Content Marketing Part 2: Simple Strategy For Writers

There are many content marketing strategies and in this article, I will look at Written Content Marketing Strategy in particular.

Written content is anything like

• Blog posts
• Articles
• Guest posts
• Social media posts
• Ebooks
• Emails
• Newsletters.

In my previous article, I went over the four content marketing tactics that I either utilized on my own or helped others use to advance their businesses. Click here to read that article first.

I will share some best strategies for your written content to increase its online visibility. But more than attracting your readers – I will also show you how to convert them into paying customers or clients.

For more information about the topic I will be discussing, just keep reading.

Strategy Overview

Let’s start with an overview and in very simple terms, this is what needs to happen:

1. You start with a content idea, something useful or interesting you want to write about
2. Write it (Which format? How many words?)
3. Post it online in the right place so that as many people as possible see it.
4. Writing to get clients: That means after reading your article or post, they click the link to your website
5. And that’s where they can sign up with you or buy something from you

And when you consistently sign up clients or make sales by writing online, that’s how you know that your written content marketing strategy is working.

Tips

Below are five tips to effectively implement Written Content Strategy.

Tip 1: Don’t search for topic ideas, search for questions

When it comes to creating content, many writers make the mistake of simply searching for topic ideas. While it is a good practice to get topics, it is not always the best approach. Instead, consider searching for questions related to your niche or topic.

Train yourself to have a list of questions that most people are asking for.

For example, you can use Google’s “People Also Ask” feature to see what questions are commonly asked about a particular topic or niche. Here’s what you can do.

• Simply search for your keyword
• Scroll down to the “People also ask” section
• Click on individual questions to see related questions
• Get a better sense of what people are searching for

Or if you enjoy reading online newspapers or blogs, scroll to the comments section and look for what others are asking. Same thing on social media or forums like Reddit. You can use it to understand your audience’s requirements and resolve their questions.

And as Erik Emanuelli commented, aside from Google’s People Also Ask feature, you can also use Reddit and Quora in creating question-based headlines to target your audience’s problems. Thanks for the great tip, Erik!

Tip 2: Answer Short & Find Proof

The focus of written content creation should not be on word count or impressing readers with your intelligence. I highly recommend following a three-step structure:

1. Repeat the question or problem you’re about to answer
2. Give a short, straight-to-the-point answer without much fluff
3. Show proof (that your answer works for others, how you found the answer)

If you can provide proof, much better. Keep it short and direct to the point without adding too many texts that are irrelevant to your topic.

This is a great chance for you to put in extra effort to find proof, examples, or any data to support your claims. Combine them with your posts, and stand out from all the generic suggestions out there.

Tip 3: Pick One Platform And Re-Purpose

Identify one platform where you will write. It is very important as this is going to be your main platform for publishing your written content.

It can be your blog, an article directory, a forum, or a social media platform like Twitter and Facebook. If you love to write and do not want to record videos, I highly suggest making your blog your main platform.

I had the chance to talk with professional blogger Ryan Biddulph, where he shared his strategies and writing routine. You can watch our replay here.

Once you’re done picking one platform and publishing something on it, you can take the same content and re-purpose it for other platforms. A great example is blogging and Twitter. You can take snippets of your article and post them on Twitter. So one good blog post can potentially be a dozen or more tweets.

That’s how re-purposing your content works.

But keep in mind that every time you re-purpose your content, make sure to direct your audience to your main platform. By doing this, you can start to see how this strategy for written content works.

You have a web of re-purposed pieces on other viable platforms, that link back to the main platform that you specialize in that will drive traffic to your website, offers, and so on.

Tip 4: Build an Email List

Businessman Pressing An Email Button Design created by geralt on Canva.com

Your main goal is to connect with your readers. Build a strong relationship with them by answering their comments on your posts and articles. But sending an email is still the most intimate way of writing with someone online. That’s why you need to create an email list to start nurturing that email relationship with your readers.

Personally, I use Aweber for my email lists. I love Aweber because they have a great reputation, which means sending emails through them almost always ends up in the inbox of my subscribers. If you send emails and they end up in the Spam folder, then it’s really all for nothing so make sure you pick a reputable email software.

Aweber has a great free beginner course to start using their software. You can check their website by clicking this referral link here.

Tip 5: Send More Emails & Sell Through Events

For the 5th tip, I will be talking about sales.

You will find it really challenging to make money on any of the platforms out there if you are working alone and you do not have a massive audience that constantly reads your content.

In fact, if you post a link on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog, nobody’s going to buy. Sometimes people purchase but it’s not consistent and reliable enough to call it a marketing strategy or a business.

You need a somewhat consistent flow of income every week and every month.

And this is my 5th tip to Send More Emails And Sell Through Events.

Sending more emails is essential to build that email relationship with your subscribers. Make sure to make it a bit personal, it’s not always about business. Provide updates and share some latest achievements. Try to add a few tips here and there, whenever it fits.

I highly suggest sending at least 2 emails per week.

If you have an event or a promotion, announce it to your list, send it out, and create excitement. For example, announce your birthday beforehand and share that with your email readers. Then you can give an exclusive offer in celebration of your birthday.

If you are a coach or consultant, you can offer a small limited number of sessions at half price for example. If you are selling ebooks, you can offer a discounted bundle. And if you are selling a course, you can add some premium bonus that’s otherwise unavailable.

The key to making this work is to build a relationship first with your email readers, announcing events or promotions ahead of time, sharing your excitement for the event, and then sending out your offer when the day comes, as well as reminding them of it in the days afterward.

Let’s put all these 5 tips together into 1 sequence that you can use:

1. Readers find your content on Google or on social media. They will either find your primary platform (for example your blog) or they will find snippets of your repurposed content somewhere else.
2. Whatever they read, it will always lead back to your main platform.
3. That’s where you invite them to sign up for your email list, usually by giving them a free gift in exchange for signing up.
4. Now you communicate through email and continue to build trust with your readers.
5. And then you can sell ebooks, courses, programs, or services to your email readers because they are most likely to be interested in your offers.

Ryan Biddulph and Matthew Kepnes

Some of the names who tried this strategy and become successful are Ryan Biddulph and Matthew Kepnes.

Ryan Biddulph

Ryan Biddulph is a well-known blogger, author, and digital nomad who helps people start and grow their online businesses. He is the creator of the Blogging From Paradise website.

He has written several books on blogging and online entrepreneurship, including “How to Retire to a Life of Island Hopping Through Smart Blogging” and “Blogging the Smart Way: How to Create and Market a Killer Blog with Social Media”.

Ryan is known for his engaging writing style and his focus on helping others achieve their dreams through online business.

Be sure to watch the replayed interview I had with Ryan so you’ll see how he implements everything we’ve talked about.

Matthew Kepnes

Matthew Kepnes, also known as Nomadic Matt, is one of the original travel bloggers who has been a key player in the travel industry for more than a decade.

• Matt’s primary platform is his blog where he answers travel questions, shares insights, destination guides, budget-friendly tips, and more.
• He re-purposes his content as posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
• He’s also built a massive email list for his most passionate readers and keeps them up to date with his latest blogs, stories, and events.
• He has also written the best-selling book titled “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day”, he earns commissions as an affiliate for many travel platforms and even insurance companies.

These two examples, Ryan and Matt, both perfected their strategy for written content. Doing exactly what I’ve tried to summarize for you in this article.

What about you? Do you prefer to create written content only or do you love to combine it with video content? I’d love to hear about your goals, so please share them in the comments section below.

And don’t forget to subscribe on my YouTube channel, @creategrowprofit.