7 Great Content Marketing Objectives for Your Startup
Choosing realistic content marketing objectives for your startup is crucial to the success of your business. Click here for some great goal setting ideas.
You founded your startup because you know your tech. Devising solutions is second nature to you. But how do you get those solutions in front of the people who need them?
Content marketing.
Before you dismiss it, using these methods can cost 62 percent less than traditional outbound marketing. It also generates over triple the leads. Startups can’t ignore such figures.
You need to set content marketing objectives if you want to see success. It’s the only way to measure how well your efforts are working.
Here are seven worthy content goals for your startup.
1) Be Seen as an Authority
You know your industry inside and out. That’s why you set up a startup. But do your customers know how much of an expert you are?
People will buy from companies they know, like, and trust. Using content marketing helps to achieve all of those things. It proves you’re a trusted figure. Plus, it helps customers get to know you.
Establish your authority by creating content that your target audience needs. Solve their problems or provide the information they require to make better buying decisions.
Spend time where your target audience hangs out online. Find out what they’re asking. Then, answer those questions with your content.
Keep up with current events in your niche. Customers like to know you’re up-to-date with changes that might affect them.
Writing killer blog posts is just one part of your content marketing strategy.
2) Make Sure Your Industry Sees You As A Leader
As much as it’s important that your customers see you as a leader, it’s important your industry does, too. You want them to come to you to solve their problems.
Include guest posting on relevant blogs as one of your content marketing objectives. You’ll access a wider audience than if you just post on your own site.
Offer to appear on podcasts, or find industry events that you can speak at. Both of these activities create content that you can link to from your site.
Appearing on trusted websites also helps to boost your authority. Raising your profile in your industry will help raise your profile with your customers.
3) Lead Generation is Key
All this targeted content helps to filter visitors to your website. Only people already interested in what you offer – even indirectly – will come to check it out.
You don’t want to build an email list of 1000’s of people who aren’t actually interested in buying your product.
By using content relevant to your product, you’re helping people to solve their specific problems. Pre-screening them with your content makes them more likely to convert.
Your content can educate visitors how to use your tech solution. Or, you might use your content to teach them about a particular process.
Always lead them from your content onto your email list. There, you can help them get to know you before you ask for a sale.
4) Develop a Brand
Branding is the fastest way to connect with your customers.
Make defining your ‘why’ one of your content marketing objectives. Simon Sinek uses the example of Apple.
Their ‘why’ is to create computers that are easy to use and make computing accessible. ‘What’ they make is a result of that.
The ‘why’ is also what appeals to your customers. It gives them something to relate to. They can buy into what it is that your offer on an emotional level.
Your ‘why’ is what makes you different from your competitors. It forms the bedrock of your brand. Turn your differences into benefits for your customers.
5) Build the Right Platforms
Social media is only a small portion of digital marketing. You don’t have time to spend on every available platform.
Choosing the right one comes back to your audience. Where do your target customers spend their time? Survey them or spend time checking out groups or hashtags.
Only build solid profiles on the platforms that matter. Avoid wasting time by setting content marketing objectives around your chosen channels.
Set aside a dedicated portion of every day to share helpful content and reply to comments. Promote your own content alongside your efforts for a more organic social media profile.
Scheduling your social media time makes it easier to keep it in check so you can spend time doing more of what matters.
6) Foster Relationships
It’s sometimes easier to think of content marketing as a bridge between you and your customer. Building, and maintaining, that bridge depends upon fostering relationships.
That’s why it’s important to respond to comments on your blog or social media posts. Maintain a dialogue with your customers. Content marketing should never be a monologue.
Don’t just create content to generate traffic to your site. Create content that genuinely helps visitors. People will be more likely to pay for your solutions if your free content helps them towards their goals.
7) Explore Content Beyond Blog Posts and Social Media
Your content marketing objectives shouldn’t just rest on blogging and posting on social media. You’ll need a wider range of tools in your toolbox. Think;
- Infographics
- Video
- Podcasts
- Slideshare presentations
Explore the possibility of using video in your marketing. Social media platforms make it easy to share video or post live streams to engage with your audience.
Smartphone technology makes it cheap and simple to create your own video content.
Video is also predicted to claim over 80% of online web traffic by 2019. By getting started now, you can carve out your video space online before it becomes mainstream.
Podcasts are a great way to reach your target audience. There’s nothing like speaking directly into someone’s ear to make a connection.
Find ways to package your content to suit the different needs of your customers.
Which Content Marketing Objectives Will You Set?
Setting the objectives is only part of the battle. Building a team to help you achieve them is the next stage.
Surround your startup with the best people and start working on your content marketing.
Want to expand your team in the right direction? Drop me a line and find out how I can help.