Content marketing has never been a more effective way to reach and engage with audiences.

But with so much noise being made in every marketplace, it’s the brands that are focusing on content that is informative, useful and entertaining that are the ones that are standing out and driving traffic and leads from their campaigns.

Having a good content marketing strategy is all about using a range of different types of content to answer key questions and position yourself as a trusted leader. Here are our top tips for diversifying your content and building a strategy that works!

1. Get to know your content

One of the most important things you can do when you’re building out a content strategy is to understand what is working for you. What content is ranking well in Google and the other major search engines? Which pieces are driving the most traffic to your website? Where are users converting? And which blogs, posts, videos, or downloads are your followers talking about and sharing on social media? If you’re already seeing success with a particular form of content, there’s no need to move away from this.

If you’re not seeing the results you want, it might be time to change tact. For example, you could consider adding video content into the mix if your output to date has mainly consisted of text-based pieces.

2. Make the most of the content you already have

Squeeze the lemon. Get every single last drop out of your content and make it work hard for you. If you’ve written a blog on a topic that’s really helpful for your audience, or provides a new and interesting opinion on something, there’s no reason why you can’t use this content again. Post the link on your social pages, create an Instagram Reel about it, write another blog with an updated view on the topic – do whatever you can to repurpose what’s gone before, whilst always ensuring it remains useful and has a clear sense of purpose.

3. Think about new types of content

If you think a new approach might be right for you, take time to research different forms of content to find out what is likely to resonate with your audience. A great starting point is to look at other companies in your niche. What are they doing effectively? What content is proving to be valuable to them? Can you see any clear of examples of when their content hasn’t hit the mark – and can you work out why this is?

When you’re ready to take action, you could:

• Create a video based on a topic you know well
• Start a podcast
• Start a mailing list
• Run a webinar or online masterclass

4. Get to grips with user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) creates trust amongst your existing and prospective customers and urges them to interact and connect with your brand on a more personal level.

Ratings and reviews are paramount for a lot of shoppers, second only to price. Not only should you be encouraging your customers to leave reviews, you should be featuring these testimonials on your website and across your social media accounts.

You can also encourage your audience to create their own content, using shareable hashtags on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, or by building loyalty-based giveaways to encourage people to spread your brand message.

5. Spend time learning about different platforms

While your content marketing strategy should absolutely focus on your own platforms, such as your website or social media channels, it’s worth taking a look at the other opportunities that are out there, too. This could include writing long-form content for LinkedIn or public blogging sites such as Medium, or creating videos on YouTube.

No matter which channels you decide to pursue with your content marketing strategy, always ensure they align with what your audience wants and expects. Keep tracking the performance of your content across all platforms to make sure it’s got good traction online and it’s adding value to your customers’ experience of your brand.