Robert Imbriale
If you've been involved in marketing of any kind over the last
two decades, I'm sure you've heard the saying, "content is King."
Marketers, successful marketers, live by that mantra. When I look
at the Internet what I really see are two things. There is the
content and then there are the applications that allow you to
interact with the content.
To completely over-simplify things, the applications are what
make is possible for us to create, share, and use the content we
find on the Internet. So to say content is King, you'd have to
also say that the applications are Queen in order to have a more
complete view of the Internet. There are all kinds of
applications from the browsers that make surfing the Internet
possible to all sorts of applications that manage and deliver the
content.
Think about it. Without the application we know as Google, how
would you find the content you're looking for on the Internet?
I've been there and I remember finding things online was next to
impossible, but that was back in 1987. Then we have Adobe TM
Flash that allows us to see and hear sounds and images over the
Internet.
There are sorts of content management systems available to us
today that simply didn't exist a few years back. As it becomes
easier and easier to manage and digest, the demand for new
content grows and grows.
Marketers who create quality content often find they are able to
generate large amounts of traffic, they usually have large
mailing lists, and it almost goes without saying that they
usually have healthy bank accounts.
It all starts with the content. The more you create, share,
distribute, the better off you'll be in building a profitable
business on the web. If you want the real secret to Internet
success, this is it.
Content comes in many forms, and it's best to use as many forms
as possible on your web site because there are now so many ways
to access and use content and not everybody wants it the same
way. Some people love to read, others prefer to listen, some
prefer to sit back and watch a video.
As you develop your content, think about creating not just
written articles, white papers, and special reports. Be sure to
add streaming audio, podcasts, videos, screen-captures, and even
animations to your mix.
Sometimes it's best to offer the same content in different
formats. For instance, you might offer an article as both a
regular web page and a downloadable .PDF file. You might offer a
video and also offer just the audio track from that same video.
Now how do you get from creating content to building a successful
business?
Think about why most people use the Internet. They get online and
check e-mail. They log into their social networks to keep up with
their friends. They search for information to help them answer a
question. They look for things to buy. They come to play games
and meet people. All of these activities revolve around finding
and using content.
When you've got content on your web site and you make it easy for
people to find, you increase the traffic to your web site,
naturally.
The more content you have, the more people will be stopping by
your webs site. Truly the days of the single-page sales letter
web sites are done. You've got to do more than make a compelling
sales pitch, you've got to demonstrate that you're the leader in
your market. You've got to show people why they need what you
have and how it will truly make their lives better. And most of
all, you've got to let them sample your stuff before they buy.
Let's look at it from the customer's perspective. Your customer
wants the best of what's available but how can they figure out
what's best from a sales letter alone? They need more information
that's not in the form of a sales pitch. They need to feel like
they can try it on, test it out, and they can do that when you
offer them plenty of content on your web site.
So if you're selling a product that is best demonstrated in a
video, be sure you have a number of videos on your web site
showing customers using and loving your product. If you sell
consulting, demonstrate your knowledge of your topic with
articles, reports, white papers, audio presentations, and even
videos of you speaking about to an audience.
As you plan your content, also keep in mind how you're going to
present it on your web site so that's its in the formats people
can really use, that it's easy to find, and that's it readily
accessible from different Internet devices, including smart
phones.
If you'll take to time to do this, what you'll soon realize is
that your sales letters will perform better, people will not need
as much strong-arm salesmanship before they buy, your mailing
list will grow, and your web site will show up in more places on
the Internet.
It's no surprise that web sites that offer a lot of content lead
the field when it comes to sales. Take a look at your web site
today and think about how a new visitor would really get to
sample what it is you do without having to buy what you're
selling.
How good is your web site at attracting new visitors without
little or no direct effort on your part? Do you have enough
easily accessible content on your web site to keep people coming
back for more?
Most web sites, including my own, can always use more great
content. Adding content is the best and profitable use of your
marketing dollars because the return on your investment continues
for years.
For instance, in 1991 I wrote my very first article on marketing.
It was published in a national business magazine a few months
later and it continues to appear on the Internet almost 20 years
later. In that time, this one article has been read more than a
million times, and has generated countless sales for my business.
What other kind of marketing can do that?
In my opinion, no other marketing piece can do what adding fresh
content to your web site can. Ideally, you'll be adding new
content regularly, and expiring content that is no longer
relevant. When you do, you'll have the most profitable marketing
strategy working for you all day, every day for years to come.
********************************
Robert Imbriale is the author of the best-selling book,
Motivational Marketing (Wiley, 2007). He has personally coached
thousands of business owners since he began coaching in 1995. He
is a leader in the marketing industry and regularly appears on
radio and television. To get your free copy of 'Why People Buy'
click here.
Sincerely,
Irena Whitfield's Latest Articles
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