I’m admittedly still in the analysis (what do I need to do next) stage from my trip to Denver for the Digital Commerce Summit. The event was hosted by Rainmaker Digital (formerly known as Copyblogger Media), the company behind the Rainmaker software I use to run this website.
(Here’s a summary of why I recommend trying out Rainmaker free of charge.)
Content marketing was a big theme of the event and, by Copyblogger’s definition, content marketing means creating and sharing valuable free content to attract and convert prospects into customers, and customers into repeat buyers.
As mentioned in my last journal entry about the event, content marketing is often in written form (e.g. blogs and emails), verbal form (e.g. podcasts and webinars), and visual form (e.g. online videos and infographics).
One guest speaker at the event knows a thing or two about blogging. He is Kevan Lee, the director of marketing for Buffer, a popular social media publishing tool for brands, agencies, and marketers. The Buffer app blog is very popular, to say the least.
The blog attracts the right customers to their company site leading to daily sales of their app. It’s a business model that over time delivers solid financial results.
So what is their secret sauce?
3 Content Marketing Tips
According to Kevan, their blogging success is based on three simple content marketing tips. By writing it down here on this online journal, I’m confident I will be less likely to forget these tips, and I hope they are of value to you as well.
Content Marketing Tip #1: Be Authentic
Since online marketing really is just our best effort at the time, be honest about it.
Don’t try to be someone else. Be yourself.
People connect with real people more so than with brands.
That’s why big corporations often rely on individual (non-celebrity) personalities in TV commercials. We are in the marketing age where small businesses are the greatest threat to big companies because of the authentic human factor.
Here’s a snapshot I took of Kevan’s notes with my phone about this tip:
Content Marketing Tip #2: Be Objective
When you share content on your blog, do so without a bias toward knowing the only answer.
Yes, demonstrate authority on the subject, but avoid absolute certainty.
It’s attractive to be open-minded.
To be suggestive rather than prescriptive.
It’s ok to hedge by saying “could be” rather than “it is”.
Content Marketing Tip #3: Be Empathetic
Lastly, understand and recognize other people’s feelings.
Listen to what people are saying.
It’s never been easier to scan comments on social media, but more importantly, ask questions every chance you get online and off. People want to and deserve to be heard.
The entrepreneurs who are listening will succeed. The online tool I love to use to ask questions of clients is Typeform (here’s a summary of why I use and recommend Typeform – plus a discount).
I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.
~Lou Holtz, College Football National Champion Coach, ESPN Analyst
3 Content Marketing Tips from an Expert Blogger
So in summary, here are three basic but powerful tips as you share your voice with the world, and that is to simply be:
- Authentic
- Objective
- Empathetic
I’m cheering for you!
Commerce may be increasingly online but it thrives on human connections.
Hope this helps,
Brent
Please let me know if you have any questions via my contact form or in direct response to my free Graceful Journal email mailing list.
I’m here to take away the pain of figuring out how to use new web technologies so you can gracefully profit online from your passion in life.