Content Marketing Strategy; How you need both an SEO and a lead generation/landing page plan.

Been thinking about content marketing again and after some recent engagements with some clients, I thought I’d better shed some light on some important considerations as a further understanding of what content marketing is and how it is deployed.

From an inbound marketing perspective, prospects can find you in a number of ways- here’s two:

• Via your website
• Via your landing page

Let’s briefly take a deeper dive into each destination channel. By doing so, you’ll realize that each tactics has its own accompanying content strategy.  This is important when you consider your approach to engaging with audiences, and where they are in their own individual buying cycles.

As you go through this, think about what are your most important business objectives?

If you say site traffic, I say “no” because attracting visitors doesn’t necessarily lead to sales if your site is not relevant to your prospects and contribute a solution to their business problems.  What you should say, is, quality leads that can become future sales opportunities.

Website Content Strategy

First, what is a website really? Here’s a definition: A website is an online destination that combines relevant content and images that work together to encourage visitors to do business with you.  People can find websites in three ways:

• Search Engines.  When prospects have identified a need and look to search engines to begin the research process.
• Other websites or emarketing channels.  When your site is listed in a directory that allows a click through, or via advertising, or via a social media channel.
• Offline marketing efforts.  Traditional advertising, direct mail, PR, business cards, friends, referrals, or other avenues that persuade a prospect to enter your site into an Internet browser.

So there are two elements here:  The website content itself, and content that leads to a site visit (SEO mostly).  Here are some questions to ponder for each element:

• Website.  Ask yourself the following questions (at least as a start):

1. Have I done enough research on my industry and what my prospects’ most important pain points are?  Does my website address those pain points simple and easily?
2. Do I cover the benefits of doing business with my firm?
3. Do I do a good job of telling my story without confusing prospects?
4. Does my content focus on solving business problems?

•  SEO.  More questions to consider:

1.  Does my website use keywords that my prospects use to find my solutions? Remember, your website is about your buyer’s needs and language; it’s not about how well you can write about your features.  Get it?
2. If I’m in a very competitive industry, are there keywords or phrases that are searched but maybe not so competitive but give me an opportunity for better organic rankings?
3. Are those keywords the basis of your website page titles and meta descriptions?
4. Are you writing keyword-laden blog posts and press releases that attract back links?

When all is said and done, if your prospect is just thinking about your solution, your website must leave an impression so that the prospect bookmarks it, or subscribes to any updates because of the content.  If the prospect is later in the buy cycle, the website must engage the prospect and guide him/her to the next step- a call-to-action phone call, email, or web form.

Landing Page Content Strategy

So you have a website, and it’s not optimized yet, so you’re not getting inbound leads because your website isn’t found on search engines. Now we get into the complementary, and just as important, lead generation tactic, email capture via landing pages.  Landing pages (or microsites) are created specifically to briefly promote your solution, and provide valuable content worth downloading or registering because it contributes to solving a business problem.

Landing pages are best used to complement advertising and social media. Here’s how:

• Pay-Per-Click.   More and more you see ads that promote the content assets available on a landing page.  “Free demo”  “Free white paper”  “Register Now”  “Download Now” are all common terms seen in ads with the goal to attract a prospect’s attention with a form of thought leadership without having to go through a multi-page website.  Pure lead generation.
• Banner ads/enewsletter sponsorships.  Other forms of online media placements can also attract audiences to download content.   Here’s the difference.  With pay-per-click, audiences are looking for a solution.  With advertising, there may not be a demand for your unique solution yet, so banner ads and sponsorships can help build awareness and generate leads.
• Social Media.  There’s  multiple tactics to promote landing pages in social media, including:

1. Twitter:  Give your landing page a URL shortener and promote your unique white paper.  “New white paper on how to select a CRM, from @companyX”
2. LinkedIn:  You can test LinkedIn ads to promote content, or strategically provide a link to the landing page within a LinkedIn discussion or a LinkedIn Answer
3. Blog Posts:  An excellent way to summarize available content in your post, with a link to the landing page for full download.
4. Nurturing email.  Whether it is a general email platform or marketing automation, content can be delivered via email, promoting new content, and persuading recipients to click to the landing page for download.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg, with the attempt to give a brief overview on the two major approaches to content strategy.  Websites engage audiences in detail with compelling evidence of your solutions.  Landing pages offer content for quick lead generation.  The ideal content marketing plan includes strategies for both scenarios.

Go back to your goals; both techniques need to work together for optimal lead generation.  That’s what it’s all about, right?