Lately in our blogs we’ve been looking at a lot at the very basic nitty-gritty elements of website marketing. We’ve gone through how to choose your inbound specialists, creating effective calls-to-action, SEO tips and avoiding the online faux pas. This week we’ll explore website content marketing requisites that work well for every situation.
Website content marketing can range from a blog to an offer to the information on a contact page, and presentation, as is always true with the Internet, varies wildly. The point of website content marketing is the same as any type of marketing – to get people engaged enough to try to learn more. Over the Internet’s still-young life a few tried-and true favourites for successful engagement through content have arisen, and the following are examples of effective website fundamentals appropriate for just about every online marketing endeavor.
1) Manifesto: This where companies state in no uncertain terms what they do and why. The strongest manifestos are relatively short, and make it very clear what the goals of the business are. A bit of inspiration never hurts, too. The lululemon manifesto has changed the way people think about yoga for good – the mark of a very savvy campaign.
2) Promise: All businesses should promise something, whether it’s the lowest prices, the best service, or the best product. An often-used and popular promise is the “100 per cent satisfaction guarantee”, which gives customers the impression that you are very confident in your product. The most important thing about your business promise, however, is to actually deliver the goods. Never make an offer you can’t stand by!
3) The Quote: Instead of a boring headshot and email address on the contact page, high-ranking employees such as Presidents or CEOs are using this space to offer up a personal quote about the company and its future. This approach to content marketing “humanizes” both people and their businesses, making them both a lot more appealing to most.
4) Ranked Lists: Top Ten lists are not only fun to come up with, but they can also provide valuable information about your company in an enjoyable manner for the reader. Plus, they are very searchable! Plenty of users search with terms such as, “best of…” or “top ten…” which means you can get creative with this concept. Generally, this method of content marketing works best in a blog-type format, such as, “Top Ten Mistakes New Home Buyers Make”, or “Best Home Gardening Tools.”
5) The Quiz or Survey: Also good for lead generation, quizzes and surveys are excellent ways to engage your audience for longer than usual. Try a subject like, “How Are We Doing?” to get the conversation started, and use written responses as an excuse to reach out to clients – especially if there’s someone who has major concerns. This is your chance to reach out to attempt to improve the situation before any further damage occurs to your relationship. Take note of any and all comments that are applicable to your business and do your best to reply to those who have specific queries. A personal response goes a long way towards building trust and fulfilling customer expectations.
Next week we will continue with our final five must-have content marketing elements for your website.
