Article's Content
Article's Content
You know what they say: content is king. But great content strategies are also diverse, which is often overlooked and underestimated in marketing. So what does it mean to diversify? Let me explain.
Investing in a diversified portfolio is good, right? Perhaps a few tech stocks, bonds, ETFs, REITs, and maybe some crypto? It’s called diversified investing.
In marketing, you should also think about diversifying your investments. You are investing every time you create content. Investing in great content requires time and money, and getting a return on investment is the ultimate goal.
Content diversity means using a wide range of topics, different types of posts, and different social media channels for publication and syndication. Diversifying your marketing campaigns will increase your chances of keeping your audience engaged, and you’ll reach a wider audience.
The key to marketing success is content diversification. With diversified content, you can reach new markets and provide insights in multiple formats. Here are a few different content types:
You can diversify your content formats by creating blog posts, ebooks, or white papers. You can diversify your content topics by creating guides or thought leadership posts. And your marketing channels by utilizing platforms like X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, or Reddit. There are endless possibilities.
Audience members need to see different types of content on different platforms. Mixing up your strategy allows you to attract new audiences, keep current ones engaged, and take control of your customer journeys. I want to share my 3 key strategies to ensure your diversification strategy is executed effectively.
1. Know your audience
By understanding your audience, you can dig deeper into their characteristics and then write content that will make them tick. Knowing who they are will help you better understand what they need and how to tailor what you’re selling to meet their needs.
To create relevant content for your audience, consider the following:
Who will be reading your content?
Who is the intended audience for your content? How many different audiences are you producing content for? You can distribute customized content for each persona by leveraging a range of content types and distribution channels.
What problem are you solving for your audience?
In an ideal world, your product or service will solve a problem you know your audience faces. Likewise, your content educates and coaches your target audience through this problem as they identify and address it. Providing your target audience with relevant content reinforces your solution(s) and builds credibility for you.
What formats will you focus on?
The best way to figure out what formats to use is to meet your audience where they are.
You may be tempted to launch a podcast because it’s grown so much over the last few years or a YouTube channel, but find out where your audience is first. Otherwise, you will waste time creating content that will either not reach or not interest your audience.
2. Assess the Marketing Funnel
Content marketing funnels visualize the customer journey as they consider making a purchase, and they are part of a larger content marketing strategy. Good content pushes your leads closer to purchase at each stage of the customer journey.
There are many benefits to using content marketing funnels, including increasing customer value, strengthening customer relationships, filling content gaps, increasing conversions, and retaining customers.
Depending on where a customer is in the sales process, they respond well to different content types. Your content should be tailored to the stage of the sales funnel you are trying to reach.
Those at the top of the sales funnel have a problem they need to solve. Establish yourself as a possible solution since consumers are not married to any particular product or service at this stage. Video tutorials, infographics, checklists, and how-to guides can attract these users.
The middle of the sales funnel is where people focus on a particular solution. Therefore, you need to show them how you can provide it. Content options include how-to guides, product overviews, case studies, and webinars.
At the bottom of the sales funnel, people are ready to buy, and here is where you need to explain what your product can do for them. Product overviews, customer reviews, and success stories are your best bets for converting visitors.
3. Get Comfortable With Today’s Platforms
Content on a business’s own website is still valuable, and having the main distribution channel is definitely a smart move. However, other channels can help you utilize various types of content.
If you have solid blogging experience, you might want to put content on a platform like LinkedIn. This is well-suited for long-form written content and enjoys a receptive business audience. Conversely, video content (depending on length and subject matter) might do better on YouTube or Instagram, in part thanks to a younger audience.
It’s worthwhile to use multiple channels, but each requires investment to be effective. If a channel isn’t getting much content, it’s more of a hindrance than a help, so concentrate on the channels you can use effectively.
Wrap Up
If you are diversifying your content, consider what your target audience likes. You won’t make an impact if you just create new content styles for the sake of it.
Take a closer look at the types of content your target audience engages with most frequently. Don’t be afraid to try something new and get creative. Consider repurposing old, popular forms of content into new styles.
You’ll know where to invest as you experiment with different content types. By using diverse content, you’ll draw new audiences and keep old ones returning.
