Success in today’s business world requires much more than experience in traditional marketing practices, so we recently sat down with online marketer Rich Gorman to learn how the marketing world has changed over the years. Gorman is the man behind DirectResponse.net, an influential marketing blog that follows the rapidly changing world of online marketing. He has also established several other companies within that same industry, all of which enjoy a spectacular amount of praise from his clients and peers. Who better to give advice on this subject than one of online marketing’s standout A Players?
With the ever-expanding world of online content, an effective company presence online has become necessary to keep up with the competition. Sometimes this requires hiring SEO experts to produce and rank content to keep your business relevant. Well versed in SEO himself, Rich Gorman understands that this can sometimes cost a pretty penny. You may not be able to escape this expense, but avoiding some very common mistakes could potentially save you money in the long run. It is cheaper to be preventative than conduct damage control. Rich Gorman knows how crucial effective marketing can be to a company’s success, so the Internet guru has produced a list of tactics to consider before committing some detrimental marketing errors.
Rich Gorman Says To Consider Your Audience
According to online entrepreneur Rich Gorman, the audience is the central factor in an effective marketing strategy. Think about whom you are trying to reach with your marketing campaign. What kind of message will they react to? Which is the best way to reach your audience online? What information will impress them? Too often, businesses take what they believe to be a “traditional” approach to building an online presence. They just assume what has worked for other companies will work for themselves. However, online content marketing is much more complex and necessitates an individualized approach for each business. Additionally, some businesses waste too much time and money on platforms or content that does not get noticed by their target audience. When concerned about budget, it is best to create a focused, detailed marketing structure rather than spread your information thinly over too many topics. Rich Gorman suggests that each marketing move be thoroughly calculated before wasting resources.
It is also useful to consider how your audience will use your products or services. When writing articles to post about your business, it is tempting to write in a way that uses the most information. However, the technical jargon or background information that you understand could be confusing to the audience. Instead, focus on how your services/products will affect your audience. Address their concerns and provide information that is relevant. Half the battle of creating useful content is getting the audience to actually read that content. While you want your audience to be informed about your business, it is more important to supply them with relevant content that will pique their interests. This content should also fall into alignment with the values your business has established for itself. Rich Gorman recommends considering some of your customers’ most common questions and producing content that provides those answers.
Look Into Guest Posts
One of the easiest ways to expand your audience is by capitalizing on the audience of another well-known media presence. Recently, publishing content on other sites has become a popular way to improve both readership and rank. With each new Google algorithm update, aspects such as quality and frequency have become serious factors in determining search result ranking. Ultimately, you would like your content to appear as close to the first page of search results as possible. Experienced techie Rich Gorman says that most people only use content found on the first two pages of a Google search.
Rich Gorman also recommends finding sites that produce articles in the same category of information as you. If they accept content from outside sources, send one of your pieces in with your name and company included in the byline. When your content becomes published on multiple sites, you will seem a more credible source on the topic. Thanks to your byline, so will your company. The quality of the guest post will need to be superior in order to be effective.
You might also consider letting other online experts be featured in guest posts on your site or blog. It is a great way to become part of a professional network, acquire new readers and gain approval for your brand.
Rich Gorman Promotes Brand Building
The generalized content discussed in the last two points should be considered the first step in turning your target audience into loyal customers. Quality content can easily drive up site traffic and develop a great readership, but that does not mean your sales will rise just as quickly. Often, there is a disconnect for readers between enjoying the content you publish and desiring your product. You need to convey clearly your company’s values in a uniform way through multiple platforms. According to Rich Gorman, this is where branding comes into play.
You have readers—now how do you get customers? The good news is that you’re already halfway there. You’ve commanded the interest of your audience and become a source of information. This may seem irrelevant, but that content is actually building up your image. All of that content is supportive, connects with potential customers in an engaging way and shows your interests outside of transactions. Additionally, it builds recognition amongst your readers. According to Rich Gorman, creating associations between your brand and real-world applications of your company values is essential. Articles, blogs and social media posts can supplement your image as an industry leader and intrigue an audience enough to read your more branded content.
Today, customers want the whole package. When they give a company business, they prefer to give it to someone with whom they feel a connection. By showing that you care about the customer beyond a sale, you could very well be creating such a connection. That is not as difficult as it sounds. In fact, it could be as easy as posting an article that provides expert opinions to unswayed readers. The combination of published content, industry expertise and a cohesive brand is what will make your endeavors so successful. Rich Gorman says that ending posts with a call to action such as an email signup is a great way to turn passive readers into active customers.
Ultimately, taking an experimental approach to online content marketing could end up costing you plenty in damage control. Follow this advice from Rich Gorman to properly market your content in a cost effective way.