Many small businesses know the importance of creating content online. Whether you prefer to publish weekly articles on your blog page, create videos on YouTube or publish frequently on Facebook and Twitter, you know by now that the only way to stay ahead of the pack is to get Google's attention by consistently providing online users with relevant material. Unfortunately, many people don't go into content publishing with a plan of any sort. Many people begin the year with a resolution to publish weekly so they can climb the ranks of Google. Yet, by the end of February they've only written two blog articles and shared meager amount of semi-relevant posts on the company Facebook page. At iBoost, we help companies of all size grow their online reach using the latest SEO and digital marketing strategies. As with any goal, we know the power of planning ahead. We want to help you achieve success with your business by sharing some tips on building a successful content strategy for the new year.
Have Concrete Goals in Mind
This is the most important step, but it is also commonly overlooked by business owners. You don't want to waste your time publishing content that isn't going to create incentive to buy. Think about what kind of sales goals you are trying to reach this year. Are there underperforming products that you want to promote more this year? Is there a service you provide that your audience may not be aware of? Think about what offers you want to draw attention to, and think about how creating blog articles, videos and social media posts can improve your overall sales goals for the upcoming months.
Brainstorm Topic Ideas
Once you understand what you want to write about, you can begin to brainstorm more specific content topics. This is the fun part. It's best not to censor yourself during this step. Go ahead and jot down every thought that crosses your mind, and worry about narrowing them down at a later step. This is your chance to get creative and discover all the exciting ways you can appeal to your customers. If you're stumped, try visiting other websites in your industry for inspiration. There are also blog post generators available for free online that can also provide suggestions.
Research Keywords that Target Your Ideal Audience
Next, you'll want to research which keywords are being used for similar online searches. Consider both short and long tail keywords. Take advantage of free resources like Google's Keyword Planner to ensure you're choosing the best ones. In this step, you'll likely begin to eliminate potential topics, as some will be overused and others won't be popular enough.
Audit Existing Content
After you've shaved off a few potential topics, go through the content you've already published over the years. You might be surprised to discover just how many times you've already discussed some of your chosen topics. This is also an excellent time to perform an SEO audit and to update any information that may be outdated.
Determine How Often You Want to Post
Now it's time to determine how often you want to post content. Do you want to publish a weekly article on your blog, one video on YouTube per month and post on social media once a day? Are you going to focus on one particular type of content, like blogging, so you can publish more frequently? Don't overreach. Your success depends on creating a content strategy that is realistic and conquerable. You can always adapt and adjust next quarter as needed. Do you want to publish more content but don't have the time or expertise to do it yourself? Consider delegating content creation to tech savvy employees or hiring an SEO and digital marketing agency like iBoost to do it for you. This can maximize the amount of content you can publish in the coming months without taking away from your other priorities.
Refine and Prioritize Your Chosen Topics
Once you know how many articles, videos and blog posts you'll need to create, you can begin to refine your original list of topics even more. This will force you to prioritize which topics will give the most value to your audience and which ones will provide the highest conversion rate.
Create a Content Calendar and Stick to Your Publishing Goals
Don't just take your content topic list and put it on your desk or file it away. Make yourself accountable right away by writing it into your schedule. Some people choose to keep a calendar that's specifically for content, and others want to ensure it gets done on time by placing it in their daily planner. You know what works best for you, just make sure that you are constantly reminding yourself of your content goals and you'll be more likely to achieve them in the coming in year.
Are You Looking for Ways to Improve Your Online Traffic? Get Help from the Experts at iBoost
Is it time to step up your online game? Grow your audience and get more sales this year with help from the SEO and digital marketing professionals at iBoost. Contact our office today for more information about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.
