You’ve probably heard the term “content marketing” bandied around quite a bit as you’ve researched different ways to market your info-product business. But perhaps you have some questions about this strategy. If so, you’re reading the right article, because we have answers.
Let’s start at the beginning:
What is content marketing?
Content marketing is all about creating and distributing high-quality content in order to grow your business.
What are the benefits of content marketing/how is it used?
One of the reasons content marketing is so popular is because you can use it in a variety of ways to benefit your business. The benefits include:
· Establishing yourself as an authority in your niche.
· Using it to generate targeted traffic.
· Getting referral traffic (AKA viral marketing).
· Using it to bring repeat traffic back to your blog, social media page or other platform.
· Utilizing it to bring in traffic from the search engines.
· Preselling products or services.
Which brings us to the next question…
How do you use content marketing to establish yourself as an authority?
There are two keys to this strategy. The first key is to only post high-quality content. In other words, don’t post “filler articles” just because you need to publish something on your blog or elsewhere.
The second key is to blanket your niche with content. If people see your content on multiple sites or every time they search for a niche problem, they’re going to come to view you as an authority.
Here’s what to do:
· Post on your own blog.
· Do guest blogging.
· Syndicate your content.
· Create rebrandable content for affiliates to distribute.
· Create viral content.
· Optimize your content for the search engines so that people find you when they’re searching for niche topics.
· Showcase your expertise in webinars and videos.
· Publish a book (even a Kindle book) in your area of expertise.
· Distribute videos in your niche.
· Post on SlideShare.net.
· Post on social media (Facebook, YouTube, etc.).
· Distribute press releases.
· Publish your own newsletter.
· Be a guest author in other peoples’ newsletters.
In short, get your content everywhere across your niche to build your expertise and name recognition.
How do you use content marketing to presell offers?
You use content market to generate traffic in the exact same ways as listed above (e.g., email marketing, blogging, guest blogging, SEO, etc.) The key is to create “useful yet incomplete” content. The useful part of the content impresses readers and helps them solve part of their problem, yet the “incomplete” part of the content gives you the opportunity to promote a related product.
For example, if you’re selling a gardening course, then you might create a five-part email series that teaches people how to identify and eliminate the top garden pests. People who like your emails will naturally want to purchase your course.
Conclusion
Content marketing should be a part of your overall marketing strategy, simply because you can use it for brand building, traffic generation, and even pre-selling content.