Mindjumpers collaborates with bloggers associated with the Social Marketing Forum. This guest blog is written by J -P De Clerck, who is an experienced interactive marketing journalist and blogger.
Content is the cornerstone of any form of interactive marketing. It is the basis of the brand story and of inbound marketing.
Of course, content on its own is not very useful, but it is the ideal way of finding (future) clients (or better, to have them find you), whether this is achieved by means of search engines or social media. Besides content, you also need channels to get a dialogue going with people, and in that dialogue content is of crucial importance.
Content has a role to play in every single step of the conversion process. To convert an online passerby in a loyal customer, go from a mere click to real conversion and move from a social connection to a business contact.
Even though content is becoming increasingly multimedia-based, written content is still the main component of online channels and discussions.
All SEO and SMO specialists know, for example, that it is important to add descriptive key words to images and videos. Words that are successful in touching and engaging people, and that generate a dialogue and action, are absolutely invaluable.
However, there are still many companies that do not realize this. They pump thousands of dollars into ‘state of the art’ websites, campaigns and a social media presence, whereas they forget the basic ingredients: written ‘content’.
Do you need proof?
• The main bulk of the traffic to your website comes from search engines.
And how do these find your site?
• Are you advertising in search engines, via PPC or even with display?>
Great. But what is it that makes someone click on your (text) ad or not?
• Why do surfers decide to visit your e-shop?
Because of the colors of the buttons or because of the call-to-action messages (and thus words…)?
• What is it that makes a surfer spend time on your site or not?
The design or the content?
• How do you generate leads?
Through white papers? Why do people download those?
• How do you guide someone through an online conversion process.
How do you turn him or her from a prospect into an actual customer?
Is it perhaps by sending tailor-made content at exactly the right time
• What’s the reason why someone visits your blog, subscribes to your newsletter and clicks on a story in it?
Shall I go on? Content is key. In all forms of conversions, in conversations, in word-of-mouth, in communication channels, everywhere. What do you think?
Similar Posts:
- Inbound Marketing Is Rising [Infographic]
- Understanding Viral Content Marketing [Infographic]
- Content Sharing Pattern on Social Media [Study]
