Five Questions You Need To Answer When Optimizing Your Content Marketing Strategies

Off and on I notice that some social media pundits tell companies it doesn’t matter where they participate in social media, only that they actually do. Others argue the development of a social media strategy before ever starting.

There are five questions you need to ask yourself when creating content on the web:

1. Where should the content be placed? – the platform on which you’re placing the content should be optimized for the target audience you wish to reach. If you’re trying to reach search engine users, utilize a platform optimized for search engines. Focus on networks catering to businesses if you’re trying to reach business-to-business users. If you want to provide high-quality video, put it on a platform that can serve it.
2. How should the content be placed? – content drives traffic and, ultimately, business for your company. Putting your content with strong calls to action (CTA) relevant to driving sales is essential. If you’re writing a tweet and want to be retweeted, leave room beyond the character limit for more recipients or comments.
3. What content should be placed? – content that is supposed to attract traffic virally may need to be edgier than content merely matching keywords for search engine acquisition (SEO). Content within an e-book should be less conversational and more structured. Content within a blog should be bulleted, with a representative image included and a casual writing style.
4. When should the content be placed? – if your target is to attract people to an event, plan out ramping up content before, during, and after the event to promote it. If your target is a business audience, publish on the weekdays. Knowing when to post content can lift your conversions.
5. How often should I place the content? – at times, repeating the message can increase overall conversions. Sometimes writing once a month on a specific topic can lead to improved acquisition rates rather than simply writing it once and stopping. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself. Returning visitors forget (or need a reminder), and new visitors may not have seen the message before.

Dumping content out on the web without a strategy may get you some results but won’t optimize and fully leverage the work that you’re doing. It’s difficult enough to develop content that makes an impact – be sure to answer some questions on the content you’re writing instead of just dumping it.