5 tips for creating magnetic content

Creating good premium content typically requires a substantial amount of time, money and resources.

To get the most out of your investment, here are 5 tips for creating magnetic content:

1.       Identify customer needs

Content marketing requires a deep understanding what your customers really want and need. Even though search engine data, social media interactions and web analytics provide useful information, you should talk to your customers directly. Ask them what they want.

2.         Create content to match customer needs

Once you understand your customers’ needs, you can focus on mapping your content to match those needs. As a case point, if you run a weed killing company, you might like to initiate conversation with prospective leads by writing articles on lawn care tips or even invite home owners to share pictures of troublesome weeds. As a business undertaking content marketing you have to give careful thought to what’s going to be produced, and by whom. Agencies abound and that may be the most cost effective way for you to do things. If you have in house talent, look at that option. Bottom line is you need to take an honest assessment of your capacity.

3.       Market your marketing

Put your content where your buyers will find it. You should promote it on your website or blog, or share in on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn etc. You might include it in your newsletter or share links in your email marketing campaigns. You may also want to look at paid services that amplify content, such as Outbrain. Plant your content and then nurture it so that it takes root and spreads its branches far and wide.

4.       Adapt to changing technologies

Clichéd as it may sound, the only constant in business is change. At a time when technological advances occur at the speed of thought, it’s important to adapt to new practices. Films gave way to digital images and cassettes were replaced with CDs and then MP3s. People change, technologies change and so should your content’s subject matter, the media you use to produce it and (likely) its voice.

5.       Develop metrics to measure your initiative

To ensure content is meeting goals, it must be measured effectively.  The metrics can be developed around three areas:

• Consumption metrics: You’ll want to know how many times your blog was visited or your mobile app was downloaded. But keep in mind that instead of just focusing on eyeballs, you must also analyze visitor behaviour.
• Sharing metrics: Know the level of support your content is generating and how often it is being shared, especially on the big three – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.
• Lead generation metrics: This will let you know what pieces of content are moving people down the sales funnel and turning visitors into leads.

Follow these 5 tips and you will be on your way to dynamic, valuable and magnetic content.