The more you develop personal, one-on-one connections online, the more successful your Internet marketing efforts will be. That means developing the kinds of things that your prospects enjoy consuming the most. The following 5 types of content are just what your readers are looking for and will help you to improve your relationships with members of your target market.
Video
If a picture tells a thousand words, a video tells a million. One simple way to improve the odds that you truly “connect” with your readers is to publish video to your blog or website. Google purchased YouTube in 2006 for a reason. Even then, Big G understood that the future of content online was going to be video.
YouTube is actually the second largest search engine online, behind only Google. This means that people love video. In 2015 mobile search made up the majority of web searches for the first time ever. What is the most consumed content on mobile devices? Video.
Podcasts
Podcasts have exploded in popularity. Fortunately for you, most of your competitors probably don’t have a podcast. This means competition for your target audience is a lot softer when compared to blogging. As opposed to written text, podcasts, like videos, effectively deliver your personality through your voice. You can integrate your podcast with your blog or website, enjoying free traffic as a result.
Webinars
Webinars are incredibly effective marketing tools. Users can see and hear what you have to say in real time. When you host a live webinar, you engage your prospect’s sense of timeliness. Webinars also allow for back-and-forth communication, which connects with your followers in a very special way.
Answering Comments
A simple way to produce content that connects with your audience is to scroll down past the end of your blog posts. Did someone comment on your content? Respond to them, being sure to provide a lot of useful information and not just fluff. This not only connects with that one individual, but other people reading your comments will respect that you took the time to answer an individual’s question or concern.
You probably know by now that “the money is in the list”. Actually, the money is in strong relationships that you build with the people on your list. Unfortunately, the majority of Internet marketers build an email list and then they rarely reach out to their followers.
You have to keep in constant contact with the people that have taken the time to join your list or you will never “connect” and form a real relationship that helps you meet your business goals. Provide value and a flow of good content and information to your list and they will reward you with sales and conversions later on.
Mix It Up and
Remember that not everyone consumes content the same way. Some people love video online, while others won’t even click play. Some people prefer to listen, while others would rather read the information. Mix it up, try different types of content, survey your audience and ask them which types they prefer so you can know what to create more of.
Provide Multiple Types of the Same Content
This is especially important if you’re teaching your audience anything, because it’s not just a preference but deeply rooted in the way a person learns things. Some people learn best by listening, others by reading, some by doing and seeing. In cases where you’re teaching an ecourse or program, I highly recommend providing your content in as many forms as possible.
If you recorded videos as the lessons, you can also provide the audio and transcripts, that way each person can use the content type that works best for them. Same if you’re recording audio or podcasts, you can create written content and video from those. Written content can be turned into videos and audios. You get the idea. Repurpose what you have and make the content accessible to everyone.
How are you using content to connect with your audience and what’s working best for you right now? Drop a comment below 😉
Transcriptionist, passionate cross stitcher, writer at heart, wife, mom, and finder of lost shoes… Loretta Oliver, married to the comic book geek of her dreams and mother of four amazing young men, has been working from home full time since 2001. With a busy transcription service business, a few niche sites, and a handful of other internet marketing projects on the go, the computer is always fired up and the ideas are always flowing.
These are great tips Loretta. I especially like your advice to have many formats of the same content. Personally, more video, podcasting, and webinars are all on the agenda for this year.