It all starts with strategy, choosing the right content marketing channel starts from the basics. Evaluating your audience, considering your budget, and managing your expectations – all of which is truly key to getting what you want from your marketing efforts. A straightforward approach to evaluating which marketing channel works best for you would be to gauge its effectiveness, and here are three best ways to do it:
Evaluating the right marketing channel
1. Reach – The best marketing channel for your business is the one that takes you where your customers spend their time the most. Evaluate this by assessing the size and demographics of the channel’s user base. A channel with a broader and more aligned audience provides a larger potential for your content. Remember to focus on not just quantity of the audience but on the quality of their engagement.
2. Conversion potential – Understanding the conversion potential of each channel is vital. Some platforms may excel in generating traffic, while others may have a higher conversion rate. It’s helpful to analyse the historical performance of similar businesses on each channel and identify which platforms are most likely to convert leads into customers based on your specific industry and offerings. For example, while looking for the right place to run your business ads, you might want to run a side-by-side analysis of Facebook and Google ads. While the former offers an extensive user base and powerful targeting options, it might outweigh the latter for its intent-driven nature of users who actively seek out the products.
3. Costs – Most content distribution channels today, at least for basic use, are free. But this varies on the reach and conversion potential they have to offer. LinkedIn business page is free to set up, but running advertisements on it, especially the B2B kind come with its share of costs. It’s important to consider both the direct monetary costs, such as advertising expenses like these, and indirect costs that include the time and resources required to run them. Striking a balance between effectiveness and affordability is what any business needs to create a sustainable content marketing strategy.
Best used content marketing channels
Social media – Inarguably the most used content marketing channel in today’s world is social media. It stands as a cornerstone for businesses looking to build brand awareness, promote their products, and foster engagement across diverse audiences. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram already have online shopping facilities in place, in the form of Facebook Marketplace and Shop, that let consumers directly purchase the products rather than redirecting them to third party websites.
Email marketing – A stalwart in customer communication, email marketing is that timeless mode of content marketing that almost never fails when done right. The direct and personalised nature of email communication enhances customer engagement and brand loyalty. One of the most loved e-commerce giants, Amazon, is known for making the most of this channel in driving customer retention and boosting sales.
SEO – For businesses focused on increasing website visibility, organic traffic, and overall brand exposure, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has emerged as an indispensable content marketing channel. The cost-effective nature of SEO strategies, combined with their ability to improve website ranking and target high-quality traffic, positions it at a pivotal role in digital marketing efforts.
Content Marketing – A valuable consideration for a marketing channel, content marketing with blogs, features, and articles offers great benefits in demonstrating industry expertise. It goes a long way in improving SEO rankings and educating customers. By consistently producing valuable and relevant content, businesses can enhance brand credibility and foster engagement with their target audience.
Influencer Marketing – One of the latest and most trending additions to the marketing channel toolkit, influencer marketing has emerged as a potent channel for reaching niche markets. By leveraging trusted voices in specific industries, businesses are tapping into highly targeted audiences to promote their products and build brand trust. Lots of companies now run collaborative campaigns on a regular basis to create genuine connections and enhance overall brand credibility.
Choosing the right content marketing channel for your business depends very much on your marketing strategy and how well you’re targeting your ideal customers. To find out what works best for your business, get in touch with us for a free consultation or book your preferred time here.