Content is fundamental to sustain in online space. Despite the huge growth in internet marketing, the onslaught of various brands, huge use of graphics, etc. content still rules the game. There is no alternative to sound content. But, despite the strength and pull of the content, a wrong marketing strategy can make the things fall apart. Thus, the need for a proper content marketing strategy was never more pronounced than before. Many research results have proven that a majority of businesses do not have a proper content marketing strategy in place. This leaves them on pure mercy of luck where success is concerned.

Content Marketing Strategies

So, to succeed one has to have to proper content plan which is lasting and futuristic. The traditional methods of marketing have not only lost their effectiveness but also become redundant. The year-end presents the right opportunity to frame a blueprint for your content for the coming year. Here are a few tips which will be of great help to form an optimal content strategy for the coming year:

1). Review of Existing Strategy:

The first step to finding the solution to any problem is to recognize it. You have to acknowledge where the problem lies and what is the underlying cause. So, you have to take a deeper look into your current strategy and earmark the things which worked well and the ones which did not click in 2018 and thus need to be phased out for newer techniques.

2). Right Content Distribution:

Content distribution is a vital part of any content marketing strategy. Creation of good content without being able to present it to the right audience at the appropriate time is a sheer wastage of effort and resources. Right distribution is a result of a thorough research on web-experience and web-footprint of the target audience. This will lead to an ideal strategy delineating frequency of messaging to promote the content. The mobile experience of the visitors on your website will also define its sustainability in the future.

3). Boil Down to the Best Channel:

Gone are the days when multiple channels were used to promote the content. The user behavior has changed drastically over the years. The best way to get maximum people to reach your content is to approach them on the channels on which they are maximally engaged. If a channel has not been able to give you the desired results you should not hesitate to switch to a new one which looks more promising. You should not be a crowd follower but look for specific approaches which are best suited to your needs.

4). Specify your Audience:

The primary aim of your content marketing is not just to reach a maximum number of people but to reach relevant people who are more likely to get converted. Reaching the target audience has another benefit that you can use better engagement to be your niche audience interested. This will improve your rapport with them and also show in terms of better ROI for the investment you have made on content marketing. Thus, well-directed content marketing strategy will increase the chances of success of your promotion.

5). Make Relevant Content:

The internet space has tremendously changed over the years. Content is getting replaced by graphics and videos. Another notable thing is that the content and graphics should be mobile friendly. Google is also promoting websites and content which are equally accessible on mobile as the majority of internet users are accessing the same on mobile devices. Apps have taken over websites as they are handy and better laid out. You have to understand that there is no dearth of content online so making your website wordier just for the sake of adding more content will not take your content strategy to any logical and profitable conclusion. People are opting for renewing the best content already present on their website rather than creating a fresh one. This not only updates the already present content but also serves as a great SEO strategy. E.g. any blog post which did well in previous years can be updated to a new one keeping in mind the upcoming trends. So, unless the content which you are writing brings something new and revolutionary to your website, it makes no sense to add it.

6). Keyword Research:

It is essential to sense the nerve of your audience. Conducting an elaborate research on the commonly used keywords used by your target audience will help you inch closer to their areas on interests. This will help you know what are your target audience is searching for and the route they normally take to reach it. A keyword research can be undertaken by creating a list of popular words which are related to your brand. This can be extrapolated to the current online trends. You can also make use of tools like LSI Graph which creates semantically related keywords. Once found, such keywords can be integrated into the articles and blogs.

7). Content Animation:

Watching and listening is easier than reading. Videos, animations, and graphics have hugely replaced the preferred mode on the internet. Videos offer more information in a more colorful manner in a short time-span of time. People are more likely to respond to videos than to mundane content. Videos do not have to be high-tech but simple yet informative to start with. Also, GIFs in form of catchy animated visuals, alongside written content present a pleasant break to dull and long reads.

Conclusion:

Thus, an apt content strategy which will not only cover the misgivings of 2018 but also incorporate the future trends like marketing, distribution and complete internet experience of visitors goes a long way to ensure sustainability and progress. Dull content will no more be able to resonate with the vibe of people and needs to be reinforced by visuals and graphics. Performing a keyword research to study the internet behavior of visitors is essential to long-term success. It is advisable to have a proper 2019 content strategy in black and white for proper and timely insights into the level of success achieved. Latter should also define the fundamentals of your business.