Where are you heading on your content journey this year?
We know that many of you made a big push with your content towards the end of last year. Special mention has to go to Bryony Thomas for her Watertight Wonderland big giveaway, Christian Tait for his Social Media Madvent Calendar, Sugru for their 24 alternative Christmas gifts and Desynit’s 12 fabulous Christmas Elves. It was a huge investment of time and energy, resulting in some really valuable resources and ideas which should reap big rewards this year. So what’s on the cards for 2015? Which route will you follow over the next twelve months?
Before you get pulled back into the thick of it, give yourself space to first think ‘why?’ Time getting crystal clear about what you are trying to achieve with your content, and why, will be well spent. This focus will make your content marketing efforts much more successful than just continuing to put one foot in front of the other content-wise without checking where you are going.
Align to a goal and set your coordinates. We’ll be sharing advice and inspiration on the steps to take you there throughout 2015 but only you can decide exactly where it is you are heading. Start with the why.
Why does content matter to your business?
Why are you choosing to invest time and money in creating valuable content this year? Step back for a minute and think this through. What do you want content marketing to do for you? More inbound leads? Greater client loyalty? What exactly are you trying to achieve? Get this clear and agreed upfront and then focus hard.
This stage is one of those deceptively simple points where it’s easy to set off in slightly the wrong direction and end up a long way away from where you wanted to be. Creating content with the aim of building greater customer loyalty will be different in flavour to content created with the purpose of winning five major new contracts by September.
What’s your objective? Be really specific. Write this down and pin it above your desk.
Why does content matter to your customers?
Reacquaint yourself with your mission. Businesses with a clear purpose create the best content. It’s far easier to know what to write, and to come up with a stream of relevant and useful ideas if you are clear on your overarching purpose. This gives your content meaning.
“Businesses with a clear purpose create the best content.”
Why do you do what you do as a business? What’s the crusade behind the content you’ll share this year? What difference do you want to make to your customers’ lives. Don’t just describe what you do, get some emotion into your story and communicate that through the content you share. In a crowded market, your ‘why’ will help you stand out.
Uncover this golden thread and it will make the biggest difference to your marketing and business in 2015.
Why Valuable Content for the journey?
You can supercharge your business with valuable content – and we’re more committed than ever to help you along that path this year.
Our mission? To help good businesses like yours create marketing people love – content that customers appreciate and that you’re proud to produce. It’s about better business, happier business at the end of the day and we’re all up for that.
We’re putting the finishing touches to the brand spanking new edition of Valuable Content Marketing book, publishing in July, and to a heap of training courses and resources to help your business fly with this powerful approach. The last few years have been a warm up for us – this is the year when we want to take the message out far and wide so great businesses flourish with marketing that people love. Will you join our crusade?
Let us know what you need along the way. We look forward to celebrating more fabulous content this year. Show us what you create and here’s to a fantastic year for you all.
Other content to help you kick off the year
- Treat your website like a party this year
- Why small businesses can produce better content than the big guys
- How to get your content read
