Content is Still King in Building Your Business

Providing relevant, valuable content is one of the most effective ways to attract new clients and develop a loyal customer base. When you use content to brand your business, you have access to unlimited exposure via social media networks and online channels.

Consistently adding to this bank of information over a period of time is one of the best ways to get your business noticed, develop trust, and impress customers. But the content has to be relevant, and written with your audience firmly in mind.

So what should you do to brand your business in this way, and what is best avoided?

Tell the story of your brand

Good business copy is really just a form of storytelling. You could try mapping out ideas on why you started the company, what it means to you, and your business values, and then condense it into a few key concepts. Offering a human side engages readers and encourages interest in what you do.

A global reach if you want it

Using content to market your business gives you flexibility and a wider scope, in contrast to the relatively static option of traditional advertising. Customers can be easily reached and influenced via social media, so keep your narrative ongoing without it being overwhelming. Think like a customer, and you won’t go far wrong.

Don’t exaggerate

Exaggerated claims and hyperbole are pointless. Consumers prefer a straightforward and honest approach, and are largely put off by grandiose statements. Focusing on the ideal customer will help to ensure the content is relevant, factual, and tells them everything they need to know, without the need for embellishment.

Make it impeccable

There’s nothing more off-putting to a reader than poor grammar and spelling, but sometimes it’s difficult to spot the mistakes yourself. Get someone else to look at your copy with fresh eyes, picking out any errors before you publish.

Don’t write for the search engines

Gone are the days when including keywords was the only aspect of writing that you needed to think about. Now, keyword overload will get you noticed for all the wrong reasons, and will probably result in your page being removed by Google.

If you write for your target audience rather than specifically for search engine rankings, you’ll not only keep the reader’s attention, the increased interest will make your business more visible online in a natural way.

Don’t sell … inform

In general, your content is not the place to sell because customers are looking for information that will help them. Take plenty of time to understand their needs and wants, and then provide a solution to their problems with compelling content.

You’ll engender trust because of your understanding, and coupled with outstanding customer service could influence their buying behavior.

Using content to build your business is all about focusing on the customer and making yourself useful to them. Provide the information they need, spread the word on social networks, rinse and repeat.

Author: John Baird is a personal finance and insolvency expert from Scotland Debt Solutions. He specializes in advising people on how to manage their money and deal with their personal debt problems.