How Content Marketing Works
Whether you’re a brand new pool servicing company, or you’ve been going for years with a strong client base, you need to know how content marketing works. Why is it so vital to the growth of a business, and how can you use it to extend your reach? Let’s get into the details.
What Is Content Marketing?
As a business owner, you may not know what content marketing is. Your focus is elsewhere as you concentrate on giving your clients the service that they pay for. However, you do need to know what content marketing is. It’s an excellent way to reach potential new leads, and bring in more business than ever before.
Content marketing itself is the creation and distribution of SEO-friendly content. When done correctly, it’s the best way to improve search engine optimization and overall visibility online. If more people are finding you through Google searches, then you’ll be able to bring in more leads.
Types Of Content
What is ‘content’, exactly? It can be all kinds of things that you can use to get the word out about your business. Here are some types of content that are commonly used:
Blogs: Blogs are probably the oldest form of content marketing. When you create blogs, you’re creating posts that are full of useful information for your customers. For example, this post about 6 Swimming Pool Maintenance Tips provides readers insight that attracts potential customers. Blogs work best when you write and post regularly. When you do, it drives traffic to your site as search engines your site is regularly updated. Even better, pretty much any industry can use it.
Infographics: You’ll have seen infographics before as you browse online. These are visual images that share a lot of information that’s relevant to your target market. For example, like a pool service you may create one that’s titled ‘Why is my pool green?’, describing the reasons the pool water has gone green and how to fix it. They’re great as the images are very easily shared online.
Website copy: Yes, your website copy is part of your content strategy. It’s so important, as it holds so much important data. For example, you’ll want to regularly update your contact details, address, and service info on your site. When they’re accurate, your SEO improves.
Videos: Video site YouTube is one of the biggest content creation platforms out there today. It’s an amazing way to reach potential clients, and show them what you can do. It works in a similar way to blogging. If you create videos that are relevant to your audience and update regularly, you’ll gain more traction.
Ebooks: Ebooks are popular with target markets as they offer a more in-depth look at your chosen field, and they’re very easily read on any device they have. Plus, they can get the book instantly and start reading. A great way of using these is to give them out for free, when a person signs up to your email list.
Webinars: As a pool service you have knowledge that you can pass on to others. You can set up webinars where viewers can log in to see you give a talk on your chosen topic. This helps them learn more, and they’ll gain more awareness of what you do.
How To Use Content Marketing
Now you know what content marketing is, you need to know how to use it effectively. There’s a lot of other businesses out there doing something similar, so how do you stand out above the crowd?
Firstly, you have to create that content. Decide on what kind of content you want to make first, as that will affect how you create it. Whatever you make, it has to be valuable. It needs to answer questions and offer readers solutions that they can’t get elsewhere.
Next, you share that content. Publish that blog or video, and make sure you share it through your social channels. That makes it much easier for readers and viewers to share it on their own timelines.
Now that the content is out there, people will come across it when searching for services like yours. As an example, as a pool service, you’ve written a blog about closing your pool for the winter. A person has Googled ‘how to close my pool for winter, and come across your blog. It gives them the info they need, so they can go ahead and close the pool.
As the blog was useful, they’ll come away with a positive view of your business. They may stick around on the site to see more about what you do, which will in turn help them see why it’s worth hiring you. With this, you’ll earn more conversions and sales, which is the end goal.
Why Use Content Marketing?
You’ve seen a little of why content marketing is so effective as a marketing strategy. What is it that makes it so powerful though?
Establish yourself as an authority: When you regularly create content, you’re showing that you’re the authority on the subject. When you’re giving out accurate and useful information, it helps customers trust you and your knowledge.
Inform your customers The best content informs the reader about subjects they need to know about. If you’re creating content that’s relevant and useful, that puts your business in a positive light.
To boost your brand reach: Someone may not be searching for pool services in their area just yet, but they’re turning to Google to find out whether they’re for them. When you’re putting out consistent and useful information, you’re going to boost your brand in the eyes of that person.
There are lots more reasons why content marketing is so important, but as a business, you’ll see that you need to do it to stand out. There’s a lot of competition out there, and you want to be the number one search result.
Content marketing is excellent for getting the word out about your business, and showing potential clients what you can do. Choose a content type that suits you and your clients, and start getting the word out there today.
