Effective marketing content doesn’t solely depend on its subject matter — it’s also about how well you can convey it. Even the most fascinating news won’t impress your audience if it’s presented in a bland or derivative manner. The solution, says MarketingProfs, is to sell stories before products (or services). Even when those stories are variations on a theme, their variety enables you to keep the subject matter fresh and intriguing in ways traditional marketing can’t.
Worried you’ll sound like a broken record? With the right tactics, that won’t happen. Here’s a breakdown of why you should repurpose your marketing content, how it actually helps your outreach, and our suggestions for making this entire process a whole lot easier.
Not everyone sees your content…
Whether it’s an email, a social post, or a blog, there’s only so many eyes that’ll come across your content the first time it goes out. Maybe you should have used different hashtags, keywords, or subject lines, sent your content at a different time or on a different day, or targeted a different audience. Suffice it to say, there are plenty of factors to consider about why your content does or doesn’t get the kind of initial engagement you want. Therefore, you need to test out variations of that material to see which versions have the best results.
…so post it more frequently
The more you post, the more versions you can compare. The exact frequency for this is largely open to debate, with some marketers advocating for multiple posts throughout the day, while others say just once. At minimum, aim for twice a week. That gives your followers or those searching for your services a fairly active stream of material to demonstrate your knowledge of their market. Plus, you’ll perform better on search engine and keyword ranking.
Customers like variations on a theme…
“Hero saves the day and learns a valuable life lesson.” Sounds like the basic plot to every Marvel film, amirite? That said, it hasn’t stopped these kinds of stories from resonating with key demographics and bringing moviegoers back for more. So why should you be afraid to do the same thing with your content? Take your leads on a new adventure each week, even if the ultimate goal and lesson is something you’ve already touched on before. The variations you use to explain those core concepts can be even further refined as you learn which ones generate the most interest.
…because they want consistency
While change is inevitable, a certain degree of consistency in your outreach is actually reassuring to your audience. If you advocate a specific service one week, for instance, then justify the opposite approach a week later, you risk your brand’s credibility.
But, when you keep your messaging fairly aligned, offer updates where appropriate, and explain why you’ve made those changes, you’ll have a much better chance of reaffirming your position as a knowledge matter expert. Obviously marketing tactics aren’t the same year to year, social media continues to evolve, and content writing is seeing the beginnings of agile strategies and heavier podcasting. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be able to connect the dots from where marketing used to be to where it is now. Just as newspapers update their articles and make retractions, so too may your process be altered by new and relevant data.
How to become a better storyteller
Don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Lay out a few ideas that seem the most relevant to your audience, the market, and the services you offer, and use those as the foundation for the content you create. Draft variations of that messaging, rotate its use for testing, and compare the results with direct responses, website analytics, and electronic engagement. Prospecting automation can be a valuable tool in that regard.
However, if churning out this material still feels like a cumbersome task, don’t go it alone. Hire on content specialists to advise you on what they’ve seen work well in your industry, and the suggestions they’d offer to push your marketing in the right direction. For more feedback on how these strategies could apply to your business, click the link below for a free consultation.
