In the business world, you have to stay ahead if you’re to remain afloat. For larger companies and enterprises, this shouldn’t be an insurmountable task. After all, a whole content marketing machine is hidden behind its social media presence and commercial success. However, this leaves us with the issue of personal brands – is it possible for them to turn the content marketing tide in their favor as well?
Even though it may seem unlikely, the answer is yes. While it suits larger companies, content marketing also works wonders for personal brands, the ones that represent your core. The trick is knowing how to use content marketing strategies to their fullest potential – and here are just some of the ways!
Visualize your content
Our society is woven in such a way that first appearances are everything. With the invention of social media, this philosophy has only spread further to our online presence as well. For personal brands, this means that their first online impression is everything. If a user finds their page visually pleasing, they’ll stick around and if not, they won’t give the brand a second thought. However, making your brand visually pleasing is no easy feat, especially when social media influencers are popping up by the dozen.
A simple, yet effective trick is using video content. Everything you would normally write out in a post should be transferred into a video format. Create brand stories and give your audience a closer look into the inner workings of your company – the step to making the clients feel like family. While your brand is your focus, the video content should be diversified. With this in mind, consider creating videos of why your company matters – in the community and beyond it. By letting the audience see your work with local charities or grassroots, you’ll be creating a more humane and permanent bond with them.
A constant online presence
When online sales were just starting, an abundance of brands created their blogs only to never access them again. However unfamiliar they may have appeared at the time, online blogs and with that an online presence have become an inseparable part of any branding strategy. In short, if you’re going to receive traction, you need to be visible – this means posting regularly and relevantly.
Posts should always be related to your brand and stay true to it. However, they should never be repetitive. Keep your ear to the ground and listen to what your clients are interested in hearing. Post teasers on social media that will lead them to your blog where all their burning questions will be answered. If you’re fresh out of ideas, don’t hesitate to do a bit of recon and see how your opponents get their followers engaged. Then, work their ideas into your personal brand refreshingly and originally.
Knowing when to ask for help
Content marketing is an art form and for those who have only dabbled in it, it may come across as a bunch of gibberish. If your brand is struggling to utilize content marketing strategies, it means it’s time to call in professional help – marketing agencies. While they may come across as impersonal at first, marketing agencies are here to create a personalized content strategy that works for your brand.
In short, marketing companies know the lay of the land – that’s their job. They pour hours into researching how to increase brand awareness and stay relevant in just about any business possible. Thus, once you come in with your brand, they’ll know exactly what to do. In addition to visibility, marketing firms know how to generate clients. Above all, they know how to create an image of loyalty and trust for the brand.
Collaboration: guest posts and interviews
One of the best ways to make a name in the industry is to make friends that will help you climb the corporate ladder – the same is true of building a personal brand. When building brand awareness, you’ll need to go beyond your blog. This means branching out and doing guest posts and interviews.
When you have some spare time, do a little digging and see which blogs would be open to collaboration. However, don’t send a business proposal to just about any brand. Dive into their quality of content and rankings, and see if they work with your niche. In time, one post will lead to another and before you know it, your brand will be just about everywhere.
Wrapping up
If there’s one thing to take away from this article, then it’s the word visibility. To build a brand, you’ll need people to see it – from digital formats, social media, and some help from marketing experts. Whatever you do, never be too proud to ask for help; after all, making your brand known is the end goal!
Written by Mike Johnston