When working with clients to document a content marketing strategy, I always end up talking about the “sweet spot” – that magical moment when an audience’s needs and interests intersect with the company’s products, services or expertise.
Here are a few “sweet spot” examples:
- One of my clients is a managed IT services company. We write blog articles that provide readers with useful tips for staying safe online and protecting their small businesses from cybercrime. Our articles aren’t about how wonderful this company is. They do showcase its expertise and tie back logically to its services. The articles are also part of an SEO strategy that has helped the site rank on the first page for a series of strategic keywords.
- I write a lot of branded content for Inc. magazine. I just completed a project for The UPS Store. It wanted to demonstrate that it supports and understands small businesses, so we created a series of articles, infographics and videos around relevant topics, including marketing and logistics. The content featured input from business experts and small business clients of The UPS Store, rather than just quoting brand execs.
- I’m a content creator and strategist. My own blog covers content marketing news, trends and best practices. It’s not just about my merits and knack for memorable phrases like “sweet spot.”
This “sweet spot” identification is crucial, not just to ensure you engage your customers and prospects, but also to make sure your efforts are worth it. You are not publishing content out of the goodness of your heart. It has to have a purpose and relate to your business value.
Less than half of marketers have a documented strategy for managing content as a business asset, according to CMI’s 2017 Content Management & Strategy Survey [PDF]. That’s a shame, because marketers who document their strategy are more likely to report that their content marketing campaigns generate results. Need help creating a simple, yet effective content plan for your business? Contact me today.
By Jacqueline Lisk