Today’s businesses are interacting in a world where the content marketing explosion is in full force. Consumers expect the companies they do business with to be more than just product suppliers. They’re looking for end-to-end resource centers. And you can achieve this status by focusing on three content marketing objectives.
Everything—from your email marketing to your paid advertising—needs to be sophisticated and well-executed. This way, when potential customers visit your website, they’re much more likely to stay and “browse.” And when they seek products, services, or information that’s relevant to your offerings, they’re much more likely to discover you. Search engines reward valuable content, and your influence can spread exponentially with a good strategy. Here are three ways to turn your business into a resource center.
1. Author In-Depth EBooks That Convey Product Knowledge
EBooks provide immense benefits for businesses, and are major resources for potential and current customers. When a business makes the production of an eBook their primary content marketing objective, it gives others the ability to appreciate the industry knowledge that the business has, and also help solve a problem they’re facing.
Through eBooks, you can cover more complicated subjects in a detailed manner, establish your authority with valuable, accurate information, and generate new businesses leads. Many businesses choose to offer free eBooks in exchange for signing up for the company’s email blast. And email marketing lists are very powerful in today’s content-driven marketplaces.
Travel blogger Nomadic Matt is a great example of how to use eBooks to create additional value, generate leads, and even build an additional revenue stream. Matt Kepnes, owner of the blog, began by writing consistent blogs over the years, collecting more information as he traveled from place to place. As he studied the ins and out of travel, he was able to not only provide valuable travel advice based on specific cities and countries, but also offer suggestions on travel credit cards to buy, navigating airline miles, and budget travel. Some of his ebook titles include:
- “The Ultimate Guide To Travel Hacking”
- “Conquering Mountains: The Guide To Solo Female Travel”
- “Learn How To Teach English Overseas”
- “How To Travel the World On $50 A Day”
EBooks have other business benefits, too, including the ability to re-purpose content. With so much information at your fingertips, you’ll be able to use the material to generate different types of content throughout the year, like blog posts, white papers, and even social media copy.
2. Maintain a Fresh Blog with Examples of Your Products Solving Problems
Draining your boat. Winterizing your boat. Finding the best spot for your boat at the Lake of the Ozarks. Boat Planet is an online marketplace that covers all things boats, and is a great example of how to take a hobby—boating—and turn it into a full-fledged content resource center. The platform is geared towards leisure boat enthusiasts and boating professionals. Boat enthusiasts can learn more about boating operations and logistics, connect with trusted reviewers, and browse photos and boat details for information. Professionals are able to create profiles, link with potential customers, and showcase their personal work and craftsmanship.
The ability to take a niche and fully encompass the subject matter is crucial for businesses who strive to make their websites a true resource center. You have to be able to cover a wide range of topics across a central subject. For example, some of Boat Planet’s titles and introductory words include:
Getting Your Boat Ready For Boating Season
“How well you inspect, tune-up, and prep your boat before your first trip will determine whether you encounter smooth sailing or find yourself with a host of problems when you leave the dock.”
11 Tips For Staying Busy During Boating Weekends
“First things first, it never hurts to do a vessel safety check (VSC). There are two options for a VSC: an online virtual VSC or request an examiner to come conduct a VSC. Both options are free, and it doesn’t cost you if you don’t pass.”
The Dangers of Cleaning Your Boat Alone
“Boat cleaning seems like a safe and straightforward task, and most of the times it is. But when you are working in a wet, slippery environment with chemicals and (sometimes) electricity, it is best to not to do it alone.”
Without blogging, it would be impossible to establish thought leadership in your niche. On average, websites with blogs have 434% more indexed pages than those without blogs. The more indexed pages, the more likely you are to be on Google’s top three. And lastly, businesses who prioritize blogging are 13x more likely to achieve a positive ROI on their efforts.
3. Email Marketing is Still a Force to be Reckoned With
Customers who don’t immediately need something from you won’t be aware of any new deals or information you have to offer unless you tell them. This is where email marketing comes in. Contrary to what many believe, consumers consider email to be the preferred method of communication with businesses. And email marketing offers ample opportunity. There are many benefits to email marketing:
- Maintain regular communication with previous, current, and future customers
- Foster long-term relationships through consistent messages
- It’s highly cost-effective
- Drive attention towards popular products or information
- Limitless creative control, which allows for optimum versatility
- Create a dialogue
As you’re focusing on building the reputation of your resource center, craft emails that represent that value. Focus on what the reader wants to know the most about. Where possible, enhance your email with by personalizing the content to the unique needs of each reader. For example, you might send a cart abandonment email that offers discounts to users who left without paying. In this type of email, you would show them images of the items they left in their cart, as well as any special promotions you’re offering this week that match their interests.
Pay particular attention to your welcome email. One study found that welcome emails generate 320% more revenue per email than standard promotional emails. Furthermore, those who purchase through email offers tend to spend 138% more than those that don’t.
