How good is your content?

Most brands understand that content marketing is an important part of an overall marketing strategy. But a lot of brands struggle to develop good content. If you’re not confident about the content you’re producing, or maybe not even sure how to tell good content from bad content, read on. These tips are for you.

What subjects do you own?

Every brand is an expert at something, so of course you’re going to write about what you know. But it’s only good content if it serves your audience—if it helps them answer questions, make decisions, or learn how to do something. For example, you can probably tell a great story about your company history, but unless there’s a particular reason a lot of people are going to be interested in it, it doesn’t meet the above definition of good content.

In fact, you probably already know a lot of information that could be helpful for your customers. If you’re a fork manufacturer, you know all about the perfect weight for a fork to feel comfortable, the history of certain flatware patterns, and how to set an elegant table. These are all things people might want to know about, because they’re more focused on the lifestyle built around your product and its various uses.

So good content starts with knowing what subjects you legitimately own. But then you have to figure out the best way, or ways, to tell that story so it resonates with your audience.

What are they looking for?

What kind of content is your audience actually looking for? Instead of focusing solely on the features or benefits of the product or services you offer, put yourself in the mind of your customer. Think about what they are really interested in, and use that as a model for the content you create.

To return to our previous example, as a fork manufacturer you know there are many types of forks with a variety of uses. Wouldn’t it be helpful to teach your customers about the differences? A fun infographic labeling the different fork types with their uses might be the perfect content to meet this need.

Where are they looking for it?

You could publish content everywhere. Or you could just publish your best content on the platforms your audiences use most. Are your customers most active on Facebook, for example? If so, you’ll want to create content that suits the Facebook context.

Let’s say you’ve already determined that your customers could use some tips on setting a table for an elegant gathering. A video is a great medium for this. But if it’s going on Facebook, keep in mind their recommended dimensions. And since a lot of people have their settings set to disable audio for autoplay videos in their feed, you might want to include text in the video to draw your audience in.

If you meet your audience where you already know that they are, you have a greater chance of reaching them with content they are sure to find valuable. By establishing a relationship with them as a source of helpful information, you can increase the likelihood that they’ll come back to you for more later. Or recommend you to their friends. Either way, your good content has earned you a potential lead.