Any content you publish online has value – from web pages to social media. But a steady effort can turn your content into your company’s greatest asset. Over and over, content marketing proves most effective at growing loyal customers and producing higher returns. Marketers who focus on improving the quality of content see more success than with any other strategy, including SEO, video, and even audience research.
The various possibilities for producing content can quickly overwhelm even seasoned creators and marketers. But when you focus on doing one format consistently well, you will see success. At Proofed, we can help you leverage the many benefits of scaling up your unique content for all your audiences.
The benefits of high-quality content:
- Clients Can Find You Easily Online
- Content Outperforms Traditional Marketing
- Content is More Cost-Effective Than Ads
- Content Creation Puts You in Control of Your Marketing
- Your Brand Stands Out with Confidence
- Reliable Content Nurtures Customer Trust
- Every Piece of Content Counts Toward Your Goals
- Content Development Keeps Your Company Collaborating
- Basic Tools Boost Content Success
- Proofreading and Editing Pays Off
1. Clients Can Find You Easily Online
Content makes it easier for your potential customer to find you online. The more you realize the searcher’s intent, the more relevant content you can create for them to find you and stay. Imagine their journey and how your words read like signposts to them along the way by providing:
- Headlines and messaging focused on your customer’s particular niche or interest
- Keywords and phrases (SEO) relevant to their search
- Clear brand value – what you do, why you do it, and your next steps
- Authentic value and lasting commitment
- Helpful information and concise directions
- Clear contact or sign-up information
With your home page or channel, people can always find you. Keep providing value from first impressions – turning cautious potential customers into loyal fans.
2. Content Outperforms Traditional Marketing
Year after year consumers make clear that they prefer helpful content to ads. About three out of four people dismiss advertising for content when deciding on brands. Over half of all business leaders look to content for thought leadership. And businesses with quality content see at least three times the leads of paid ads for every dollar spent, with many times more in customer conversions.
No formula guarantees the highest-performing content, but market benchmarks show where audiences turn to get educated, entertained, engaged, and persuaded:
- Blogs, articles, podcasts, and web pages
- Short videos, infographics, and images
- Email marketing
- Interactive and social media
The more value your content delivers, the more valuable your content will be over time.
3. Content is More Cost-Effective Than Ads
Paid ads last only as long as your budget, but well-written content remains for years. Treat your content like currency. Long-term, it returns both financial profits and intangible benefits that can’t always be measured.
Costs for publishing your content range from using your own time and talent to many thousands of dollars per month, depending on your company size, ambitions, and processes. But on average, costs are 35% less than traditional paid advertising.
Many businesses may not realize that they already benefit from a simple blog or social media presence. Even those visitors who don’t buy anything bring benefits – through word of mouth, shares, subscriptions, and community building. The more you cultivate usable content, the more you benefit:
- Companies that redirect even 10% of their overall marketing budget to content creation report high success.
- Content generates over three times as many leads as ads, costing over 60% less per lead.
- Leads from SEO content result in seven times more customers than outbound ads.
The cost of providing no content looks even higher when you consider returning customers.
4. Content Creation Puts You in Control of Your Marketing
The possibilities for creating content that customers crave are limitless – from blogs and videos to ebooks or social media. Take control of your content potential before it takes control of you by planning clear priorities.
Most marketers agree that content is more effective when not published too frequently. Try to master one format well before scaling up, and you will have a hub of lasting content that customers seek out:
- Concentrate on content that fits your brand style, capabilities, and budget.
- Utilize your team’s best talents – whether writing blogs or emails, producing podcasts, or posting to Instagram.
- Consider what you can do better than your competitors.
- Engage with interactive forms or visuals.
- Update and repurpose old articles – boosting SEO at the same time.
Organize content for your customer’s journey:
- Core web content that clearly illustrates what your brand does – such as an About page or a value proposition on your Home page
- Categories and topics for easier navigation
- Foundational content that values customer needs
- Key messaging and words relevant to your content
- Clear ways to contact you
As you track progress from clicks to sales, you can scale up or distribute more content across numerous channels.
5. Your Brand Stands Out With Confidence
Your content comes to life when you are clear on who you are, what you do, and why it matters to the customers you care about. How you tell the story of your brand can be as unique as your business. Audiences recognize consistent values, true promises, and personal commitment. Stay authentic and they will identify your brand with their best interests.
Let your brand voice emerge naturally by connecting with customers beyond superficial tone and style:
- Clear messaging and memorable phrases reflecting your company culture
- Stories that illustrate the service customers can expect
- Courage to take a stance, share big ideas, or innovate
- Access to expert sources or helpful resources
The character of your content sets your brand apart. Stay true to your core values, and customers will stay with you even as your brand evolves.
6. Reliable Content Nurtures Customer Trust
People want to buy from businesses they believe in. They tend to trust branded websites with clear brand voices – but they will soon stop buying if they lose trust.
Customers get to know you through your content. Keep them on the same page as you, looking forward to your next offering. Take opportunities to:
- Delight, educate, or entertain
- Provide free value and thought leadership
- Show that you listen to your customers and audience
- Share stories of transforming customers’ lives with your services or products
- Show how you ensure the quality of your products or services
Content with integrity increases your credibility and wins brand authority even in search engines. It inspires brand loyalty with reviews and referrals.
7. Every Piece of Content Counts Toward Your Goals
Each piece of content you produce stands alone – from article to blog and email to video. But they all ultimately work together, providing multi-layered value. Each new piece of content is an opportunity to improve and refine the quality of your messaging.
Help guide your audience through your content toward win-win goals. Whether you aim to build brand awareness, inspire trust, or introduce a new product, find ways to integrate guideposts for their journey:
- Internal links to related information
- Calls to Action (CTAs) for next steps – from subscribing to buying
- Keywords for SEO and local geographic searches
- Content aimed at touchpoints in a customer’s journey
- Insights from experts or feedback from customers
Combine “evergreen” content with the ability to pivot to new content as your business and customers evolve.
8. Content Development Keeps Your Company Collaborating
Every team manages content differently. Take advantage of unexpected talent and resources across your organization by utilizing the different strengths of your teams – whether it’s one writer or several marketers and strategists.
Most successful content marketers document their content marketing strategy. It shows that collaboration among teams can help you gain new insights and gather data, thus contributing to your content:
- Creative employees to corporate leaders can contribute key messaging and share in brand guidelines.
- Each department can contribute data and ideas – from customer service feedback to sales anecdotes.
- People come together with a more cohesive vision and an improved ability to anticipate customer needs
Even top decision-makers and stakeholders realize the long-term returns of quality content. They are more likely to reallocate resources toward content development, including outsourcing.
9. Basic Tools Boost Content Success
Tools for measuring content provide key insights into performance and processes. They offer various ways for tracking customer responses, but, as with creating content, you should take control of them by focusing on your priorities.
Metrics tools don’t need to be elaborate for big-picture indicators. You can start at any point with a simple spreadsheet and analytics software.
Metrics help to:
- Track customer behavior across content – from visits and clicks to engagement and sales
- Determine benchmarks – what works and what needs improvement
- Assess, plan, and strategize content
Other basic useful tools include SEO keyword search, calendars, email software, writing and editing tools, and brand management software.
10. Proofreading and Editing Pays Off
No content is perfect. But audiences and search engines recognize content of consistent quality. Brands that use even a simple style guide for consistency in language and format show an increase in revenues by 23% on average.
Realize the Benefits of All Your Content
At Proofed, we help the most experienced teams fine-tune and scale up their content with ease. Let our creative and technical experts:
- Cut turnaround times
- Bring your stories to life
- Create a dedicated style guide for brand consistency
- Create a solid content plan for your brand
- Add polish to all your online postings
Contact us for any of your content editing or proofreading needs!
