You wrote a great blog post and posted it on your website. Now what? After spending the time and money to create great content, do you only use it once? For a content marketing program that thrives, is cost effective and drives profit, you should be shaking your head no.
To get more out of the content you create, it’s important to: Promote your content across multiple channels and adapt your content to different formats.
For every piece of content you create, the first thing you should think about is how do I amplify my content? There are many ways to accomplish this:
- Newsletters
- Social media
- Direct mail
- Traditional advertising
- YouTube and other video channels
- Slideshare and similar content-sharing platforms
- Webinars
Think about where your target audience goes to find information on your business niche and use those channels. You must also consider how well the channel fits into your overall content marketing plan and, frankly, whether you have the resources to do the channel justice. One post a month doesn’t make you a Twitter user.
As you dive deeper into content creation, it should become second nature that once you hit save on your latest piece, you are brainstorming ways to re-invent that same content. Is there a different form of media I should use, think video, podcasts and infographics, or if I take this article and another related article, can I create a whitepaper or e-book that might be useful to customers?
As you plan to adapt your content, consider how to best use the new format’s strengths. Does the new format allow you to highlight different aspects of your content? For example, a video can demonstrate more detail than an article if you’re demonstrating a skill.
Lastly, don’t forget to add the call to action. No matter what channels you choose to share your content on, your goal will usually be to drive people to your website to create engagement. Engagement leads to conversion, which is ultimately why we invest in content marketing. Let the analytics show you what techniques and channels work best for you and your audience.