5 Tips for Content Marketing Newbies

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I’ve always tried to explain digital and content marketing in ways that non-marketers can understand. Jargon makes people nervous and puts them off. It makes them feel like things are too complicated for them.  That isn’t the type of relationship I want you to have with your content marketing.

We’ve talked before about how small businesses can use digital and content marketing to meet – even exceed – customer expectations. I’ve also shared some digital marketing ideas for particular types of businesses. If my previous pieces made you comfortable enough with the idea that you’ve decided to give it a go – mazel tov! I’d love to know what you tried and how it went. Possibly as you look at your digital landscape for 2018, these tips will help you refine your efforts further. If you’re still on the fence about this whole content marketing thing – I hope these tips will give you some additional confidence to jump in with the rest of us.

1) Don’t Ignore SEO

SEO didn’t die when Google decided to crack down on cowboy tactics like keyword stuffing, content duplication, and invisible text. It grew up. It takes a bit more planning and time now but if you get it right – use original content, target the right keywords in the right places, be fussy about backlinks, optimize your anchor text – you will see results.

2) Don’t Forget the ‘Marketing’ in Content Marketing

Remember ‘Field of Dreams‘? Kevin Costner, baseball, and that voice whispering, ‘If you build it – they will come.‘ Good movie but not a marketing strategy. You can have the greatest content in the world but if no one knows it’s there – it’s useless. You can’t just build it – you must promote it as well.

  • One tweet will get lost in the ongoing tidal wave that is social media today. Tweet and post more than once and at the optimal times. This means finding out what those times are and crafting alternate angles for promotion – different call to action, new headline, updates.
  • A single platform may reach your intended audience – but will it hold their attention; can it deliver the whole message? You’ll need to think multiplatform – integrated with each other but still distinct.
  • Cultivate relationships with influencers in your field/area – and remember, relationships take time and effort.

3) Headlines, Headlines, Headlines

No, I don’t mean clickbait. Clickbait is the internet equivalent of a tabloid headline – scare-mongering, misleading or sensationalist exaggerations designed to get you to ‘click through.’ And while you want your headline to attract attention and entice people to take action (again – click, read, buy, donate…) – you can do it without the hysteria and hyperbole of clickbait.

Focusing on who rather than why, a bit of alliteration, active/strong words, inclusion of numbers – all increase the effectiveness and impact of headlines. Buzzfeed figured all this out ages ago. We may all be tired of talking about listicles, but they haven’t gone away and they produce results.

4) Quality Over Quantity

Yes, effective content marketing requires consistency, an ongoing supply of content. But an ongoing supply of low-quality, badly-produced – or just downright dull – content will deliver the wrong message about you and your business. Here are a few ways to boost the quality of your content:

  • Include visuals whenever and where ever possible. People are more likely to engage and share when visuals are involved. No budget for photos? No worries. There are lots of great free stock photos available these days – which I covered earlier in ‘Searching Out Stock Photos.’
  • Get to the point. It’s too easy for people to take their eyes elsewhere. You have 5 seconds and (if they are searching for information) 2 clicks and 1 scroll before they click away.

  • Oh, and please – check grammar and spelling. I’m not suggesting we must all be award-winning writers but take the time to proofread (note – I did not say spellcheck) your work. Content full of mistakes turns people off (not your goal) and makes you look slapdash and careless (not the message you want to convey).

5) Embrace Analytics

Sure, content marketing involves creativity – and there is an art to it. But it isn’t art for art’s sake. Content marketing is targeted at an audience; it is intended to motivate that audience to take some sort of action (click, read, buy, donate…). All the creativity in the world won’t tell you whether you’ve hit your target or moved them to action. Only analytics will do that.

Not sure where to start? Luckily getting started can be as easy as the free-to-use, built in Google and Twitter analytics tools. There are lots of other products and applications out there if you want more bells and whistles but if this is all new to you, these are a good way to go.

Bonus Tip: CCC (Commitment to Content Consistency)

Remember when I mentioned ‘consistency’? Did you know that websites and blogs that aren’t updated regularly don’t get included in Google’s indexing crawl? It’s true. You may have managed to get your page to the top of your targeted keyword search, but there’s no resting on your laurels in content marketing.

As always, I’m more than happy to chat about the content marketing possibilities out there and explore how I might help you and your business in more detail. Drop me a line and we’ll set something up.

6 Ways of Dealing with Unwanted Gifts

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We all know it’s the thought that counts but let’s face facts. It doesn’t always make sense to keep everyone’s ‘thoughtfulness.’ It may duplicate something you have, be utterly opposed to your taste or lifestyle. Or it may – the truth hurts – be utter crap. So, what do you do after you smile sweetly and say thank you?

RETURN IT

Grab the cash and run. When people suspect that their gift may not be exactly what the recipient wants, they quite helpfully and cheerfully announce, “And I’ve included to receipt in case you want to return it.” I love those people. If you don’t have the receipt but would still like to return the gift for credit or cash, ask the gift-giver if they still have the receipt or proof of purchase. Yes, it can be awkward but you can always tell a little white lie.

  • Try this white lie/mild boast combo: I have never seen a t-shirt quite like it! Sadly, I’ve lost so much weight recently, I’ll need to swap it for another size. Do you have the receipt?“
  • Or distract them with TMI, like this: “It’s the MOST adorable novelty alarm clock I have ever seen, honestly! But we’ve had swear off everything with bells because of the cat’s nervous condition – he pees every time the phone rings or the doorbell goes.“)

SELL IT

As the saying goes: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and no where is there more evidence of this than eBay, Gumtree, boot or yard sale.

DONATE IT

Okay, maybe you and Aunt Edna don’t see eye to eye on cardigans. She thinks you can never have enough and you can barely fight your way through the ones she’s already given you. There’s sure to be a local charity that can get that cardigan (or more of them) to someone who can really use it.

RE-GIFT IT

Pun-tastic fridge magnets are not everyone’s thing but they are Cousin Nicky’s so grab a bit of spare wrapping paper (waste not, want not!) and pass along that stupid Secret Santa from the office to someone who will appreciate it. Do NOT do this if you and Cousin Nicky work in the same office. Therein lies re-gifting DISASTER.

SWAP IT

You’ve still got umpteen mince pies in the freezer, more Christmas candy than is safe to keep around once the New Year’s resolutions kick in and a fondue set that you are PRETTY sure your sister-in-law has regifted you. Kill two birds with one stone and have a “Post-Xmas Swap Party.” Invite everyone (except your sister-in-law) to bring unwanted to gifts and any holiday decorations, snacks or the like – and get to swapping.

RE-PURPOSE IT

How many coffee mugs does anyone REALLY need? But a coffee mug isn’t just a coffee mug. It’s a pencil holder. It’s a phone speaker amplifier. Break them up and presto! They are drainage in flower pots. or don’t break them as use them as tiny flower pots.

So don’t just toss the well-meant but slightly misjudged gifts. There are so many ways to keep them from cluttering up the house or ending up in the trash – and to make someone else’s day at the same time.

Domaine Des Ormes: The Return (A Review)

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We have had our second visit to Eurocamp visit to Domaine des Ormes and though there were a couple of problematic moments early on, a very good time was had by all and once again, the benefits of this large, well-equipped, sensibly designed site were on show.

Adventure course sits high above the lake and lawns overlooked by the restaurant & bar area.

Continue reading “Domaine Des Ormes: The Return (A Review)” →

Relaxing, Refreshing, Remarkable Curtain Bluff (A Review)

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Just got back from a week at this amazing resort. I’ve stayed at a lot of very high end Caribbean resorts – all beautifully appointed with magnificent views – but I have never stayed anywhere before that all that in harness with such an accommodating, welcoming staff, old school elegance and a warm, relaxing atmosphere.

It was a long journey from the UK – 16 hours all together. But worth every minute. Continue reading “Relaxing, Refreshing, Remarkable Curtain Bluff (A Review)” →

Shakespeare & Anchovies? Of Course!

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I love a bit of the Bard. And spending as much time as I do on the subject of food, it isnt really surprising that I found a culinary approach to Shakespeare as I tend to do for nearly everything else.  I first touched on this ages an ages ago on Fabulous Foodie in a post called Shakespearean Noshes, A Literary Nibble.

That was where the idea sat for a while until I started noodling around with it a bit more (noodle – see what I did there?) as we approached Shakespeare400. Result? I’ve taken my foodie approach to the Bard to a wider audience via Food52 – I give you Shakespeare and what he had to do with anchovies article is up!