Four Tactics That Will Boost Your Content Marketing Success

There’s no question that modern consumers are much more tuned in to your advertising efforts than they once were. Product placement is a great example of that – audiences not only spot those placements right away, but in recent years, it’s become a bit of a joke. Now, we’re even beginning to see the rise of the anti-influencer on social media. This generation of web users simply does not want to be the target of your sales pitch. Whatever they buy, they want to do it because they felt compelled to do so by some other means. Common successful examples include classic word of mouth (their peers tried it and liked it) and purchases made because the consumers’ own beliefs are well-aligned with the company’s core values. We’ve seen more and more of the latter motivation over the last decade or so as more eco-friendly and cruelty-free products emerge. Those brands are really onto something.

But besides overwhelming your consumers with those pesky ads and targeted pay-to-play social media content, how do you even let your audience know what your core values are so that they can bond with you over shared beliefs? The answer is what it has been since the very first blog article was ever published: the way to win their hearts is through great content.

What Makes Content “Great”?

First and foremost, the way you identify great content is in the way users react to it. We’ve all come across countless articles that were so boring, we couldn’t even finish reading them. That’s one end of the spectrum.

On the other end of that same spectrum is the content that not only gets read but is also shared. It’s the piece that felt like it ended too soon – not because the writer published a fragmented article, but because you like it so much that you wanted more.

Here are 4 tactics that will make your readers wish for more of what you’re delivering:

• Talk about the things that matter most to them. A given topic might not be at the top of your list of things to talk about, but if it is important to your audience, talk about it anyway. As long as you give authentic commentary on the topic and engage your average user in the conversation, they’ll appreciate your effort to connect.
• Speak their language. You know the way you use different tones and terms when you speak to your best friend than you use when you speak to your grandmother? The same concept applies here. Adjust your voice and your delivery to suit your audience. Never ask them to adjust to you.
• Focus special attention on your headlines. Make them short, sweet, and to the point. Most importantly, make them relevant to the content.
• Use the opportunity to demonstrate what you know. Take a creative, honest approach to establish your expertise.

Well-executed digital content can engage users at any stage, turning casual visitors into loyal customers.  That’s one of the most powerful attributes of the social web today. To learn more about the Realnets content development process or how we can help you deliver superior content to your audience, contact us for a complimentary consultation.