Engage Your Customers With Great Content

Content marketing is not a new concept, but it has taken on much more influence with the rise of simple-to-put-together websites and Facebook co-existing with more traditional letter box drops and newsletters.

So how do you go about writing great articles and content that will really grab your customers’ and clients’ and make them want to do business with you?

Here are some easy to follow tips to keep in mind next time you put pen to paper (or fingers to the keys!)

Be Original

Readers can, in most cases, instinctively tell the difference between something that has been “copied and pasted” from elsewhere and something that has been written by you. The tone, language and examples you use in your writing are meant to appeal to your local customers. A reference to a recent policy change, a news item that is relevant to both your business and your community, or handy tips that will specifically benefit your local community, are great ways to show you are being original and authentic.

Headline Matters

Do not make your headline an afterthought. With so many articles, newsletters and things to read out there, the difference between getting your carefully researched and written article read or passed over can be a great headline.

Some tips for creating a good headline include creating a sense of urgency or the promise of a clear benefit for the reader who takes the time to read your piece. Tying into a newsworthy event is also a good way to get an article in front of the right readers, but bear in mind, the news cycle moves fast, so time is of the essence.

As a general rule, you can work with the idea that 80% of people will read your headline but only 20% will go on to read your content. Work to improve that percentage and test your headlines on those around you before you publish to see what grabs attention.

Q&A

It’s not just the title of a sometimes controversial ABC show, it’s also a way to directly engage with your customers. Giving away free answers to questions is a great way to get people liking you, your business and your content.

It also gives people a reason to break away from being ‘passive readers’ and become more engaged with you. It’s far easier to sell a product or service if they reach out to you first and you can begin a two-way conversation.

You can run question and answer sessions on Facebook, on your website via a comments section, privately via email, or through a dedicated time of day where you will field calls.

Each of these strategies will improve the reach of your content and its effectiveness at the same time, so don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works for your business.