Content marketing is increasingly recognized as a critical success factor for an online business.
What’s not always recognized is that content marketing success isn’t just about the words you write or speak. It’s also about the way you present your content.
The purpose of content marketing is to:
1. Attract people to engage with your business.
2. Start a conversation with your prospects.
3. Build trust so that your business is at top of mind when your prospects are ready to buy.
There are a lot of businesses doing content marketing – so there is a lot of noise out there. To increase the ROI on your content investment, ensure your design, consistency, and planning are as good as your content.
Website first, social media second
The purpose of publishing content on social media is to bring people to your website, not the other way around. Put great content on your website, then link your social media activity to your website. (Release the best content on your website.)
Your website represents you and your business
When your website is designed in a way that’s unique to your brand with consistency, your brand becomes more memorable. Over time it will build your authority and trustworthiness. An effective website design needs to be more than great-looking – make sure that it’s designed to convert visitors into action-takers.
Bad design destroys good content
A lot of small businesses create a lot of valuable content – but producing lots of quality content doesn’t guarantee results. If the design of your content looks average, you’ll get labeled as an amateur and your prospects won’t take you seriously.
Build consistency to build trust
DIY design is typically haphazard and inconsistent – taking the time to work out your style and document what it is will reduce the DIY look of your content. Document your style so you’re all on the same page.
Having your style guide will help increase the consistency of your presentation. Make sure it is rigorously applied across all your content.
Use a professional copywriter
We strongly recommend that you use a skilled web copywriter for the headlines and copy throughout your website.
A copywriter will make sure your content is all about the benefits for your prospects. (When business owners write their own copy they will often make it about themselves!)
A good copywriter knows how to tell a story plus write for better rankings as well as for your customers, which will help your rankings in the longer term.
Have a plan for your content
Content marketing needs to be planned. Have a consistent message and purpose that displays your authority in your niche.
Have a sequence for your content that tells a story. Release content consistency so people learn to rely on it.
Great Content + Great Design = Increased Online Success
Content marketing is a key to long term success in the online marketing space, however that success is dependent on more than the quality of the content. Make sure your design is congruent with your brand so that it is more memorable.
Discover more about the value of content marketing on this podcast episode I recorded:
The Real Magic Podcast EP52: 6 Principles of Influence in Website Design. Part 1 – Reciprocity
