Your Content Marketing Strategy for 2020: Our 4 Best Tips
Written by Madison Blask
Whether you look forward to it or fret it, the new year has arrived- and with it has come a blank slate of potential! We here at CXD are stoked to dive right in to 2020 and all the new projects we have lined up, but before we do, I’m here to let you in on a little secret…we are so excited for a new year full of fresh ideas because we have created a brand new content marketing strategy for 2020.
Content marketing strategies cover the management of any media you create: blog posts, Insta stories, shooting t-shirts with your logo on them out of cannons at local sporting events. It is the center of your marketing plan that demonstrates to the world who you are and what you are capable of. Of course, content creation is crucial to the growth of any business. But when you create content without a purposeful strategy, that content runs the risk of floating around the web without touching down and attracting your target audience.
If you haven’t laid out your content marketing strategy for the new year yet, we’re here to help. Here are our best tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your content in the new year!
Clearly define your content marketing goals
It’s easy to get caught up during the busy months in the throngs of content marketing. Without a set of predetermined goals, you will have a hard time tracking progress as you grow throughout the year. Start with one big goal, one grand achievement you will be the most proud of having accomplished when this next year ends, then build in smaller wins along the way that build up to the larger achievement. Your goals should be measurable in a unit that makes sense for your business. The first step is to answer the question: What would a successful year look like for you? 10k new followers on social? A 20% monthly increase in shares and engagement? 1,000 new monthly blog visitors?Remember, the more goals you set for yourself the more reasons to celebrate you’ll have throughout the new year.
Having trouble getting started? Check out HubSpot’s free goal setting template for inspiration.
Determine your target audience
When you think of your dream audience for the new year, the first decision you should make is if you will be targeting a new audience or expanding your current target market. Maybe there’s an untapped market that was just out of reach for you last year that you’re determined to get a hold on, or maybe you are already right in the sweet spot of your target demographic and just want to expand laterally. Whichever is the case, when you know your target audience you will be able to produce more valuable and relevant content that will keep them coming back for more.
If you are just starting out and can’t yet pinpoint your target audience, you will want to conduct market research to define your buyer persona (market research is also a good idea to conduct annually for any rapidly expanding business, as you grow your audience will too).
Check in with your SEO
Once you’ve got your audience locked down, it’s time to focus on what topics your content should focus on in the new year. SEO keywords have a tendency to shift depending on evolving market traffic, so at the beginning of the year we always suggest revisiting your favorite keyword tool for a few hours to make sure your content will still be as visible (and therefore profitable!) as possible.
We love how specific the data is that Moz provides, but you have a lot of options when it comes to SEO research. This data is essential to the growth of your business in the new year- because such a high percentage of new clients will find you through a simple Google search, how you rank for keywords related to your business has the potential to be the difference between good and bad brand awareness.
Expand your content format
Surprise, you’re currently reading a blog post (my personal favorite form of content, but I’m biased). Blog posts live on websites, are chock full of SEO, and are published regularly to attract new visitors. Blog posts are the ideal format for providing valuable content for your target audience, but they are not your only option when it comes to shareable content. If you haven’t yet, 2020 is a good year to expand your content format into:
Ebooks
Ebooks are longer, more in-depth, and less frequent than blog posts but are the next step in the inbound marketing process. After reading one of your site’s aforementioned blog posts, the reader may want more information. That’s where the ebook comes into play. They can submit their contact information on a landing page, download the ebook to learn more information and in turn, they go from a potential client to a permanent one.
Bonus Tip: Creating an ebook that distills all of your weekly blog posts from the last year into an ultimate guide is a great place to start experimenting with new content formats!
Case Studies
Case studies (sometimes known as customer testimonials) are a great opportunity to tell your success stories in a creative way. One of your most versatile content format options, case studies are the best place to share a new perspective on your company. Clients will be more inclined to trust you with their business when they know you have a good reputation, so get started by reaching out to past clients with feedback forms. Once you’ve received this first round of feedback, reach out again to the former or current clients whose feedback you appreciated the most and request a more in depth interview.
People love talking about what they love, and make sure to remind your interviewees that these case studies are great product placement for them as well.
Social Media
Even if you are already using social media (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) to market your company, it is always a good idea to revisit how you are using it. Are you making sure to always link back to your home site? How about tagging all relevant brands in photos so that they can repost and expose you to their following? The more visible you are, the more likely you are to attract new clients. Remember, social media was created to make the world smaller and more intimate. Don’t be afraid to share the reality of what it takes for you to run your business, share behind the scenes stories and snaps to curate your most authentic image.
And don’t forget to regularly republish your own content in easily-shareable forms. When created correctly these content formats should all be compatible and working together to market your brand.
With time management, organization skills, and your personal style of creativity there will be no stopping you and your content marketing strategy in 2020. I can’t wait to see what you come up with, and don’t hesitate to show us! Find us @cxdstudio on Instagram and Twitter and say hello, and more importantly- don’t stop creating!
