Content Is Your Secret Weapon
When you want to build your brand reputation, keep in mind that you never get a second chance to make a lasting first impression. Every piece of marketing content you create should support and reinforce who you are and what you do.
Content Marketing Is Your Superpower
Content marketing is a fantastic way for brands to build reputations over time. The more your audience hears from you through your marketing efforts, the more they’re going to remember you and ideally what sets you apart from your competitors. Keep in mind that your audience will see right through you if all you ever do is push your offerings. You need to give value first to have even a remote chance at building a relationship with them. The good thing here though is the more you give away, the more your audience will begin to trust you and want to do business with you. If they’re not actively looking for what you sell, they’ll at least put in a good word about you to someone who is.
Content Creation Serves a Purpose
You should never create content just for the fun of it. By listening to feedback from your audience you should be creating the content they want to learn more about. This not only gives them what gives they want, but it also gives you the opportunity to reinforce your qualifications on the subject because you’re not just talking about what you know, you’re proving you’re an expert in your industry.
What Your Content Says About You
If you’ve positioned your company on expertise, your content marketing should demonstrate that proficiency while keeping your brand tone in mind. The unique attitude and character of your brand, that character and attitude should shine through in every piece you create. For example, if you are a psychologist and you want your audience to see you as empathetic and caring, then you want to keep the tone of communication open and nurturing when you create a piece of content marketing. These interactions with your audience should feel personal—as if they are talking to you directly—so it’s important to speak in your authentic voice.
What You Say Leaves a Lasting Impression
Be sure you follow up on feedback because if you don’t, you’ll end up creating a negative brand experience. Many big brands today are guilty of throwing out a piece of content and never even responding to comments left on their posts or social platforms. To the end user this clearly demonstrates that they aren’t necessarily concerned with the needs of their audience and will eventually lose them as customers. By addressing your potential customer’s wants and needs before they even ask is paramount because consumers are gathering a lot of information before they ever even come to you for a purchase or advice. Therefore, it’s extremely critical that your website and social platforms provide the information your audience needs in a well-organized and inviting way that removes every obstacle in the buying decision process.
Customer Experiences Matter More Than Ever
Brands can no longer afford to compete on price alone because the customer experience is the competitive differentiator nowadays. In a study done by Salesforce in 2018, 80% of customers say the experience a brand provides is as important as its products and services. This means your website needs to be built with the user in mind.
Your website is your online storefront so make sure it’s welcoming for users to come in and browse around before they buy. Outdated websites are a sure sign that you aren’t keeping up with the times.
If you’re looking to revamp
Your website should:
- Be responsive allowing mobile viewers to get the same experience as a desktop viewer.
- Flow well allowing your audience to browse seamlessly before they buy.
In terms of your website content, it’s important to find the perfect balance; you do not want to come off too pushy, but you do want to give your consumers enough incentive to act now if they’re ready to buy.
People who aren’t ready to buy simply won’t. So just keep your intent good by providing value, and your ideal target audience will eventually come to you.
