To grow your business, you need content. But the type of content you need depends on what you’re trying to achieve.
You see, different types of content drive different results. And if you’re looking for a strategy that supports the entire customer journey, you don’t need one type of content. You need four distinct content types:
- SEO
- Product
- Sales
- Social
Let’s take a look.
Now, let’s dig a little deeper.
Content Type #1: SEO
SEO content lives on your website, usually as blog posts. Each page is optimized to rank well in search engines for a specific set of keywords that you want to be known for.
The goal with this type of content is to be found through organic search. When a prospect searches for a term you rank for, you want your article to show up at the top of the search results.
To succeed with SEO content, you need to identify the keywords you want to rank for. A tool like Ubersuggest or Ahrefs help you research keywords, their search volume, and their difficulty. And then, you need to craft an article that answers the search intent for that keyword.
For your page to rank, you need to provide the best possible answer to the search query. Get inside your reader’s mind.
- What are they looking for?
- What do they need?
- How can you provide that information and connect it to your products and services?
But onpage SEO isn’t enough. You also need to link the page to related content on your own website and build backlinks from other reputable websites.
Here’s how to write and optimize an article to rank well. And here are some off-page SEO factors to keep in mind.
Content Type #2: Product
Product content, as the name implies, talks about your product. It answers questions about it, reviews its features and benefits, and helps prospects compare it to alternative products on the market.
Product content can also be created for new and established users. For example:
- “Us vs. the Competition” articles
- Onboarding emails that help users get started with your product or service
- Support content and tutorials that help customers get the most from your product
This type of content is designed to serve your audience. But it also creates a feedback loop that will help you improve the product itself.
As you hear from customers, you understand the features they want and need. That helps you know how your customers are using your product and how to improve it over time.
Content Type #3: Sales
Whether you do digital marketing or have a dedicated sales team, you need content that helps you attract your ideal customer, overcome objections, and nudge them towards the sale.
In digital marketing, you need funnel content: lead magnets, webinars and videos, tools and resources.
For your sales team, you need sales enablement content: articles, white papers, reports, case studies, and more.
The key here is to identify the information your prospects need to choose you, get off the fence, and take action.
Content Type #4: Social
Social content is one of the most effective types of content you can create today. Here’s why…
Today, people don’t browse the web. When they’re relaxing or want to engage with people, they turn to social media.
With social content, you’re taking your content to them, in the channels where they’re spending most of their time.
But social content is a bit like SEO. You need to understand the algorithms. Every platform has one goal: to keep people on the platform. So they’ve built algorithms that track what people engage with, the topics they care about, and who they chat with — so they can deliver that same type of content.
The challenge is to get people to engage with your content, so the algorithm shows them more of YOU.
Done right, social content is very effective. But remember, it lives at the top and the middle of the funnel. It’s not the place for selling. With social content, your goal is to build your audience and help them know, like, and trust you.
Why Is Content Important?
As we mentioned above, if you want to grow your business, you need content.
But content marketing has grown up. It’s not about becoming a media company. It’s not about sharing your opinions or pushing your products every chance you get.
It’s about sharing your message and values with the people who are most likely to buy from you.
That’s why content marketing has evolved to be more than blog posts and the occasional tweet. It’s your best way to attract an audience, build relationships, and sell.
And for that to happen, you need all four content types:
- SEO for traffic, branding, and authority
- Product to educate your audience about your product or service
- Sales to drive conversions
- Social content to humanize your brand and build know-like-trust
Where Should I Start?
All marketing starts with an audience. So if you’re starting from zero, social content is where you need to start.
Find your best channels and start sharing your ideas, values, and tips. Your posts don’t need to be perfect. You simply need to show up and start building your audience.
Next, you need credibility. For that, think blog content. Publish a few authoritative articles on your website that you can send traffic to. Optimize them for search to start getting organic search traffic.
But don’t worry about publishing hundreds of posts. You can get more traction than you realize with a few dozen articles that answer your customers’ questions and teach them how to solve their biggest problems.
Then, it’s time to focus on capturing some of that traffic. Create a lead magnet: a download, an event, or a free offer that people must sign up for. Once they’re on your list, you can nurture those relationships and engage with them on another level.
Ultimately, the types of content you focus on now is up to you. Evaluate your marketing and sales. Identify your biggest need.
Then ask yourself, “What would it take to fill that gap?” That’s the best place to start.
