You know that content marketing is important for SEO.

It helps you get noticed by both the Google overlords and your ideal customer. 

But implementing a great content marketing strategy doesn’t happen overnight. And there are a number of things you need to know and understand in order to make your SEO work. 

So, where do you start? Read on, because we’re here to show you how to perfect your SEO and implement it to create an effective content marketing strategy. 

Why is SEO important for content marketing?

Or should that be, why is content marketing important for SEO? The truth is, you can’t create effective content without considering SEO and your SEO is kind of pointless without a great content marketing strategy. 

Which is why both need a hell of a lot of consideration and effort.

Content marketing is a way of reaching your audience and communicating with them in a valuable, interesting, and entertaining way. It helps you build a relationship with your dream audience, earn their trust, and (hopefully) their loyalty and business. In addition to this, content marketing helps with SEO. 

A good content marketing strategy involves growing and generating traffic through user-focused content that is both high-value and educational, helping to draw in your audience’s interest and engage them with your content. 

So, what does this have to do with SEO?

SEO and content are interconnected and complement each other. Without creating high-quality content (the kind Google likes and rewards) you can’t realise the full benefits of SEO and how it can elevate your business. Motivating your audience to hang around longer, improving your rankings and traffic, and creating a loyal fan base. Creating consistent optimised content helps achieve this. 

Why is SEO valuable for your content marketing strategy?

Google processes almost 7 billion searches a day.

That’s a lotta Googling!

And when you’re busy Googling “what is SEO” Google is hard at work filtering out the wheat from the chaff to give you the most useful and relevant results for your search query. And those are the ones that make it to the top of the SERPs (aka the search results). 

But, they don’t get there through a popularity contest. 

They make it to the holy grail of page one by being ranked as the most useful and valuable content on the web for that particular query. This means when the content was created, it was done so with the user’s intent in mind. The number one rule in SEO. The user and their experience must come first. 

According to Google, you need to make sure your content is:

• Useful and informative. Add as much valuable and relevant information as possible
• More valuable than other sites and provides more helpful information
• High quality. Your content should always be specific, unique, educational, entertaining, and high-quality. Focus on your reader’s experience first and foremost
• Engaging and readable. Bring your reader into your world and make it a personal and interactive experience
• Credible. Add links, reviews, testimonials, do your own research, and create a writer’s bio to boost your reputation and trustworthiness. You want to show your readers that YOU are an authoritative voice in your industry

OK. So now you know why SEO is vital for a great content marketing strategy. Let’s have a look at some ways you can perfect your SEO strategy to give your content the boost it needs.

5 simple ways to boost your SEO strategy

You don’t need to be an SEO guru to create an effective SEO strategy. Just follow these simple and easy-to-implement tips.

1. Know your keywords

Before you start creating your kick-arse content, you need to know which keywords your ideal audience is using to find solutions to their problems. Problems you can solve.

This means getting busy with keyword research. 

You can do this by using a keyword research tool (there are free, freemium, and paid-for tools to choose from) or doing your own simple research on Google. Step inside your customer’s shoes and think about what you would type into Google to find a solution to your query. 

Google is great for keyword research as it gives you ideas for what other people have searched for in relation to your search. Make a list of all the possibilities and keep going until you have a solid list of words and phrases that you can use in your content. 

2. Know your goals

Another super important step to help with your SEO and content creation is understanding your goals. What do you want to achieve with your content?

Is it to ramp up your traffic? Attract a new audience? Improve conversions? Create engagement? 

Whatever it is, there’s a content plan for it! Blog posts drive traffic to your site, email marketing improves conversions, social media posts create engagement. When done right, of course. 

When creating your content strategy, ensure you have your goals in mind. They will help shape your writing and give you a clear outline and definition as to what you want to achieve with your content. 

3. Know your audience

You know the old saying, “If you try and sell to everyone then you’ll sell to no one.” Well the same is true with your content. 

If you try and create content and include keywords that are too vague, then you’re going to end up reaching no one. In order to create an effective content marketing strategy, you have to know your audience.

And we mean really know them.

Your content has to provide value to their specific needs. Remember the first rule of SEO? Write for your audience. How are you going to do that if you don’t know them?

This is where creating a customer avatar really comes in handy.

This vital research will help you understand your ideal audience’s goals and values, demographic information, challenges and pain points, objections and roles, the way they like to speak, the brands they like…essentially, it’s a detailed profile of your ideal customer. And when you understand your customer and know them, you’ll have a much easier time creating optimised content for them. 

4. Update your content

How often do you update your website?

Having a regularly updated and refreshed website helps boost SEO rankings, especially when it comes to keywords and relevant content. 

If you want to increase your site’s popularity and drive more traffic, you need to give people a reason to keep coming back. What does this mean? As well as producing high-quality and keyword-targeted content, your content marketing needs to be relevant, recent, and fresh. 

Regularly updated content is viewed as one of the best indicators of a site’s relevancy. Audit your content frequently and make any necessary updates to improve it. 

5. Make your content mobile-friendly and easy to navigate

People consume most of the digital content they read on a smartphone or tablet. 

And because of this, every piece of content you create, including your website, needs to be mobile-optimised and simple to navigate on a small screen as well as a desktop. 

Text needs to be broken down into easy-to-read chunks. Use SEO strategies such as headlines, subheads, links, and optimised images to make your content easy to skim and take in. Mobile SEO focuses on the same integral themes – high performance, great user experience, and high-quality content. 

Creating a great content marketing strategy takes time

But it doesn’t have to be hard. By understanding how an SEO strategy can boost your content marketing efforts, you’re already halfway there.

Remember, you don’t need to be an SEO guru to get started. Just having a basic understanding of SEO will pay off massively. And as long as you put your audience front and centre of your content, you really can’t go wrong.

Need a little boost creating awesome content that speaks to your ideal customer? Then we’d love to help. Take a look at our content packages, and let’s chat about how we can help you rank on page one. 

If you’ve ever wondered how content marketing works, you’re not the only one.

Content marketing can cause confusion.

What is it?

How does it work?

Is it just social media?

This uncertainty can make managers reluctant to spend money on it. Although it’s a highly effective form of marketing, tracking the ROI can be trickier than some other types of marketing. With paid ads, for example, you can directly track your spend with your leads and conversions.

By comparison, content marketing generally takes longer to start driving results, and tracing the customer journey from finding you to buying from you typically has more steps. This shouldn’t put you off though: it’s entirely possible to monitor the success of your content marketing and to calculate its ROI. Plus, unlike paid ads, the impact of content grows over time – meaning the more you publish and the longer a piece is live, the more views you’ll receive.

How content marketing works: the principles

According to the Content Marketing Institute:

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

Unlike running adverts, most content isn’t designed to explicitly sell. Rather, you’re publishing information to help your audience. Your content answers their questions, enhances their understanding, and ultimately provides value to them. This is the stage where we turn to Google with a question, and read a blog or watch a video to get the answer.

This is an advantage of content marketing over paid ads: the latter is primarily a tactic for selling to people who are ready to buy right now. This means instant sales, but a smaller audience because most people aren’t ready to buy at that specific moment. (This isn’t to imply ads aren’t effective, just that their purpose is complementary to content rather than a direct replacement.)

Content works in a different way: we, as potential customers, seek out specific information at different stages of our buying journey. On day one, we might be researching the benefits of something or how to accomplish a task – like which tyres to put on a car or whether life insurance is needed.

After that, we may start looking into the different types and comparing one brand against another.

We continue this process, gradually increasing our knowledge until we’re ready to make a decision.

The content marketing funnel

This process of acquiring more knowledge and becoming more familiar with a service, product, or company is known as a funnel, and it’s a crucial part of effective marketing.

Unfortunately, it’s also where a lot of marketers go wrong.

Often, content marketers will only consider one stage of the customer journey, and it’s usually the stage of the customer being ready to buy. There’s logic to this: by talking to people who are ready to buy, you’d hope for quicker sales. 

The downside is you completely ignore a much wider pool of potential customers.

With a funnel, you have content that addresses the different stages a customer goes through:

• Informative content that answers top-level questions, for people who are curious about something but aren’t yet ready to buy
• Content for people that have a problem and are exploring ways to solve it. “Problem” can be anything from a leaking hosepipe to wanting a six-pack
• Then you have content for people who are actively looking for a solution. This is where they’re weighing up their options, and your content will put you on their list of choices
• The next stage is where they’re starting to make a decision. This content goes into more depth, because the customer is deciding not only which solution they want, but which company they think is best
• Finally, the stage where they’re ready to buy

By creating content that helps people in the earlier stages of the funnel, you earn goodwill and trust. Those potential customers will come back to you each time they want to learn more, and the trust increases the chances that you’re the company they’ll turn to when they’re ready to buy.

On the other hand, if you only appeal to people who are ready to buy already, you have two problems:

1. You’ve alienated a large pool of potential customers
2. You’re talking to people who have likely been following content from other companies and built trust with them. Your content now has to work incredibly hard to win those people away from their preferred businesses.

The takeaway: consider the different stages your buyers go through and create content for each of those stages. This will make you more relevant, more useful, and help you to always have a fuller pipeline.

How to automate content marketing – and its results

By this stage, you might be thinking this sounds like a lot of work. But actually it doesn’t need to be.

The beauty of content marketing is that much of it can be entirely automated.

You’ll need to regularly create and release new content (which can be outsourced to save you time), which is what will help new people discover you.

This new content can link to previous pieces and put people into your funnel, and with automation  you only need to set it up once.

Let’s say your content is your blog. You publish new posts, and each post has a call to action to download something or join your newsletter. The download you offer only has to be created once and can stay on your website for as long as it remains relevant. Ideally you would also have an email sequence created, and when someone downloads that resource or joins your newsletter, the sequence is automatically triggered and sends them a series of emails on your chosen schedule. These emails can include more information about you, links to additional resources to help them, and a call to action to talk to you or buy from you.

In other words, this automated funnel turns visitors into buyers without you having to do any additional work. Plus, you’ll be able to see the performance analytics for each blog and email, so you’ll know exactly what people read and clicked on to become a paying customer.

That’s content marketing in a nutshell! If you’d like to find out more or talk about your own content strategy, get in touch today.

When you want to go online, do you normally use your laptop or your smartphone?

Chances are, you reach for your phone.

More than 90% of internet users use mobile devices to go online. So, what does that tell us from a business perspective? That mobile marketing strategies are essential to help your business get noticed and grow.

And having some great mobile marketing strategies in place will help your content marketing efforts soar.

Why are mobile marketing strategies so important?

Having a solid content marketing plan is crucial for any business to get you seen by your ideal audience. And as more than five billion people own mobile devices, having mobile-friendly content should be a priority. 

Especially as most people make purchases after using their smartphone to get more information about a service or product. That’s a lot of additional sales!

Now, before you panic, don’t worry. A lot of the time there are simple techniques or changes you can make to your current plan in order to win over the mobile crowd. And by doing this, you’ll have the benefit of reaching a far bigger, wider audience – improving your brand awareness and increasing those conversion rates. 

Mobile marketing strategies to help your business thrive

A solid mobile marketing strategy needs to consider multiple channels in order to reach as wide an audience as possible. But which channels you use, and what type of content you create, depends on the audience you want to target.

Ready to start adapting your content to make it mobile-friendly? Just follow these 5 mobile content tips and start reaching a wider online audience.

#1 Make it readable and snappy

Your site needs to be mobile-friendly, and Google will penalise your ranking if it’s not. How your site looks on a desktop is completely different to how it looks on a small, mobile screen. 

This should really be your first step when considering a mobile marketing strategy. 

All the menus and content need to be displayed well for users, and the content needs to be formatted to make it easy to read, skim, and navigate. This often means making headlines and content shorter and snappier.

#2 Loading time needs to be speedy

Nothing turns people off of a website more than a sloooow loading speed. You click on a link to take you to a website and if it takes longer than a second or two to load, you just lose your patience, hit the back button, and scroll onto the next option on the search engine results page.

Right?

A slow site will drive people away. Before they’ve even had the chance to read all the awesome content you’d created. And since 2018, Google has used page speed as a ranking signal for mobile search as well as desktop search. 

So make sure you check your site’s speed and audit it for any speed-related issues. 

#3 Embedded links on social media

Social media is a funny old thing. 

Just when you think you’ve got it sussed, along comes Facebook with a name and attitude change, or there goes Instagram mixing up its algorithm forcing you to create Reel after Reel. But one good thing that Instagram has come up with is a new feature that allows you to share links on your Stories.

Why is this so good for your mobile marketing strategy? Because you can instantly share content, blog posts, articles etc on your social media, giving your follows immediate access to your content. So, what are you waiting for? Get sharing!

#4 Mobile-friendly emails

If email marketing is a part of your content plan, then ensuring your emails are optimised for mobile is essential. As the majority of people check their emails on their smartphones, the last thing you want them to see is a clanky and difficult-to-read email that you designed for desktop viewing. 

Some of the main points to consider when creating mobile-friendly emails are:

• Keep your email under 600 pixels wide
• Use a larger font size than usual
• Design your email in a single-column template
• Make your call to action compelling and distinct
• Don’t stack links (it just looks messy and off-putting)
• Keep your subject lines short
• Break up text so it doesn’t look too chunky and difficult to read

And, most importantly, test your email on different mobile devices so you get a clear idea of how it will look to your audience.

AdWords to drive traffic for mobile users

If you use AdWords, have you optimised them to reach mobile users? If not, now is the time, because you can use Google AdWords’ targeting options to ensure you drive traffic specifically for mobile use. 

You can choose 3 different ad types to target those smartphone users, depending on your needs. There are mobile preferred ads that allow you to customise your messaging specifically to people on smartphones or tablets. Then you have call-only ads. These are designed to encourage people to call you rather than pop over to a website. Then there are click and call ads, which allow people to either click or call, depending on which option they prefer. 

So, nip over to your Google AdWords account and start optimising. 

Mobile-friendly content is the way to go

With the majority of the world’s internet users using smartphones or tablets to access the online world, creating mobile content is a must!

By coming up with mobile marketing strategies to support your business, you’ll be able to reach more people, help them find more information about your business with the long-term goal of converting them to customers. 

Sound good? Then get in touch! We specialise in creating content that mobile devices love, helping you to achieve your goals. 

Busy business owners, this one’s for you!

The time has come where you’ve finally admitted it.

You need help.

You can’t possibly do everything yourself and, more to the point, you don’t want to. You started your business with a dream of making a living doing what you love. What you didn’t envision was the amount of work it would take to push your business online. The website, the emails, the list building, the funnels, the social media posts, the blog posts, and everything in between.

Yep. We’re talking about content marketing, and it’s essential for pushing your business forward, getting Google to notice you, and making your dream audience swoon at your feet. But, like most things, it takes a lot of time, effort, and skill to get your content marketing right.

So, what can you do? 

Outsourcing to professional content marketers is the secret sauce to cooking up killer content for your biz. And if you’re not sure where to start, or what you need to look for when choosing the right content marketers, then never fear. Our guide has everything you need to know.

Why outsourcing to content marketers is a game-changer

If you ever feel unsure about what content to create, how to choose content topics, or how to write in a way that both Google and your ideal audience love, then outsourcing to content marketers is the golden ticket you need.

But showing up day after day with fresh, enticing, valuable, informative, and shareable content is difficult. It’s time-consuming. And it’s a heck of a lot of work. 

It’s important though. Studies show that blogging can lead to 55% more website visitors! And, more importantly, professional content marketers know how to do it well. 

Outsourcing to content marketers comes with a plethora of benefits. As well as having a professional create your content, you save money by outsourcing instead of employing, save on overheads, are able to keep control of the tone and message of your content, and a whole lot more. 

Choosing the right content marketers

Knowing why outsourcing your content can make such a difference, it’s time to choose the right content marketers for your needs.

There are a few essential qualities that you need to look for when choosing the right content marketer for you. But first, you need to assess your content marketing goals and what your desired outcomes are.

Take into consideration elements such as the size of your business, your industry, your audience, and your circumstances. Now, think about what you want to achieve with your content. Is it:

• More followers and engagement on social media?
• A larger email list to grow your following?
• Engaging, educational and valuable blog posts?
• To rank higher on Google for your chosen keywords?
• Increase conversions?

Or, maybe a mix of all of the above?

Once you know your goals, you’ll be able to convey them to your outsourced content marketer clearly, ensuring you’re both on the same page, and the valuable words will start flowing. 

To make sure you choose the right writers for your goals, here’s what you need to look for.

Satisfaction guarantee

Does the writer or agency offer some kind of satisfaction guarantee with their work? Ask them if they have a refund policy if the work created doesn’t match up to your initial conversation about your needs. Some agencies offer a refund or guarantee with their work, which is a good sign that they care about their client’s needs first and foremost, and have absolute confidence in their work. (Crosshairs Marketing’s service guarantee promises to pay you if you’re not happy with the first piece of content we deliver).

A solid reputation

Before you speak to the writer or agency, have a look online and check out their website. Read testimonials and reviews and have a browse through their portfolio to see if it clicks. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for online, just ask! See if they have relevant content that matches up with what you’re looking for. If something doesn’t feel right, or they don’t have references or testimonials, then move onto the next.

Professionalism

How do they appear online, on Zoom, or on the phone? Are they reliable and do they show up when you need them to? Do they have a solid background of experience? Do you feel comfortable with how they present themselves and their work? Having a professional and knowledgeable writer should be one of the main priorities when outsourcing content marketing. 

Project management

When working with an outsourced writer, it’s crucial they adhere to deadlines. As such, having proven project management skills are a must. Setting up an editorial calendar such as a Trello board that you both have access to will help keep deadlines in check and communication lines open.

Communication

No one likes to be ghosted! When you’re working with an outsourced writer or agency, communication is key to ensure goals are met, questions are answered, and messaging is clear. That being said, there will be boundaries to take into account (no 9pm or weekend WhatsApps, okay?) But having good communication will help you feel in control and keep your content plans on track.

Subject matter knowledge

A great content marketer should have a wealth of experience writing for different industries or niches – unless they are very niche specific. As such, the writer you choose should understand your industry, product, or service, and have experience in the area that they can bring to the table. But, what if you click with someone who doesn’t have an in-depth knowledge of your industry? As long as they can demonstrate work that matches your needs, then they could still be the diamond you’re looking for.

Brand voice

Your business is unique. As such, you have a brand voice, tone, and style that is yours and yours alone. You don’t want to lose that. It’s what makes your business your business. An experienced content writer should be able to match this. To give yourself peace of mind, ask to see examples of their work where they’ve crafted content matching different brand voices. Good writers are chameleons and their words shouldn’t sound like theirs, but the client’s they’re writing for.

Create the right content and they will come

When outsourcing content marketing, it can feel like you’re putting your life in someone else’s hands. That’s why choosing the right writers to create the best content is essential.

And when your content speaks to your ideal audience, serves their needs, and shows up consistently, then you’re on your way to pushing your business to where you want it to go.

Still unsure of which content agency is right for you? That’s why we’re here. Get in touch and let’s chat about how our team of experienced and professional writers can start creating content that converts.

When you started your business you probably didn’t realise the sheer scale of extras that came with it in order for it to be a success:

• Promoting and engaging on social media.
• Writing emails and newsletters and building your email list.
• Planning and writing regular blog posts.
• Creating an awesome and inspiring content plan to help you rise in the Google ranks and draw in your ideal audience. 

The list goes on and on.

You’re brilliant at what you do. But when it comes to content marketing, you could probably use a little help. 

If you’re feeling the burnout and overwhelm of trying to do it all yourself, then it might be time to outsource your marketing. 

Not sure if outsourcing is for you? If any of these questions sound familiar, then it could be time to outsource your marketing.

Why is content marketing so important for a business?

Content marketing is one of the best ways to reach and attract your ideal audience. When you get your content marketing right, it helps build trust, show you’re an authority figure in your niche, answer your audience’s questions, improve conversions and generate leads.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Here are some more reasons content marketing should be on the top of your agenda:

• Improves brand reputation
• Builds relationships 
• Influences conversions
• Brings new leads in a cost-effective way
• Demonstrates your authority and knowledge
• Sets you apart from your competitors
• Improves your SEO efforts

The goal is to create content that attracts and keeps your target audience, positioning yourself as an industry leader. And, of course, the end game is to drive customer action. 

Content marketing helps brands showcase their value, all while building trust with their audience. And in order for your content marketing to be successful, you need to know and understand who your audience is. What kind of content makes them tick, speaks to them, solves their problems. 

But there is a lot of work involved when it comes to creating a great content marketing plan. Which means it takes up a lot of time. If time is something you’re short of (who isn’t?) then you might want to outsource your marketing to a professional content marketer.

If these questions feel familiar, outsource your marketing

Content marketing is vital for your business. But you won’t get the outcome you need if you don’t have the time or skills to make it happen. 

Answered yes to any of these questions? Then outsourcing will help get your content to where you want it to be.

1 Are you short on time?

When you’re a business owner, spare time is a luxury you just don’t have.

And as your business grows, you’ll get pulled in a million different directions, with more and more priorities and tasks stacking up. This normally means content creation ends up at the bottom of your to-do list pile.

If you need to write a long-form blog post, plus the social media posts to accompany it, and the email to support it, you can see how the content overwhelm can quickly creep up on you. 

We get it!

Researching, writing, and publishing quality content consistently can be a full-time job in itself. And there are only 24 hours in a day…which get guzzled up with other tasks pretty quickly. 

If you’re missing out on lead-generating opportunities such as blog posts simply because you don’t have enough time…it’s time to think about outsourcing. 

2 You can’t afford to hire a full-time content writer

This is a problem a lot of small business owners face. You want to create consistent, quality content, but you just can’t afford to hire a full-time writer.

Outsourcing your content creation is a lot cheaper than hiring a full-time writer. Instead of paying a full-time salary, IT equipment, holiday pay, sick pay, insurance, training, overheads, etc, you’re purely paying for the content you need, and nothing else. 

This makes it a much more affordable option. And if you work with a professional writer, you’ll be able to maintain a high quality of work and a consistent brand voice.

Win-win, we say!

3 You struggle coming up with fresh content ideas

Publishing content on a regular basis makes it very difficult to come up with fresh ideas for your content plan. Having a fresh set of eyes and opinions can make a huge difference to the look and feel of your content.

Outsourcing helps bring new ideas and skills to the table, as the professional writers you bring in already have a wealth of experience creating top-notch content. And the experience and knowledge they’ve previously gained will give you those creative ideas when you’re feeling frazzled and stuck. 

4 Does SEO leave you feeling puzzled?

One of the main advantages of outsourcing a professional content writer is harnessing their knowledge of SEO. 

SEO, or search engine optimisation, is how Google and your dream audience find you. When you optimise content, such as blogs, for SEO, it makes them easier to find and easier to rank higher on Google. 

Professional content writers write for the search engine results pages, as well as your ideal audience. After all, if your audience can’t find your content online, then all that work just goes to waste. Professional writers can use SEO tools to research keywords, create compelling meta descriptions, write in an optimised format using headlines, subheads, lists, and more. Plus, a professional content writer can update your existing content, making it work better for you.

It takes time to learn and understand even the basics of SEO, so outsourcing is a great way to jump on the optimised content bandwagon. 

Outsource your marketing so you can focus on your business

We know how difficult it can be to step back from different parts of your business. But if you’re missing out on potential leads and opportunities, you’re left with little choice.

Outsourcing your content is a great way to keep your content marketing flowing, without losing control. Ensuring your business serves and sells, all while you keep your head.

Fancy giving outsourcing a try? Our team of professional content writers are on-hand to create the content you and your brand deserve, helping you attract your dream audience and convert them to loyal customers. Get in touch today and let’s make your content work for you.

OK, so you’ve started a blog for your business. 

Awesome.

You’ve got some great content written and are ready to share it with your dream audience. Content that you hope will help you rank highly in the search engines, bringing floods of traffic to your site.

The only problem is, it isn’t. 

And the main reason why it isn’t? Because it’s lacking SEO, or search engine optimisation.

In this article, we’re going to share a few essential content writing tips so you can create SEO-loving blog posts that rank higher on Google.

Help your website rank highly with these essential content writing tips

If you have a blog for your business, then you’re probably already aware of the beneficial impact it can have on your site. But If you’ve ever felt the frustration of wondering how to get your blog to rank higher on Google, then we’re here for you!

Follow these essential content writing tips and you’ll be well on your way.

Keyword Research

Keyword research doesn’t have to be super complicated, but it is super important to nail your SEO and rank highly for the keywords you want to be found for.

Using a good keyword tool is a big help when it comes to searching for your perfect keywords, or long-tail keywords for your content.

Keywords should preferably be words that you think your customers are searching for. As well as using a tool, you should do some research on Google. You can’t really optimise your content writing if you don’t know what your customers are searching for – so get into their mindset. 

By doing your own Googling and using a keyword tool, you will get a much better idea of what keywords your customers are looking for and how competitive they are.

There are a few different factors when it comes to keyword research:

• Branded keywords – keywords to do with your brand name. Maybe {your company name + reviews] or [your company name + contact]. To search for these, people already need to know about your brand.
• Unbranded keywords – the words people use to try and find your brand, products you sell, problems you answer, issues you solve, questions you answer, things people search for that your site would solve. These are words that are related to your products, services, and the wider industry, and as people don’t need to know about your brand for these, they’re a great opportunity to get found by new clients and customers

It’s great SEO practice to use both kinds of keywords.

Then, there are the different length keywords:

1. Short tail / Head – a single word
2. Medium tail – 2-4 words
3. Long-tail – 4+ words and more like a question

When you do your research, make a list of all the possible versions of keywords you can incorporate in your content writing. But never stuff keywords! This archaic form of search engine optimisation will make Google frown upon you, and instead of ranking highly, you’ll go the other way. Instead, focus on the reader first and create high-quality content that they’ll enjoy reading, with keywords included organically throughout.

Customer research

We’re not just talking about the little things such as how old they are, what they like to eat for breakfast, and what job they do. We’re talking about going deep into your research and creating a customer avatar. 

In order to do that, you need to dig. You need to hang out (online) where they hang out. Go into forums and sites like Reddit, hop over to the social media platforms they most use and eavesdrop on their discussions and comments, send out a survey or questionnaire via your email list or on your social media channel.

Your content should focus on:

• What are their goals and dreams?
• What do they want or need?
• What problems are they trying to solve? 
• What solutions are they looking for? 

You can also check out sites such as Answer The Public, which is a freemium tool to help you discover what your ideal audience is asking about right now. 

Because SEO really is all about putting the customer first. Search engine optimisation forces you to think about what your customers want and need, making it crucial for your content writing to rank highly.

On-page SEO gives a customer-centric approach to your brand, which is what you want! You can’t think about your brand first. Google hates that! Instead, think about how your brand solves problems for your ideal audience. And this is only something you can do once you’ve got your audience research nailed.

Once you understand your audience, your content writing will always please the SEO overlords.

Formatting content for optimisation

So, you’ve got your content plan, your customer research, and your keyword research done. In order for your content to rank highly, it needs to be formatted correctly.

A big part of on-page SEO is formatting your content in a way that is easy to read, skim, share, and take action with. This is important so the Google bots can scan it easily and understand where it belongs in the search pages. And it is equally important for your readers, so they can quickly and easily find the valuable content they’re searching for.

Luckily, you don’t need to be a professional coder to ace your formatting. You don’t even need to be particularly technical. 

Understanding just a few basic formatting rules are all you need to know to help your content writing rank:

1. An optmised URL. Make sure your URL is clean, simple, and contains your keywords
2. Proper use of title tags – also known as your H tags. Use your H tags in order throughout your content. H1 is the main title, H2 a subtitle, H3 a subtitle of your H2, and so on. This breaks up your content, making it easy to read and skim and catagorise. H tags are also prime real estate for your keywords, so include them if you can
3. Optimised images – if you’re using images in your blog posts then it’s important to optimise them too. Use the alt tag to add a brief description and don’t forget to include a keyword to help search engines understand them
4. Well-written meta description – we’ll get into this a little in the next point, but essentially, your meta description is a snippet of what your blog is about. It shows up under your URL in the search engine results and should be optimised with your primary keyword
5. Internal and external links – try to include a few in your content, especially to high-authority sites related to your content. They’ll show Google where you belong in your industry

Take these simple measures every time you create a piece of content and you’ll start seeing improvements in your rankings.  

Make the most of metadata

You’ve never heard of metadata? 

Professional content writers know that utilising your metadata is an essential component to helping your content rank highly on Google. 

When you look at a search result page, you’ll see that the results all look very similar in format:

• The page title/title tag (name of the page)
• The URL 
• The meta description – about 160 characters describing the content. Here you’ll probably spot a keyword or two if the content writer is doing their job well!

When it comes to where to include your keywords in your content (always remember to keep it natural and organic) there are several sweet spots. These include:

1. As early as possible in your page title (the title of your blog post)
2. The title tag
3. The URL
4. The first paragraph of your blog
5. At least one subheading in your content
6. The alt tags 

Although it might not seem it, these little changes will make a huge impact on how you rank on Google.

And a final few tips…

As well as following the above, we also recommend identifying your top competitors and performing competitor research to see what they’re doing and how you can do it better, posting quality content consistently and regularly, creating a curiosity-driven title to hook your readers, sharing your content on social media, emails, newsletters, videos, and podcasts, keeping to longer length articles (Google loves this), and updating old content to make it as optimised as possible.

Work with content writers to boost your ranking on Google

Part of being a great content writer is understanding what SEO is and how to use it to drive traffic to your site. 

But remember, SEO is not a short-term solution. It has the biggest benefit in the long term, so you can’t think of it as a magic pill. You have to take consistent action to see results. SEO helps your brand visibility increase by bringing consistent growth over time.

Need a little help creating SEO content to help your site rank highly on Google? Our team of professional content writers have all the SEO know-how to help you get there. Get in touch to have a chat about our content packages and let’s get you ranking. 

Constant change makes it difficult to master digital marketing.

Just when you think you’ve mastered one skillset, along comes a whole new tool that every digital marketer on the block is raving about, and before you know it, your free time just got chewed up learning how to use it.

We get it. 

Digital marketing can’t be learned, understood, and mastered overnight. Google wasn’t optimised in a day! To really master digital marketing, you need the skillset to create engaging and valuable content that both Google and your customers love.

So, how can you future-proof your space in digital marketing? By mastering these 9 essential skills to keep you relevant in this ever-changing industry. 

Master digital marketing to set you apart from the crowd

Trying to keep up with all the changes in digital marketing is frustrating and challenging as a small business owner.

The tools and skills you need to create, analyse, implement, and engage with content marketing strategies just seem to be constantly evolving. And it can be a constant challenge trying to navigate this busy, digital world. 

And these skills aren’t just technical. They include things like being a good listener, communicator, and writer. But before you start panicking, just relax. If you’re dreaming of a career as a successful digital marketer, then make sure you take the time to master these essential skills.

#1 Writing and editing like a pro

As a digital marketer, knowing how to write well – both for the search engines and your audience – is probably one of the most important skills you can possess. 

In pretty much every piece of work you do in digital marketing, writing and editing of some description will be involved. And this could be short-form copy (such as social media posts or ads) or long-form (including blog posts, articles, and newsletters.) This is because content marketing and content writing play a huge part in any digital marketing strategy. 

If you know how to write a great blog post, optimise it for Google, and repurpose it for other uses, then this skill will take you far in digital marketing.

#2 SEO skills

If people can’t find your content online, then does it even exist?!

Even if you have the most beautifully written content, if your audience can’t find it then it’ll just get lost in a digital minefield. This is where having SEO knowledge comes in. 

In fact, organic search results are way more likely to be clicked than paid results, so understanding how to utlise SEO for your digital marketing efforts is super important. 

SEO is a way to drive traffic to your website and your content. Using things like keyword research, on-page SEO skills such as formatting, metadata, backlinks, guest blogging, link-building, and mobile optimisation. It’s crucial to stay updated and aware of the latest updates and trends that can affect search ranking. Having a solid SEO skillset will help keep you ahead in a career in digital marketing.

#3 Communication

This is a soft skill, but a great one to have as a digital marketer. Having the willingness to listen, learn, and communicate will help you create better content, as well as be a better team player.

This is vital when it comes to working with your team and with your clients. Understanding instructions, making sure you give your feedback and taking on board constructive criticism. Being a good communicator also includes creating and spreading impactful messages and building relationships with your audience by establishing trust. And you do this by communicating with them in a way that’s clear, concise, interesting, valuable, engaging, and relevant. 

It might sound obvious, but being a great communicator is a skill no digital marketer can be without. 

#4 Research and data analysis skills

You also need to practice those communication and listening skills with your audience, because these are essential for researching who your ideal audience is. And what kind of content you should be making them.

There’s no point just churning out loads of content if it isn’t directed to your audience and it doesn’t serve them. You need to do your research on who they are, what they need, and how they want it. Only then can you create effective content using the data you’ve researched and analysed to speak directly to them.

Research means getting to know your audience on a deeper level.

Start using Google Analytics and other analysis tools to understand data about your audience and how they find you. And how you can make their user experience better. Use social media and forums and listen to how your audience speaks. What language they use, how they talk about the service you provide. This form of social listening is one of the most effective ways to research, so as a digital marketer, it isn’t one you can ignore.

#5 Meeting deadlines

This might sound like a no-brainer, but being able to meet deadlines has to be like second nature to you if you want to succeed as a digital marketer. 

Your fingers will be in so many different pies, and in an average week, you might need to write a blog post, create social media posts, analyse some data, create a campaign, not to mention a million different meetings, Zooms, quick Whatsapp chats and catch-ups with your team or clients. That means being able to master your time and plan your work so you don’t miss a single deadline. 

Yep. This means being super organised – a skill that, if not innate – might take some time to perfect. This leads us to the next skill.

#6 Adaptability

You already know by now that the world of digital marketing and content creation is ever-changing. As are the algorithms that dictate how our content is found by consumers. Therefore, being adaptable is one of the best skills you can possess.

Workload and assignments can vary from month to month, and you need to be ready for it.

Make sure you’re prepared for anything by keeping up with the latest news, updates, and changes in the digital marketing world. You need to always be able to adapt to unexpected developments. This is a sure-fire way of keeping yourself ahead of the game. 

#7 Basic design skills

We know, we know. You’re a marketer, not a designer. 

BUT having even the most basic design skills will help you stand out from the crowd. Because so much content is visual and tends to have a higher conversion and engagement rate, this is a skill you can’t afford not to have.

If you are completely new to the world of design, then just getting a grasp of basic knowledge for software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Canva, Inkscape, etc, will be amazing for your digital marketing efforts. Imagine what a powerhouse you’ll be if you can offer writing, editing, AND basic design as a package! By understanding even simple design skills, you’ll be able to complete tasks such as manipulating images, creating a layout, or completing a design for banners and social media posts. You’ll be a digital marketing one-stop-shop.

#8 Be persuasive

Being a marketer, one of your main jobs is to sell without actually selling. You need to be persuasive. To be able to change people’s minds, and master the art of selling – but never the hard sell. 

Can you use your skills to convince someone to make a purchase? Or get someone to read a blog post, sign up to your emails, or click on your call to action? 

#9 Understanding social media

Using social media to engage and connect with your audience is a huge asset. But with the amount of different social media platforms around, mastering each one can take time. 

Working with social media professionally is totally different from using it personally. And with Instagram and Facebook frequently changing how content is communicated to users, you always need to be up to date with the latest rules and regulations. Community management is a vital skill to have within social media, as you’re constantly communicating with your audience – allowing you to develop and build relationships with your people. 

You have to understand that the content you create needs to be of high-quality, relevant, engaging, and shareable. It’s also highly beneficial to know how to analyse data from social media, so you can use it to your advantage.

Use content to stand out in the digital marketing crowd

When you’re ready to grow your career, then enhancing your skillset is the number one way to do it. And there’s a lot if you want to master digital marketing.

Creating killer content to speak to your audience and market your brand is one such skill. And, as a digital marketer, understanding how to create brilliant content that connects with your ideal audience is one of the most vital skills you can have.

But if you need a little guidance creating your content, or you just don’t have the time to do it yourself, then get in touch, and let us do it for you. 

Even if you’ve never heard of content marketing before, as an entrepreneur or business owner, you’ll definitely have encountered it.

And it’s something you need to be dedicating your time to, because when content marketing is done right, it can take your business to the next level and beyond. Great content creation can help you stand out from your competition and make you more visible and relevant to your ideal audience. 

All at a lower cost than traditional advertising – a big bonus if you’re a new entrepreneur and your resources are limited. But if the thought of creating a content marketing strategy is leaving you quivering in your boots, then read on.

In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to make your strategy a success.

Why is content marketing important for a small business

“Content marketing is a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience with the objective of driving profitable customer action.” – Content Marketing Institute

Let’s be real.

Content marketing and having a solid content strategy are essential for every business – no matter how big or small.

The challenge is often that, when you’ve just launched a brand new small business, having a solid content plan is crucial for getting seen, heard, and talked about. And you need all this if you’re going to start converting those potential customers and clients.

Especially if you’re trying to compete with the big companies in your niche.

So, why is small business content marketing so important?

Because it provides value to your customers. It isn’t about selling. Providing meaningful and valuable content helps build trust with your customers, allowing you to build an actual relationship with them. 

Content marketing shows your audience how your services (or products) can solve their problems. 

Quality content marketing also adds to your authority in your industry. This makes you appear knowledgeable and up to date – giving customers the confidence that you are the place to go when they need answers. 

Not to mention content marketing can be hugely cost-effective and deliver a higher ROI than old-school advertising. It can increase conversions, improve brand awareness, boost your revenue and so much more. 

What does a content marketing strategy include?

Everything you create that is seen as valuable and educational for your audience is considered content. 

The content to consider in your strategy includes:

• Blogs
• Emails
• Newsletters
• Podcasts
• Videos
• Social media posts
• Lives, stories, and reels
• Lead magnets
• E-books
• Infographics 

Great content marketing is something that we invite into our lives. It isn’t traditional advertising that rams itself into our faces and asks us to buy something. It’s a way of sharing information and engaging with our audience. It’s permission-based and should feel natural, authentic, engaging, and tailored to your audience. Something we seek out and enjoy consuming, and even share with our friends. 

Tips for creating a winning content marketing strategy for your small business

1. Know your audience

There is no point in spending hours creating amazing content if it doesn’t serve your ideal audience.

So, before you even start brainstorming your content marketing plan, you need to do your research. In-depth, nitty-gritty research on your audience, to make sure you completely understand them, their needs, their interests, and their buying habits. 

There are several ways you can do this, but the most effective include:

1. Conduct questionnaires with current customers and ask their opinion on your services as well as asking questions to understand who they are (purchasing habits, age, income, interests, etc)
2. Ask questions through social media. You can run polls, surveys, Q&A sessions
3. Send out a questionnaire via email and offer an incentive to make it worth their while
4. Research your competitors’ audience and see what content they utilise
5. Hang out where they hang out – social media/forums/Reddit, etc and make notes of what they’re talking about, what pain points they have, language used, etc

The more you know and understand your audience, the better the content you create for them will be.

2. Create a company blog

We’ve harped on about it before, but a blog is one of the best and most cost-effective ways to provide consistent, valuable content for your audience. 

Creating quality blog content focused on your ideal client’s needs is a brilliant way to keep your audience engaged, curious, and wanting more from you! Don’t be afraid to share your knowledge and write interesting and entertaining content that speaks to them. 

Blogging also boosts your search engine optimisation (SEO) rankings and efforts, giving more people the opportunity to find you. 

Digital content is often the first impression consumed by your audience. If your blog offers value, solutions, education, and represents your brand, then you’re on to a winner. Just remember to choose the best blogging platform for your needs and to post consistently. 

3. Don’t try and be everywhere

We know how tempting it is to blast your content everywhere – on every channel, every platform, and every medium. But, you can’t be everywhere. And, more importantly, your ideal audience isn’t everywhere. 

When it comes to social media presence, build it on the channels and platforms your audience uses. If your ideal clients hang out on Instagram and TikTok, then don’t waste your time trying to reach them on LinkedIn. 

Don’t forget, it’s not enough to just have a platform and post content. You need to be active. That means engaging, creating conversation, and being present. So, before you start posting anywhere, make sure you identify your ideal audience (by doing your research) and speak directly to them. 

You can use helpful online tools such as Google Analytics to help determine consumer behaviour online. 

Choose the platforms that work best for you. This includes social media, but also consider things like starting a YouTube channel or podcast if your research shows your audience enjoys consuming this kind of content.

4. Build a content calendar

It’s very easy to get overwhelmed by creating quality content. And the worst thing you can do is scramble around at the beginning of each month firing off bits of content without a solid content marketing plan.

You need to be delivering relevant content in a measured fashion.

Build monthly calendars that you can share with your team (if you have one) to keep you organised and on track. Fill your calendar with your content plan and try and keep ahead as much as possible to give you more time. Add your social media posts, blogs, emails, newsletters, and anything else you want to include in your plan. Most content calendars allow you to assign tasks, comment, move stuff around and add files.

This will keep your plan and content organised, as well as set a precedent with your audience about how often you post and where. 

Consistency is key!

Your small business content marketing done for you

We understand how overwhelming it can be when you’re starting up a new business. And now you know just how vital content marketing and content creation is, it’s like adding a whole new heap of work onto your (already overflowing) lap. 

Content marketing is a must. Your audience wants valuable content from your business. So why not let us help?

Take a look at our bespoke content creation packages, and let’s have a chat about how we can take that overwhelm away – all while giving you business-changing results. We’re so confident in the quality of our work that if you don’t like it, we’ll pay you.

Your business is up and running, and you’re ready to start driving traffic to your website and convert readers into customers.

You’ve created a beautiful website, set up an email opt-in list, created your social media handles on every platform that resonates with your ideal clients…things are looking good. Apart from one thing. You’re not seeing much traffic or many conversions. 

This is where content marketing comes in and saves the day. For a small business, content marketing is essential. It’s also a lot cheaper than traditional marketing methods and generates far more leads. Something every small business needs!

Of course, in order for it to be successful, you need to put the effort in. 

If you need a little (or a lot) of guidance with your small business content marketing, then pull up a chair and get comfy. This is everything you need to know.

Why is content marketing important for small businesses?

Content is the best way to let your audience get to know you. It allows you to add even more personality, value, and appeal to your business and it has the opportunity to take your audience on a journey. Supporting them with any challenges they might have, offering solutions, and eventually turning them into converting customers.

Content marketing has never been more important because on average, a person consumes 11.4 pieces of content before making a buying decision. 

That’s because people need to trust the brand that’s selling to them. And content, such as blog posts, is a brilliant way to build that trust. Why? Because blogs and other content marketing aren’t about selling. Their purpose is to provide value, information, answers to questions, entertainment…

Long gone are the days of Madmen and “shove it down your throats” advertising. Constantly selling to your customers isn’t cool anymore. In fact, it can be downright annoying and a real turn-off. 

Content marketing should never be confused with advertising. It isn’t about directly selling your product. The aim is to:

• • Educate 

• • Inform

• • Nurture

• • Win them over

This way, your customers will quickly become consumers. It shouldn’t be about the end product, but about your audience. What do they need? What do they care about? How can you help them?

7 steps for successful content marketing

Now you know exactly what content marketing is and why you need it, it’s time to get to the nitty-gritty and actually create your small business marketing plan.

Here are seven easy steps to nail your content marketing.

1. Start a blog

All businesses need a blog. 

Whether you’re a giant corporation or a one-person band. A blog is one of the best and most effective forms of content marketing.  

It gives your business a voice, it provides valuable content for your customers, it makes you an authority in your industry, and it helps you stand out in today’s digital marketplace. Not only that, it can help drive traffic to your website, boost your visibility online, raise your website in the search engine result pages, and help you build trust with your ideal audience. 

Your blog needs to do these things:

• • Be optimised for Google (SEO)

• • Be written in your brand’s tone of voice

• • Understand who your ideal audience is and write for them

• • Feature internal and external links

• • Be consistent

• • Be relevant

• • Have a content plan (don’t just post willy-nilly)

• • Feature a CTA (call to action)

When it comes to writing great content for your small business blog, you need to be patient and persistent. It can take a few months for you to start seeing results, this is a long-term play. And it works.

2. Make a lead magnet

A lead magnet is essentially a piece of content you offer as a freebie or for a very small fee (but with very high value).

The purpose of it is to get people to give you their email addresses so you can add them to your email list. And once they’re on your list, you have the opportunity to convert them to paying customers. This is done by taking them through a sales funnel. If they choose to download your lead magnet, they are already warm customers. You can keep their interest and their attention by creating valuable emails catering to their needs.

This form of content marketing is highly effective because they’re already telling you they’re interested in what you have to offer. Just remember to keep the lead magnet and the following emails informative, valuable, and interesting. Especially as you warm them up.

3. Invest in SEO

As a small business owner creating your own content, having a solid understanding of SEO basics is crucial. 

Successful content marketing means optimised content marketing. Understanding how to research and include long-tail keywords will provide a great user experience for your audience, and elevate your content in search results. 

Take some time to hone your SEO skills and create a strategy to research relevant keywords that are going to push your business. Creating high-quality content also helps boost your SEO efforts. Ensure you keep it long-form, clear, and fluff-free. Keep your content formatted, make use of your headers, and make it skimmable and easy to read.

4. Optimise for mobile

When you have written a great piece of content, you need to make sure it’s optimised for mobile. The more mobile assets you have, the better it’ll serve your clients and readers. That’s because the majority of content is now consumed on a mobile device.

So, if your content looks bad on a mobile screen, then chances are people aren’t going to bother to read it. User experience is everything. If you don’t have the budget to invest in apps or other mobile extras, then do whatever you can to ensure your content is mobile-friendly, easy to read, and simple to navigate.

5. Repurpose content

Repurposing your content marketing efforts is a great way to get more bang for your buck. 

Your high-quality, engaging content should be shared with as many people as possible, and repurposing is the easiest and most cost-effective way to do this.

How can you turn that inspiring blog post you wrote into several pieces of engaging content?

That blog is filled with helpful information, valuable content, great ideas that will make interesting graphics and quotes, and so much more.

Just think about how you can repurpose it to get even more ROI on your investment. Turn it into a social media series, transform it into an Instagram Live, could you repurpose it and bulk it out and turn it into a lead magnet or newsletter? You’ll be amazed at how much you can create from one piece of brilliant content. 

6. Get on featured snippets

A featured snippet is that little information box you see at the top of a Google search engine result page. 

A featured snippet provides a snapshot answer to a user’s question. If a user is satisfied with the answer the snippet provides them with, then they’ll stop searching. If it’s your snippet they’ve spotted, then you’ve just won yourself a potential client.

Now, there isn’t a secret formula for getting featured. But these tips will help:

• • Create user-friendly and easy to read content 

• • Structure your data. This helps Google understand the content better when it comes to scanning it

• • Optimise your content using SEO best practices

• • Answer specific questions and create a step-by-step post

7. Don’t forget to share

Now that you’ve created some truly epic content, it’s time to share it.

Yes. You can wait for the organic traffic, which will come, but it’s good to give it a helping hand. Include your content in your social media plan and share it out over the course of a few days or even weeks. If it’s evergreen content then even better, as you can reshare it again months and even years later. 

Encourage your readers to engage with the content and share it. If it’s content that has been created with them in mind then it’ll always appeal to them. You can also share the content in your emails, newsletters, videos. Sharing really is caring.

Make your small business content marketing a breeze

The secret to creating successful content is to always keep your customers in mind. And to understand how your services or products can help them. 

When it comes to planning your content marketing strategy, consider what you want to achieve with your content. Is it to make more sales? Drive leads and traffic? Grow your audience? Once you know this, it’ll be so much easier to create the right content for the right audience. 

And, remember. Keep it educational, informative, nurturing, and valuable. If you need some help figuring out your content plan, then click here, and let’s get your plan sorted!

If you want your business to start getting more attention and traffic online, then it might be time to scale up your content marketing.

In order to do this, you need to create more content.

But what if you don’t have the time?  

The solution? It’s time to look at outsourcing.

What’s that? You’re worried about losing control? No problem. Just follow our easy guide and you’ll soon learn how you benefit from outsourcing without losing control.

Content creation: outsourcing without losing control 

Well-written, educational, informative, and valuable content is a must for business success online. Not only does it help with your ranking in the search engines, especially if it’s optimised for Google, but it helps build trust, loyalty, and confidence in your brand for customers and potential customers. 

Outsourcing your content creation not only helps with this, but it can also save you heaps of time and money. 

So, if you’re struggling to plan and write enough content for your business, and the thought of struggling through another blog post is filling you with dread, then outsourcing is the answer. Here’s how to embrace outsourcing without losing control. 

1. Choose your writers carefully

Even though you’re outsourcing, you should still select your writers as if you were hiring permanent members of staff. This person needs to be able to work as part of your team, take briefs and run with them, and you need to be able to get on well with them. But, yes. You can have differing opinions on Squid Games!

This person should also have experience in your industry (although this isn’t always necessary), a solid writing style with samples to share, and prior writing experience. 

By taking the time to choose the right person or agency, you’ll feel confident knowing you’ll get the results you need. 

2. Be part of the process

Once you have chosen the right person to tackle your content creation, you need to be clear from the very beginning of every project that you’ll be part of the process. This will help you maintain control of the content being created at all stages.

We don’t mean micromanage. After all, you’ve hired a professional. They don’t need to be micromanaged. But they do need to have a complete understanding of your wants and needs. Once they have this, don’t disconnect from the project. Define your role from the very start and let your contractor know how much you plan on being involved. 

3. Create a brand style guide

This is essentially a set of guidelines that you can share with your team and your contractor. They keep everyone on the same page and set a clear idea of what your brand is about, your tone of voice, style, language style, image, font, sign-off, etc.

It helps identify the brand and should be consistent across all your content (website, blog, social media, etc.)

Include in your style guide information about your business, such as your mission, vision, and goals. It’s also a good idea to include information about your ideal client/customer, and any demographics your content writer might find helpful.

By creating a brand style guide, you’ll always have control of the content being created and be assured that it’s in line with your standards.

4. Be specific

Nothing is worse than a vague brief!

When you outsource your content to a professional, you need to be as specific as possible. You need to get them on the same page as you. And that means giving clear, precise instructions. Make your outlines specific and easy to understand. If you want certain keywords, anchor texts, headings, etc, then make sure those are outlined in the brief.

It’s also helpful to give your writer any examples of work done previously (or from another website) that you’ve liked. This shows your preferences and the kind of message you want your content to portray, and gives you control over the end result.

5. Be reachable 

If your contractor can’t reach you to ask specific questions or have a discussion on the way a piece of content is going, then you run the risk of being left out of the process.  

Unless otherwise agreed, it’s important that you respond to emails or phone calls within a reasonable period of time and don’t leave messages unanswered. Remember, your writer is working to your requirements. So, if you’re not around then there’s a chance you’ll lose control of the content.

6. Schedule check-ins and keep up communication

Following on from the last point, ensure that you have regular catch-ups and chats with your content writer. Keep on top of the project (again, without micromanaging) and make sure you address any queries or concerns well before the deadline date.

This will prevent any issues from arising and will help build a great working relationship with your writer. You can always plan a weekly check-in and then either scale back or add in extra time depending on how the project is going or how long it’s planned to last.

Get quality content without losing control

Just remember, when you outsource your content properly, not only will your visibility go up and your overwhelm go down, but you’ll be partnering up with a skilled content writer. Someone who knows their stuff and can take your vision, voice, and plan, and create something beautiful from it.

Outsourcing without losing control means you’re passing on the wordy stuff to someone who can take the weight off your shoulders, all while developing your content plan.

If this sounds like a dream come true, then let us be your content knights in shining armour. Just get in touch and let’s have a chat about how we can conquer your content burden.