Your Step-by-Step Plan to a Successful Content Marketing Strategy
Step 3. Determine Content Types for Your Business
Once you’ve established your goals and target audience, determine which type of content is most effective for your business.
Below are examples of marketing goals that align with business goals:
Goal: Increase your brand awareness in key markets
You should create content with broad appeal. It should showcase your expertise, but help a wide range of people, not only those who use your products or services.
Useful content types include:
- Videos such as a Directors Market Update
- Case studies or client testimonials/success stories
- Culture-jacking content for mass appeal (“culture jacking” means taking a widespread cultural event and timing a response to it. For example, after Europe’s horse meat scandal, Mini Cooper put out an advertisement with a picture of a Mini Cooper that read, “Beef. With a lot of horses hidden in it.”)
- Practitioner blog content (“practitioner blog content” is in direct contrast to “theorist blog content.” When you have a large goal to accomplish, do you trust a theorist – someone who has great ideas, but hasn’t actually put them into practice – or a practitioner – someone who has already helped countless people accomplish the same goal you’re trying to. )
Goal: Drive traffic to your website
In order to drive traffic back to your website, you need easy-to-find content with strong ties to your industry or business.
Useful content types include:
- SEO-friendly blog content
- Property Highlight e.g ‘Investors Pick’ for properties that would suit investors
- Guest posts on popular industry blogs or sites
- Email campaigns or newsletters
- Video or Written Market Updates – Videos are a great way to be a step ahead of your competition
- Helpful Marketing Tips
- Legislation and Economy Updates
- Interesting Real Estate News e.g ‘New Record Sale in your Region’
- ‘Out and About’ stories along with images
- Local events and community information
- Social media ads targeted to your audience
Goal: Increase subscribers or signups
If you’re a real estate consultant who wants to increase subscribers to your property newsletter, you need to illustrate the benefits of receiving it (whether your audience is a buyer or potential seller) using a very clear call to action.
- Targeted social media ad campaigns
- Easy to locate ‘Sign Up’ buttons on your website
- Printed marketing material
- Face to Face e.g At an Open Home let your clients know the benefits of subscribing to your newsletter
- Publishing thought leadership content on your site and in major publications
Goal: Drive people to a form fill or lead generation landing page
When you create content that is helpful enough, people will exchange their details for access to it. If you offer an irresistible incentive, they’re also more likely to provide their information.
Useful content types include:
- How to Guides & Helpful Tips
- Market Updates
- Contests/Giveaways
- Free Appraisals
Content Marketing Strategy Tip
In addition to meeting your business goals and catering content to your target audience, you’ll need to determine the type of content your marketing team is suited for. For example, if your team doesn’t have a videographer or someone who is skilled with video, and you can’t afford to hire one or outsource, video may not be the best content type. Make the content types that fit with your resources and skills the top priority.