Have you noticed how Content Writing and Blogging has become a thing and demand is very high? That’s because many owners consider it an important way to promote their business. But what is behind that idea?
Do you remember how our mums used to show up for their weekly grocery shop with some precious cargo in their handbags: their cut-out coupons? My husband and I were reminiscing about it just last week. The memory made us chuckle. At the time, the weekly job of cutting out the deals was carried out with determination and commitment. I can’t remember exactly when, but it must have stopped at some stage.
But it’s not only the cut-out coupons that have disappeared. So have the home-made fliers in the letterbox that would send us to the shop up the road. And that’s not the end. People skip television ads (time for a trip to the loo or the fridge, yes?) Direct mail finds its way to the bin without a single glance.
The end of traditional marketing
The general consensus amongst marketing experts is that what used to be the standard in marketing no longer works. In a world where there are almost 4.5 billion people using the internet and Google clocks six billion searches a day (!!!), it’s no wonder letterbox marketing is getting the boot. All eyes are on the internet. Good or bad? I don’t know. And frankly, it doesn’t even matter what we think. It’s a simple fact we have to work with.
But it’s more than just the internet taking over as a marketing vehicle. It’s also a shift in approach from selling to being helpful and useful.
Confused? Let me explain.
The Importance of Content Writing
Chances are that as a business, you have looked into online ads. I know we tried it when we were running our own business (Yes, been there, done that. I know exactly what it feels like to sit on your end of the table.) But online ads are not only expensive. Return was also not what we were hoping for. My guess is that the fact that no less than 47% of people use ad blockers has something to do with that. On top of that, many people have a built-in filter for anything that screams ‘ Hard Sale’. The simple fact is, we don’t even notice. What a waste of money!
So rather than bullying people into a purchase, businesses have shifted their focus on building a relationship of trust with their customers. The concept is simple: people buy from people they trust and blogs are one way businesses can use that. (The concept of influencers on Instagram is built on the same principle)
Think about this: Three out of four people on the internet read blogs regularly. 61% of people who make a purchase have checked out the business blogs prior to a purchase. 34% of consumers made an unplanned purchase after reading a blog.
The best bit? Not only is content writing important because it is more effective than paid ads, it’s also cheaper. It’s no wonder 90% of B2B marketers and 70% of B2C marketers spend a significant amount of their marketing budget on content.
The key to successful online content marketing
The content marketing goal is twofold: one is brand awareness, the other one is organic traffic to your website. So if these goals are achieved by building a relationship of trust with your customers through online content, what’s the key to success?
The art of successful blogging for your business all comes down to the unique, engaging and relatable conversation you have with your customers. Customers need to like you and recognize you as an expert in your field. So the question to ask yourself is: What is it that makes them feel connected to your business? What is in it for them?
Building that relationship and the trust doesn’t happen overnight. In the same way building person-to-person relationships require time and commitment, so does the relationship you are pursuing with your customer. A sporadic post here and there, when the time allows, will not keep your customers engaged.
For many businesses, that’s where the hurdle lies. Because even if you feel confident enough to come up with engaging content for your business, for many business owners doing that every week is not realistic.
Content marketing is extremely effective (increasing your blog posts by 100% increases traffic to your website with 300%. That’s a lot!), but it takes time and you need to be persistent.
Our top 4 tips for successful Blog Writing
To put it simple, content marketing is important to help your business grow and it rests on 3 key pillars for success:
- Create a Content Master Plan so you know what to write and who to write it for.
- Create quality content that gets your audience hooked.
- Learn a thing or two about keywords and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). We’ll get into this some other time.
- Post regularly.
Give it a go. But if writing is not your thing or if you can’t commit to a regular schedule, talk to a local Content Writer. Blogging consistently is tough, which is why it’s an excellent idea to invest in hiring skilled expert writers to create content for you.