Content marketing: start with 'what' to say, not 'where' to say it

Too often, in marketing, we get it backwards. We talk about ‘getting noticed in social media’. Or, ‘ranking high in search’. These are valid outcomes. But they can’t be where we start with our content marketing.

Think about it. What will cause you to get noticed or ranked high? It’s going to be because of what you generously offer to your prospects. Yes you can get ranked high in search by buying keywords. But if you’re not offering something of real value to your prospects, it won’t really matter. And all that money you spent to get ranked just doesn’t return much.

Start with what you’re going to say.

What do your prospects need? What can you tell them (or show them) that will help them solve a problem in their lives or take advantage of an opportunity? Find that valuable thing to say.

If you figure out what to say first, everything becomes easier. If it truly is valuable to your prospects, you’ll naturally gain a following on social. And your search rankings will rise as more prospects seek out the generous help you’re offering.

The content marketing is not about us. It’s about them.

Getting noticed and ranked high are good goals. But they are focused on our needs and not those of our prospects. Let’s face it, our prospects aren't interested in our rankings. They’re interested in finding those things that will help them, improve their day, or make their lives easier. That’s why they're on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, YouTube and more. That’s why they’re searching Google. Let’s think about offering them something valuable and interesting first. It’s the quickest path to getting what we were after in the first place.

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