Yes, even a beginner online can build a content marketing empire given time, the right strategies and, a good understanding of what content marketing means.
As someone who has spent his career online getting beginners going, it is amazing how fast people are realizing how important content really is.
Most people, myself included, started our existence online through shortcuts and so-called “loopholes” we purchased, and in the end, they never worked. Eventually we found the right tools and platforms like WordPress and blogging to get us going.
Here we will go over how you, the beginner to online marketing, can get a hold of what content marketing really consists of and, how to actually use simple platforms and strategies like video, WordPress, social media and the will to get it done.
Hold on, this is going to be a longer piece than you may be used to.
Don’t Complicate This… Content Is Easy.
When we say “content creation” we mean creating value for the searcher. This value today comes through video, blog posts and websites like this one, press releases and even white papers and e-books. I know, you think I skipped social media, well I didn’t, it’s not included, it contains no real content, only links to content.
Looking at buyer and subscriber traits and habits online, 82% trust search more than social media and, 72% of that percentage subscribed or purchased something via the information on a blog, video or, both.
Educating, informing, and value. That is what content marketing is all about.
When you break down the internet as a beginner here, you will notice that WORDS and VIDEOS seem to be the most prominent ways in which we collect our information, especially before we “pull” the proverbial trigger.
And this is where we start the “what strategies for content marketing” work the best, so here they are.
1. Website or Blog
You need one. Without a simple home online, who are you? Where is your authority? What can I learn from you? How do you know what you know? And, how can I trust it and you?
This is your home, the place from which you will rule your empire online…what most of us call our niche. This is where our authority will be backed by our knowledge on our particular subject.
2. Video Marketing
Miss this boat, and you will miss a ton of traffic. When I started online Youtube saw nearly a billion views a month. Just over 3 years later, this giant sees 3 billion in a single day. I didn’t want to miss the boat so I created my own Youtube channel.
One of the best ways a beginner can start creating visibility for themselves is right here. Video personalizes, builds trust and, by adding it to your WordPress, can convert better than anything else you will try online.
3. Blogging, Guest Blogging And White Papers
Did you know that blogging is the largest social media platform online next to video? It is. Contrary to our first guess of Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, blogging is bigger.
It is also better. Blogging is not just “blogging” anymore, it is educating and informing your visitors about your specific products, services and or, niche.
The wonderful thing about blogging is within the platforms themselves that you can use. Take WordPress for instance, here you can incorporate a solid stream of content, multimedia like video and images plus, you can include connections off site..on site! ( social media connections ).
Guest blogging and white papers are becoming the name of the game today as well. And, if you think about it, all of these platforms requires actual effort from you. There are no shortcuts to building a content marketing empire, it takes effort and time.
4. Sharing And Link Building
SEO and link building the way it has been done for years is dying, and fast. No longer do search engines trust the fact that you link to my page and I to yours, it really does not say anything. Today, a better measure is social media metrics, yet you still need content to create these links.
Content that is enjoyed by those you share these links with will, most of the time, reward you through a simple gesture of a retweet, a like or plus on Google+. This is a true measurement for search engines as it is as “natural” as you can get when real people go out of their way to make this connection in real time.
5. WordPress
Get the wrong Content Management system here and you can be in a vicious learning curve. This is why most beginners should turn to WordPress. WordPress is a simple to learn and extremely effective CMS platform from which you can create the valuable content you need.
Of course themes are an issue sometimes, as a matter of fact, becoming a theme “junkie” can and most likely will happen for a short period of time. We all wast to look like the “Jones” online, who can blame us, we want something slick and cool like some of the others online…right?
Do not get lost in themes, it is truly a waste of time. As you look around online like I do, you will see some very simple sites that create extraordinary traffic generation. This will tell you that navigation and simplicity are the right avenues to take, not being hip and cool.
So forget the craziness, build content that should be rewarded and a presence online that a person can find what they want easily.
That’s It! That’s The Basics!
When the beginner thinks about these simple platforms above, you can see that this is exactly how you “search” online. You get an idea planted in your head at Facebook, click the link and POW!, you are reading or watching a great piece of content.
Of course the empire you build will be based upon the effort you put forth. And at least today we all understand this, there are no more crazy tricks or hacks to the lead generation game. It is built on your knowledge of your business here and, how you get it across to the visitor.
It’s true, even a beginner can truly build a content marketing based empire online, if, and this is a big if… IF you really and truly want to.
3 Comments