Tips on using content marketing to nurture leads

A comprehensive content strategy is one which manages to be both reactive and proactive in terms of what you share and when. While this requires a consistent level of attention as you respond to industry trends and relevant updates, it can be easy for a content plan to go stale over time.

Reviewing your content plan

Fresh and exciting content isn’t just beneficial for your prospecting, it is also an integral part of your digital SEO strategy – letting search engines know that your business is active, relevant, and reputable.

Reviewing your content plans means carving out the time to read old blogs and content pages, update them where necessary, and replace them if you feel that you can do better.

It’s also a chance to review videos and imagery, considering the importance of Google’s Core Web Vitals in assessing the quality of a webpage and website based on its stability and the user experience. Out-of-date videos, pixelated images, and poor-quality external links can also negatively impact the way that search engines view and rank your site – with all of these aspects directly linked with your content plan and the way your website leans on content.

Linking your content with your sales funnel

To understand the importance of content marketing in your sales process, you first need to recognise and identify the different forms of content that your business needs to entice and nurture leads.

Everything from the social media copy you attach to product/service and announcements, to the emails you send out, the headings on your website, and the blogs and industry insights you share is considered part of your content marketing strategy. It’s what informs the customer and lets them know who you are, why they should trust you, and how you can solve their problems.
Crucially, it is designed to answer questions and let the customer feel like you are speaking directly to them.

And that’s where content marketing joins up with the process of nurturing leads and boosting conversion. When the customer sees a piece of content, be it a blog, an email, or a social media update, the end goal of that content should be to continually and consistently let them know who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. If it doesn’t feel tailored to them, and if they don’t see themselves in your brand or business proposition, then you’re missing an opportunity to convert them into active leads.

How to use content marketing to your advantage

When creating a content marketing plan, get clear on the needs of your audience.

This will not only help you to frame the wording and the angle of the content but will let you know where to post it and in what format it will be best received. Are your target audience more receptive to social media and quick-fire updates, or will they sit and read an email or a blog? The more you know about your audience, the easier this becomes.

Beyond that, content marketing is what allows you to keep reiterating the benefits of your brand and products in different, engaging ways. Nurturing leads is all about making sure that when they are faced with a problem, they instantly think of you as a solution – so use the testimonials you receive from existing customers and create guides and insight blogs which share your industry secrets and tips from within your business. Crucially, make sure that content marketing and updates are always relevant, and created in line with the values of your end customer. Consistency is key, with the best kind of strategy creating an aligned and well-thought-out plan across all platforms.

Tips on how to improve your content marketing

Here are a few ideas to spice up your marketing plan for the benefit of new and future leads:

• Increase brand awareness with a series of short guides or tips which focus on delivering action-based content for your followers
• Create more engaging video content. If you haven’t got the budget for professional video production, you can create great videos with a smartphone
• Introduce the members of your team, giving customers a face to picture when they think of your brand
• Use different CTAs and assess which are the most effective – whilst inviting leads to speak to sales is always going to be important, you may want to create softer approaches for those not yet ready to buy, like inviting them to sign up to your email newsletter
• Update irrelevant content on your site and purge everything which no longer aligns with your current strategy

Don’t be afraid to experiment – a little creativity really can go a long way.

How we can help

As content marketing experts, you can outsource the task to us!  Let us produce content for your business, we can take care of all aspects of planning, delivery & reporting so your business benefits from consistent marketing that makes a difference.

Claire Parker FCIM

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