{"id":6057,"date":"2017-05-22T18:50:57","date_gmt":"2017-05-22T18:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.instamojo.com\/blog\/?p=6057"},"modified":"2023-05-22T09:05:28","modified_gmt":"2023-05-22T03:35:28","slug":"content-marketing-basics-what-sells-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.instamojo.com\/blog\/content-marketing-basics-what-sells-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Content Marketing 101: How to create content that sells"},"content":{"rendered":"

There’s a reason why content creation roles are often called “content cooking.<\/strong>” Creating a good piece of content is actually like whipping up an exotic dish that could either go in the trash or become a world-famous recipe like KFC! You should realise though -There is a method to the madness. Here is a basic guide to content marketing for businesses to grow online.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What is Content marketing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Content marketing is a huge part of the awareness\/discovery funnel. The aim of your content should be to win people over to your business or brand.<\/p>\n

Check this out to understand the discovery funnel for your customers:<\/p>\n

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Source: aweber.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It is a means of marketing or promoting your business in the most creative ways possible so your customers can find you and remember you. The goal is to use content of all kinds to guide potential leads down the funnel and convert them into loyal customers who ultimately become advocates of your brand.<\/p>\n

Related read: Word of mouth marketing for online business<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

What is content?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Think of content like the ingredients to your recipe.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anything that explains your business to a potential customer is content. Anything you use to educate, inform or communicate with your customer is content.<\/p>\n

Made a billboard? That’s content. Posting an ad on Facebook? That’s content. Writing emails? Sending a receipt to a customer? That is content too!<\/p>\n

You can post text updates, images, videos, links, and more on social media as social media content. Although almost anything can be made into social media material, that doesn’t mean it should be. Today, we want to convey that message.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of content (that sells)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

There are several different channels that you can post and promote your content on. What kind of content really sells? Here is a list that you can start off with:<\/p>\n

A good, relevant blog<\/strong><\/h3>\n

You can start by creating a blog<\/a> <\/span>that looks to help your customers understand the industry that you operate in or the product\/service you are selling. Having a blog doesn’t just portray you as an industry expert but also helps you promote your business.<\/p>\n

Identify what your small business wants to talk about and create valuable blogs that genuinely help solve a problem.<\/p>\n

Fantastic emails<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Emails are a great way to communicate with your customers (or potentials). Start a newsletter – either curated or your own.<\/p>\n

Plan your email campaign by deciding what you want to accomplish. Is it your intention to publicize your business? Are you offering an online course or a blog that people can subscribe to?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Related read:\u00a0Email marketing: A basic guide on how to start strong<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

You can communicate product updates, write love letters ( remarketing emails) and even promote a seasonal sale or just drop a note of thanks to your customers. Coupled with a catchy subject line, emails can drive a great amount of traffic to your website.<\/p>\n

Take Instamojo\u2019s fortnightly newsletter D2C Wrap for example. It offers relevant and contextual business news to D2C brand owners.<\/p>\n

\"D2C<\/a>
D2C wrap by Instamojo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

P.S.\u00a0 The Instamojo fortnightly newsletter SME wrap is now D2C wrap!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Short videos & webinars<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Of late, videos have gone big! With diminishing attention spans, everyone’s flocking to short explainer videos that do the job without taking too much time.<\/p>\n

Making short videos of not just your product but anything relevant to your genre. Live videos or webinars are also a great way to give a demo of your product.<\/p>\n

Related read:<\/strong> Host the perfect webinar with this helpful guide\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Educational guides<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While long-form content may not be at the forefront in the social media-driven world, it creates immense value for a niche audience.<\/p>\n

Putting together a video course or a how-to guide also does what a blog can do for your business.<\/p>\n

Related read<\/strong>: How to do video marketing for your small business + tools you need to use\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

A blueprint for successful content marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Here is a checklist to get your eCommerce business started with content marketing.<\/p>\n

1. Set up an editorial calendar<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Most businesses go wrong with their content strategy by not having one! Set up a calendar for the kind of content you want to post and stick to the calendar. This helps you plan what you want to do and how you want to execute your content strategy.<\/p>\n

Here are the ways to utilise the best yet free marketing calendars<\/a> for you to grow your business.<\/p>\n

In one of the podcast sessions of Platform For Artists Founder- Pawan Rochwani,<\/a> Rapti Gupta about how a content calendar has simplified and organized her tasks.
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2. Start blogging regularly<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A core strategy for basic content marketing is to ensure your blog is consistent. Once you’ve got your domain and have your blog set, keep the content flowing regularly. There is no dearth of topics even if you are a niche business. Recycle old blogs if you’re feeling lazy.<\/p>\n

Do not interrupt the flow of posting the blog, as this might get your audience disinterested and affect your business. <\/span><\/p>\n

It is possible to write even a short blog related to any current and relevant topic and post it on your blog. Let the cyber surfers know that you are active and updating your audience with the latest topics.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can now easily add blogs to your online store on Instamojo<\/a>. Letting your customers know more about you and your product knowledge will you with your reputation.<\/strong><\/p>\n