How Content Marketing Can Help Build Your Business

It's no secret that the internet has become the #1 source for information. The Web is the largest market for seekers of information and providers of information. No matter what your business, everyone must have a website. If you don't, you can be assured that you are a step behind your competition.

What should be included on your site? At a minimum, you must state who you are (About Us Page) and what you do (Home & Product/Services Page). This is all fine and dandy. But how do potential customers find you?

Two simple words can answer this question: "Content Marketing". The second word is easy to describe. Marketing is simply promoting/advertising your product or service. However, the traditional methods (brochures, TV ads, fliers) are being replaced by more cost effective methods. That leads us to the first word: content. Many of us have heard the term before. But what exactly does it mean?

According to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing is defined as "a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant, consistent, and valuable information to a defined audience." The key word here is valuable, meaning it is something the end user wants and would pay for. Compare that to and advertisement or junk mail (spam) that someone either turns off immediately or throws in the garbage because they find no value in it. Content marketing doesn't explicitly promote a brand like a commercial for Nike or Coke does. The information is targeted to a specific group who wants it or seeks it out. Thus you are building a long term, personal relationship with your (potential) customers versus treating them like a sale. No one likes to feel like they are being sold to. They want to feel like they are part of a story, and people love stories.

The next question is why would a business create content in the first place? The main answer is to build their BRAND. Your brand is your #1 asset. It can take years to build, but only minutes to destroy. Your brand shows you are an expert in your field. You also raise awareness to consumers about issues they may not have considered previously. Traditional marketing is only effective after the consumer has made the decision to buy. Content marketing moves them along the buying process.

Creating content is much more cost effective than traditional marketing, thus resulting in a greater ROI. What are some key characteristics of good content?

· It's FREE: users don't have to pay for it

· Attracts and retains audiences who will eventually become customers. Your typical :30 radio or TV add is forgotten almost immediately

· Contains backlinks to your website, thus creating a compound effect as your content is shared with your user's users and their user's users.

· Must be mobile friendly as many internet users browse on smartphones and tablets

· Must be keyword oriented for SEO algorithms used by Google and other search engines (a keyword is something you type in your browser when you want to look for something specific. I'm a writer so hopefully I'll show up when someone types in "freelance writer, copywriter, or simply writer"

· Finally, it must contain a call-to-action (prompt the user to do something)

What are some examples of content marketing?

· Blogs

· Success Stories

· Podcasts

· YouTube videos

· Whitepapers

· Articles

· Social Media posts

· E-books

· Newsletters

I hope you found this information useful, as I expect content marketing to replace traditional marketing in the not-to-distant future. I'm sure all of you will now become expert marketers and see your visitors multiply exponentially, thus resulting in more conversions.

Partner Dave is a freelance writer in Orlando, Florida. He specializes in content marketing, business plans, web copy, and building brand awareness. He is the author of the white paper "The Transaction Tax: Has the IRS Finally Met Its Match?", which discusses replacing the income tax with a transaction tax. Visit his website at http://www.partnerdavethewriter.com or email him at info@partnerdavethewriter.com.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Bialecki/2255361

The Six Pronoun Factors of Building a Business From the Scratch

To start a business you need to put a whole lot of factors into consideration. Business ideas are often spontaneous! When it comes to implementations, often also, a great lot of businesses crumble like a pack of game cards. Dreams do not make cash; they form the bases for the realization of economic prosperity. It is the implementation of these dreams that make the cash.

Let us take some insights into building businesses from the scratches. The factors that must be taken into cognizance are going to be discussed. These factors are termed "the six pronoun factors", because they are woven around the six special pronoun words.

THE WHY FACTOR: All businesses have the "why factor". What is the reason why a business is being started? This is the first question an entrepreneur must ask himself or herself. Is the endeavor borne out of a passion or need for survival? The former is not usually common, but the latter is usually the "why factor" of a variety of businesses. In this part of the world-sub-Saharan Africa, businesses are started in order to get rid of hunger.

That is, then, the reason why, again, that these businesses would collapse, once the reason is achieved. However, many businesses started on passion are enduring and lasting. Check out your "why factor" and set your mind and priorities right first before dipping your legs into the ever demanding business waters. Passion provides better and stronger driving force than hunger does.

THE HOW FACTOR: Take the "how factor" serious. What is the "modus operandi". That is, how do you want to go about starting the business and putting it into operation? The process of implementing one idea is generally different from another. You must understand how you do things. Learning from other people already in the business before starting yours is a good step.

Also observing events around you, whether it is for your choice of business or not, is another very good way to string things together. Know that you will make mistakes, and possibly fail initially. If the "why factor" is passion, then you will find enough inspirations to move, or otherwise, you live or jump ship.

THE WHAT FACTOR: The "what factor" is all about the article or item of trade. What exactly do you intend to trade in? Is it a service or a commodity? These are the two main articles of trade: a service or a commodity. Deciding on what to trade in is seriously dependent on your passion and vision. You could get an idea of what sells or not, but such is should be part of the "why factor". Without any doubt, there is no business without an article of trade. Make your choice very well.

THE WHICH FACTOR: The "which factor" is a probing one. Which means which way do you intend to get things running? The means is as significant as other factors. Is the business capital intensive or needs just a little of capital? Whichever of the two, you need to determine which way you will have to finance. Small business will require just little or nothing at all to start. Big businesses are very demanding and require large starting up capitals. Which way you do it is of serious concern; there is no business without capitals.

THE WHEN FACTOR: Check out the "when factor". Some articles, commodities or services are suited for one season than the others. The "when factor" is the time factor: the season factor. This factor is as paramount as any other, in starting businesses. Even many businesses are noted to thrive better in one season than the others. So, when you want to start your business, know what time will be better to do that. You do not go selling iced cold water in raining season, just as you do not sell sweaters in hot weather.

THE WHERE FACTOR: The "where factor" is all about the location. Location is a major factor in production; same as most other economic and commercial activities. Choose a good location that will work well for your article, commodity or service. So much had been learnt about location and its importance in series of classes on commerce and trade. So there is no gainsaying the fact that you must put the "where factor" into significant consideration. Any wrong choice here can seriously affect the business and the psyche of the entrepreneur.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Akanji_G_Olaniyi/2236351