Today in search engine optimization (SEO) it is clear that in order to generate leads, it is necessary to provide users with high-quality content.
Content is essential, no matter what your business model is, and is a key part of winning the trust of potential customers. That is why content marketing is becoming increasingly important within the online marketing mix of companies.
According to a detailed Demand Metric infographic, 90% of companies use content marketing. There’s no question that content marketing is one of the most powerful online marketing strategies for generating more traffic and more conversions, both in the B2B ( business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-client) areas.
In fact, according to recent studies, most of those responsible for the marketing of B2B companies plan to increase their budget dedicated to marketing content in order to promote the generation of leads.
In addition, another advantage of content marketing is that it costs 62% less than other traditional marketing strategies and generates 3 times more leads.
Content marketing: a key tool to generate leads
Generating leads, i.e., lead marketing, is not only a great challenge where teams have to deal with sales and marketing but also the ultimate objective of content marketing.
That is why, to be successful, it is necessary to combine the efforts of different departments to create content that is interesting and relevant to your potential customers. This content will be a source of leads!
Leaving native advertising aside, blogging is one of the main strategies to generate leads in the different channels and social networks of B2C and B2B companies.
Statistics have long made it clear that by implementing blogging in lead marketing strategies, you can create a much higher percentage of leads.
Creating interesting and high-quality content will help promote branding and recognition of your brand and products. Of course, this will also translate to more traffic on your website.
At this point, the question is: how can I take advantage of this increase in traffic to convert these visitors into potential buyers?
How to get leads with quality content
The strategies to achieve the complicated purpose of generating high-value leads depend on the platforms you use and the type of content you provide. It is these that will make the difference between a potential conversion and a simple visitor who will leave the page in no time.
Unlike native advertising or banners, which use push-marketing strategies, content marketing uses pull-marketing strategies characteristic of inbound marketing, or attraction marketing. The aim is to create quality content that arouses the interest of users, but lets these users take the next step (visit website, register, etc.) proactively.
Below, we mention in more detail three strategies that can be very useful for the success of content marketing today:
Betting on increasingly visual content
Variety is one of the keys to successful content marketing. Users positively value diversity in their lives, and this also applies to the type of content they consume. At a time when all companies are concerned, to a greater or lesser extent, with creating content, it is important to do it in a way that does not go unnoticed and that does not require paying attention for too long.
What type of content fits these parameters? Visual content. Of course, in 2020 this is no longer limited to beautiful images and striking infographics. Now you have to create even more visual and direct materials, such as presentations and videos. Many people consume content “on the go,” so they may not have time to stop to read an article, but they do have a couple of minutes to watch a video, for example, on the subway on the way to work.
Interactive content
One of the clearest inbound marketing trends for 2020, and one that will continue to grow in the coming year, is the need to create interactive content. We all receive content through the Internet at all hours, which reduces our attention and the time we spend on everything. That is why we need content that catches the attention of users and is able to keep it until the end.
Interactive content, such as tests or quizzes, meets these requirements and can play a revolutionary role in the success of your brand (or if not, tell Buzzfeed ). This can be a test, but also a calculator of the costs of a service. Consumers are looking for interactive content that adds value and keeps them interested. Furthermore, this content has great potential for virality, making it ideal for social media.
Directly engage users
Another very productive way to interact with users, beyond the visual and interactive content, is to involve them directly in the process. Of course, we are not talking about strategies from the stone age, such as phone calls, promotional emails or anything like that. In 2020, engaging users is about creating a strategy in which the company and potential customers participate in common from start to finish. The most prominent forms are contests and webinars.
Contests can be applied to practically any type of company (both B2B and B2C) and product/service. They can be done in many ways: photo contests on Instagram, awards for participating in surveys, etc. The company creates the concept and the users provide the content.
When designing the contest you must pay attention that it is suitable to obtain the leads you want for your company. If the contest is relevant and specifically targeted to your target audience, you will get hundreds of leads who will provide their contact details for a chance to participate.
Also, the comment sections of your blogs or posts on social networks can be a way to interact with users and get leads, but their effectiveness is questionable.
Conclusion: trust an expert
As we have mentioned, the importance of lead marketing and content marketing is increasing. The ways to use content to generate leads are getting more and more creative. However, it is important to note that there is not (nor will there be) a magic solution that can be applied to everyone. Depending on your business model, business sector and/or target audience, some methods will be more effective than others.
