While the concept of branded content has been around for decades, the practice of publishing blogs, eBooks and whitepapers to the web is less than a decade old. Studies by the Content Marketing Institute have found that 61% of customers are more likely to buy from a brand who offers free content resources. Leads generated through inbound marketing cost about half as much as leads from outbound marketing methods. It’s not too late to make the plunge into custom content.
To inform your exceptional content marketing strategy, here are the 5 laws of creating outstanding assets:
1. It Adds Value
Let’s face it, there’s a lot of free information available on the web. An estimated 2 million blog posts are published everyday! Epic content marketing recognizes today’s consumers are bogged down with information. It takes the time to be original, and add value that other blog posts haven’t previously.
2. It’s Highly Targeted
Some studies have found that half of consumers take serious issue with content that’s not appropriately targeted to their needs. If you’re trying to be too general, your content won’t appeal to anyone. Your content marketing should be perfectly tailored to the needs of your ideal customer.
3. It’s Relevant
Who wants to read a blog about the 2012 Summer Olympics or movies released last year? Almost no one. Epic content marketing is relevant and perfectly tailored to the times, by referencing current events, trending ideas, and other issues that savvy readers care about.
4. It’s Expert
Does your content inform your readers of concepts they weren’t previously aware of, or is it general and poorly-researched? Google and other major search engines reward websites who publish authoritative, smart content.
5. It’s Optimized
If you’re trying to attract customers through search engines, your content must be optimized using the latest SEO recommendations. It’s critical to incorporate the right keywords, and ensure your blogs are written in a way that appeals to Google and your potential customers.
There’s a difference between epic content marketing and blogs that are merely acceptable. What do you think defines exceptional branded content?