Getting Started with Creative Content Creation

Creative content creation, or content marketing, can be the difference between an average marketing campaign and an exceptional one. By producing and promoting content your target audience actually wants to see, you can attract and retain customers and win their loyalty in the process. You can even generate higher search engine rankings, click-through rates, and conversions, leading to a more successful business. Content creation is a great way to drive traffic to your site by showing visitors something they haven’t seen before. But how do you know what content to create? And how do you know if your content is actually reaching the right people?

Find the Right Content for Your Audience

Though businesses across different industries may have different goals, every business is constantly searching for new ways to connect with its audience. Whether your business deals in hospitality, automotive sales, or healthcare, creating engaging content is still the best way to speak to your target market. And just because you have one or two defining messages, it doesn’t mean your business has to limit itself to one or two forms of content. When we create content for our clients, we use a variety of different types, including:

• Blogs
• Videos
• Photos
• Graphics
• Infographics
• Listicles
• Emails
• Physical collateral
• And more

Each form of content serves a distinct purpose and may reach an audience segment that you hadn’t thought about before. For example, studies have shown that YouTube reaches more 18–34 year olds than any cable network in the U.S., which means if you’re attempting to communicate with a younger demographic, you may want to shoot a video. Finding the right content for your audience is about first identifying your key customers and stakeholders, and then changing your content to fit their daily habits and routines.

Craft Better Content

Some businesses seem to create content just because they think they should. They post weekly blogs or monthly newsletters as a secondary thought because a marketing expert told them it would be a good tactic. I urge you and your business to go above and beyond by crafting better content than your competitors. Don’t brush creative content creation aside thinking that it has no long-term effects. At the end of the day, only companies with high-quality content will reach the first page of Google or have the chance to go viral on social media. So what makes good content great? It depends on what the purpose of your content is. I like to break up content into two segments:

Educational

Educational content can be useful for any business, but it’s usually used to share complex ideas. Educational content includes “how-to” videos, recipes, and step-by-step guides, among other things. One of the most watched videos produced by Online Optimism is an educational video that outlines the steps of a typical dental implant procedure. For the most part, readers and viewers of educational content don’t necessarily intend on buying something right away. They are using your content as a resource. On one hand, this can be worrisome because you may not get an immediate conversion. On the other hand, the more educational content you produce, the more likely your customers are to see you as an authority in your industry.

Promotional

Promotional content pertains to any content that is specifically made to promote your business, employees, or services. This type of content includes things like video commercials or weekly email newsletters. Promotional content is used to show off your business in a flattering light and convert viewers and readers into customers. Unlike educational content, which has fewer ulterior motives, promotional content, in all its forms, is meant to build buzz and drive sales.

Track Your Results

Even if you make outstanding content, how will you understand the effect it’s having on your business? For everything you produce, it’s essential to track your results so you can determine whether or not your strategies and tactics are working. Read our post titled Use Google Analytics to Monitor Your Business and take advantage of the free resources that Google provides. Examine which landing pages and blog posts are getting viewers to stay on your site the longest and replicate those pages with future content.

Creating content doesn’t have to be a chore for your business. Identify where your customers are online and cater your content creation to their lives. Find something unique about your business that allows you to stand out from your competitors and capitalize on your experience to create something truly helpful. As long as you use both educational and promotional content, your customers will see your business as an authoritative source and come back to purchase whatever you’re selling.