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Making Your Website Work For You

Best Practices in Content Marketing

RickWhittington.com // 804.335.1477

Principal Rick has 15 years of experience

designing, optimizing and marketing websites.

Rick Whittington



Inbound Marketing Manager Winston manages strategy and execution of our roster of inbound marketing clients, including content marketing.

Winston Chenery

»  Your website is more than just a “check-off” item on your marketing list.

»  Websites are often the single most untapped source of leads and revenue.

»  A website is a salesperson that never sleeps.

»  Website leads cost your company 61% less than “traditional” leads.

»  Start thinking of your website as a profit center.

Why Use Your Website for Sales and Marketing?


Best Practices in Content Marketing // Your Website Should Generate Sales


Your Website Should Generate Sales and

Business Opportunities


Con•tent Mar•ket•ing n.



The practice of online marketing by creating and sharing meaningful content that is relevant to your target audience.


Best Practices in Content Marketing // What is Content Marketing?

Create



|



Share

»  The best search engine visibility tactic out there.

»  The safest search engine visibility tactic out there.

»  People will find your products and services by searching the web. Over 1 billion searches on Google each month.

Why content marketing?




Google Searches per month

polyethylene tanks 6,600 14,800

underwater scanner 73 260

mining communications 320 1,600

biometric scanner 4,400 12,100

spinal implant 3,600 6,600

»  The best search engine visibility tactic out there.

»  The safest search engine visibility tactic out there.

»  People will find your products and services by searching the web. Over 1 billion searches on Google each month.

»  Global reach! Reach international prospects.




»  Your customers appreciate transparency.

»  Answers your prospects’ questions.

»  Builds your trust and credibility. »  Encourages repeat visits to your website.

»  Generates a massive amount of leads and business

opportunities.




»  Can be a competitive advantage in many industries.

»  Creates tools your marketing

and sales staff can use to close the sale.






Case Study: Poly Processing Company

»  Not getting customers from their website.

»  Website was treated as an afterthought.

»  There was no way to easily publish information.

Problems


Best Practices in Content Marketing // Case Study: Poly Processing Company

»  Started with a website redesign last year.

»  Committed to content marketing by starting a blog.

»  Met with their sales team and asked them, “What questions do your prospects ask you?”

Solution



»  Interviewed sales manager to get more information about topics.

»  Refined answers by a professional writer.

»  Published blog posts on website.

»  Promoted through newly-created social media profiles and newsletter email.

Solution



»  Website traffic up 20% since January (2,700 new visitors per month)

Results



»  Website traffic up 20% since January (2,700 new visitors per month)

»  Sales leads up 77% since January

Results



»  Shortened sales cycle.

»  Sales team use content in conversations and follow-up emails.

»  Distributors are better informed, and sales have improved because they know more about the product advantages and applications.

Results





Overcoming Challenges

»  People WILL read your blog if it’s written properly.

»  It’s critical that you define who your customers are.

»  Write for your target customer. Answer their specific questions.

»  Offer blog email subscription. Send blog posts to subscribers by email.

»  Send a blog digest to customers and prospects by email.

»  Promote it on your social media profiles.

The Challenge:


Best Practices in Content Marketing // Overcoming Challenges

No one will read our blog.

»  Need a point person to write the blog and publish.

»  Get everyone involved.

»  Establish a schedule.

»  Outsource to content marketing firm.



The Challenge: No time for blogging.



The Challenge: No time for blogging.



Don’t Know What To Write About. The Challenge:

»  STEP 1: Interview your customer-facing staff. What do people ask about?

»  STEP 2: Make a list of topics, identify subject matter experts.

»  STEP 3: Interview and outline key points.

»  STEP 4: Write blog posts and put them on your website.







»  Address the price of your product or service.

»  Add your perspective to industry events or trends.

»  Refute or address criticisms of your products or services.

»  Film a product demonstration video.

»  Write about products like yours that you saw at a trade show.

How to Build a Library of Great Content



»  Group 3-5 similar blog posts as a whitepaper.

»  Record a video for YouTube summarizing a blog post that you wrote (or vice versa).

»  Turn a sales presentation into a guide or “one-sheeter” for download.

»  Write a webinar and turn it into a series of blog posts. Record the webinar and make it available “on demand” on your website. Give the slides away on Slideshare.

Repurpose Your Content


Best Practices in Content Marketing // How to generate content

Thank you. Download this presentation and receive a complimentary

copy of our B2B Online Lead Generation eBook.

RickWhittington.com/valet


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