Don’t Just Build An Audience, Build Connections

Consumers are always looking for information about products and services online. This is one of the reasons why businesses have started heavily investing in content marketing campaigns.

Some businesses choose to rely on conventional media for brand recall and reputation. Content marketing is different—it’s all about building customer relationships. You can target audiences at different stages of the marketing funnel, depending on the types of content you distribute.

You can’t expect your audience to take action immediately. Instead, you foster relationships and hope your content will encourage them to trust and patronize your brand. Content marketing is a long game; it’s very important that you establish connections with your customers.

Also read: How To Get Started With Retargeting

How can you do that? By creating relevant content that adds value to their lives. Let’s go through the steps you can take to develop a content marketing campaign that enables you to connect with your audience.

Develop a strategy

Your content marketing strategy is crucial in helping you build connections with your audience. Depending on where they are in the consumer journey, you need to create useful and appealing content that will help them move forward in the marketing funnel.

Whether you’re trying to build brand awareness or push product consideration, your content should always be relevant to the stage they are at. Show them the problems your product can solve and how it has helped others.

Consistency is also key to successful content marketing campaigns. Your audience will appreciate it when you give them something to look forward to. According to the Content Marketing Institute, publishing content 16+ times a month brings 3.5x more traffic than publishing 0-4 articles.

Content marketing is also about building a community around your brand. You have to educate, engage, and entertain your audience. Make sure you exhibit your authenticity and credibility through your content so that they will keep coming back for it.

Offer unique insights

A report by the Content Marketing Institute showed that content marketing gets three times more leads than paid search advertising. In order to harness the power of these leads, you have to present exclusive content that your audience will love to consume and share.

Your audience will look to you as an expert. Make sure that when you take a side, you are supporting it with facts and evidence. It will help you maintain your credibility while also showing your customers that you understand what they need.

Storytelling is important in content marketing. Your stories should be centered on what your audience values. Speak to them directly and write in an engaging way. Keep in mind that you have to move them forward in the consumer journey, so focus on offering refreshing and valuable content.

Put your audience first

According to Demand Gen Report, 47% of consumers review three to five pieces of content before communicating with a sales representative. As a content marketer, you need to anticipate their needs and offer solutions that can help them with their current pain points.

Consumer insights can help you determine which kinds of content you should publish, what media to use, and which platforms to publish your content. Each of these elements contributes to the value of your content, so make sure you tailor them according to your customers’ needs.

Your content should always communicate your expertise, but more importantly, you should show your audience that you empathize with their struggle. Content marketing is about reaching people. Make sure you have a positive effect on your audience because it’s what will compel them to purchase down the line.

Leverage influencer marketing

Ultimately, you want your content to resonate with your audience. It can be difficult to ensure that your content is personalized according to your audience’s needs. If you want to get through to your customers faster with more personal posts, the best way to do it is through influencer marketing.

Influencers have highly engaged audiences, so it would be easier for you to reach your target audience. When you find an influencer who fits your brand and can carry your message through their unique content, you will be able to maximize engagement with every post.

Also read:

Working With Micro-Influencers

GetCraft outlines the business impacts of effective influencer marketing

Influencer marketing also allows you to explore new ways to adapt your message according to your consumers’ preferences. When you create a brief for your chosen influencer, you can negotiate the themes of their post and leave it to them to push your brand message forward. This way, they can effectively communicate it with their followers, your target audience.

Click here to work with the best influencers in Southeast Asia

‍