloved Big Macs.

The key to success is by taking a chance. This may be true in some cases but sometimes, these risks are taken a little too far. Although emotions get the best of people, this situation  was a step in the wrong direction. Mental-health is a very touchy subject, one that cannot be talked about comically. This ad was seen in a Boston train and was immediately reported.

It’s important to understand what kind of advertising can instigate your audience, and of course, in a positive manner. Some issues should be steered away from including mental-health. With this mistake made to the public, advertisers are more likely to double-check their advertisements to ensure a happier audience.

Holiday Inn Express: Bringing the Extraordinary Out of the Ordinary

April 10, 2013

What captures the attention of people is the impact an advertisement has on its audience.  Whether it affects people physically or emotionally, people need to want what the brand has to offer. By bringing a desirable and positive outlook on an average person’s life, Holiday Inn Express rose to the top of the charts with its “Stay Smart” campaign. These new ads follow a formula, where ordinary people are endowed with remarkable talents after a well-rested and life-changing stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

Watch the “Stay Smart: Acupuncture” Ad

This first ad features a delivery man who turns out to be a talented acupuncturist. The patient, unaware that a delivery man is performing the service for her, is surprisingly calm and much more relaxed. When the actual acupuncturist comes back from his lunch break, the patient is surprised yet confused about how the delivery man was able to relieve her stress.

Watch the “Stay Smart: Equation” Ad

This next ad shows a visiting parent of a dance major who becomes a secret genius mathematician. He solves an impossible (and in reality, non-existant) math problem and is praised by the math professor at the institution. Although the professor is confused as to how the parent was able to solve the equation once informed that he was a visiting parent, the fact that staying at a Holiday Inn Express seemed like the explanation for the miracle.

By giving these extraordinary skills to ordinary people, audiences feel like they can have a life-changing experience from staying at a Holiday Inn Express. These quirky, yet charming ads give people the experience of hope and excitement in their daily lives, emotions that give advertisers the upper hand with its audience. The mystery and wonder of what’s to come give a myriad of possibilities that are left to the audience’s imagination. The cliff-hangers in these ads that are only explained by “a stay at a Holiday Inn Express” give endless possibilities, making it the most successful as they are left to interpretation. By giving the power to the people, the brand gains unlimited power in the advertising world.