Creating a Content-Rich Website for your Target Audiences
Many companies that previously spent large amounts on mass-media advertising have shifted their Marketing to the web. This is because many people are now using the internet to research products, demos and reviews before settling on buying a product or trying any type of services. However, we need to understand that Marketing on the web is not just about using flashy graphics and colorful typefaces. It is about understanding the keywords and concepts that customers use, which drive them to specialized links and provide the information they are seeking that will help make a decision.
A content-rich website is the key to be successful in reaching your target audiences. Great website contents will mark your organization as a trusted resource and will encourage your prospected customers to take action; either to buy, subscribe, apply or donate, and return to your website again and again.
All of the elements of an Internet-based marketing and PR effort are all brought together in a content-rich website. It should be the intersection of every online initiative including blogs, podcasts, news releases, social-media efforts, etc. The focus should be on content that informs buyers and not primarily on the technology and design elements. Here are some tips on how to create a content-rich website based on your target audiences:
- Know your Goal and Let Your Content Drive Action
First things first. It is essential to have a clear goal such as increased revenue and customer retention. Focusing on such a goal will yield meaningful results in measurable terms whereas counting the traffic to a website may or may not translate into increased revenue. Marketing then becomes aligned with the organization’s goals and is seen as a strategic unit.
- Let Them Know about Your Expertise
Word-of-mouth advertising is important for every business, as each happy customer can steer dozens of new ones your way. The idea is to deliver the right information to your target audience right at the point where they are most receptive to the information. Their emphasis is to tell their stories and spread their ideas online in a timely and open manner. Your potential customers will act like your advertisers as the web allows them to interact with other prospective buyers through social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
- Know Your Customers
Understanding the characteristic of the people who visits your website is a must. To begin, break your audiences into distinct groups then, create and deliver content that delivers information relevant to each group’s needs or problems. The content has to be written and presented from the point of view of the target audience and its needs in mind. An effective content strategy, then, will lead visitors to the website through the sales cycle to the point where they are ready to buy or to commit to your company or organization’s appeal. This is accomplished by having links from the content to an action such as making a purchase, requesting more information or looking at demo videos. Valuable content will produce sales.
- Develop a Buyer-Centric Site
Selling is about solving customer problems. Focus on developing a buyer-centric rather than a product-centric site. This can be done by defining your audience motivations and problems, and develop content that will cause them to make a purchase or commitment. By constantly keeping your imagination and creativity in creating your content, you will develop the best attitude in keeping and encouraging people to patronize your website and your product or services.
- Update your Website Regularly
Regularly updating your Website’s content will encourage people to return to your site if they notice something new to see, learn from or enjoy each time.
- Be Organized
Organizing your content into specialized areas and adding an on-site search facility will help your customers find what they are looking for immediately.
- Audio and Video Drive Action
Several technologies are now available that make it feasible and simple for the average user to create and upload content-rich audio and video. High-speed Internet connections are pretty common and YouTube and iTunes make the process easy. Have Fun with Your Videos! Humor can be very effective in videos in communicating to buyers, even for business-to-business pitches.
- Leveraging Thought Leaders Outside of Your Organization
Consider recruiting well-known experts in your field to prepare content for you, write a blog, participate in a webinar, etc. This shows you are current with the thinking in your industry.
- The Power of Writing Feedback
Reader feedback is extremely valuable – if you listen to it with a mind open to change and act on it. Criticism can stimulate you to improve standards. Both online and off-line marketing content is meant to drive action, and hopefully sales. This requires a focus on buyer’s problems, expressed in their own words and proof that your product or service can solve their problems.
The main takeaway here is when creating a content rich website, start with the buyers not with your product. Focus on the problems and needs of each buyer persona or customer segment. Use real-world language to convince customers that your product or service can solve their problems. And don’t forget to measure the results, improve and repeat. Put enough time and effort in creating your content, after all a content rich website can be a premier marketing tool.
About the author
Jemarie Camba
