Why content writing matters for brands and businesses
Australia’s media landscape is constantly evolving, and businesses must rapidly adapt to the current market. New technologies and shifting interests have increased demand for audio- and video-based content over the last few years.
With the increased appetite for audio- and video-based content, it’s not surprising that more companies are considering investing in this area. Anything that provides an additional channel to communicate with your target audience is a good thing.
However, it’s important not to be distracted by new channels to the detriment of your existing channels. Content writing is a proven method to facilitate a greater click-through rate and to gain considerable traffic in a very short period. In fact, content writing is one of the best ways to capture the interest of current and prospective leads and remains a critical component in any online marketing strategy.
Many of your customers and prospects may consume a mix of audio-based and written content, and some may prefer one channel over another. That’s why you can’t overlook your existing written content channels. It’s necessary that businesses have room in their strategies for both written and audio content.
What is content writing?
Content writing refers to creating content for online marketing purposes and is one of the best ways to get noticed by your target audience. Having a strong online presence will help you attract new clients and increase brand loyalty.
Businesses often hire content writers to produce high-quality messages for sales copy, blogs, thought leadership, press releases, case studies, and social media posts, including LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
The main goal of quality written content is to enhance website traffic and notify customers about products or services. Good-quality content helps customers learn more about a particular company, its services and products, and why its offerings are better than those of its competitors. Many businesses use content to guide their prospects through different stages of the buyer journey.
More often than not, if you need content for your company, it’s because of the following reasons:
- to attract positive traffic
- to rank higher on Google
- to make your business distinguishable
- to help your audience recognise your products and services
- to maintain the edge over your competitors
- to foster trust with your customers.
The types of written content
Businessman hand is on the trackpad, typing on a laptop keyboard, while reading a business document. In a modern office, a corporate man, a lawyer, works. Concept of business and technology.
Content writing is a large umbrella encompassing a wide range of content types that create a voice for your company, help you rank on search engines, and boost sales and leads.
The essential types of written content for a successful business include:
- blogs
- whitepapers
- eBooks
- case studies
- landing pages
- product guides
- tip sheets
- media releases
- social media ads
- LinkedIn articles
- thought leadership.
Perhaps the most dominant form of written content is blog posts, which increase website traffic, drive conversions, and build trust between a visitor and a business. At the same time, thought leadership helps establish authority and rapport, making you more appealing to potential clients. It also demonstrates your unique selling point (USP) and gains credibility outside your organisation.
Written case studies are extremely effective in building trust and are an invaluable asset to have because of the very fact that they represent the viewpoint of your previous customers. Case studies are factual, people-focused, and interesting to read due to their less formal tone and compelling storytelling approach.
Tip sheets are a downloadable resource offering readers a handful of specific tips that can help them tackle a problem or achieve a certain goal. Tip sheets can be remarkably versatile and are great for generating publicity for your product or service.
A whitepaper is a persuasive, authoritative, in-depth report on a specific topic or complex issue; it presents the business’s position on the matter. Whitepapers establish your expertise by sharing in-depth, reliable insights that generate new leads and higher conversion rates and help build mailing lists.
For a successful business content marketing strategy, you should include an array of different written content types to keep readers informed and engaged.
What are the benefits of great content?
Business team celebrating success with a high five. They are casually dressed in a board room with a window behind them. There is a diverse mix of ethnicities and ages
Proper content writing matters and is an important investment that can yield conversions and enhance customer loyalty. It also sets a foundation for a strong online presence, making it easier for customers to find you.
We’ve identified three reasons written content should still be a foundational part of your marketing strategy:
1. Demonstrates industry expertise
Blogs, media articles, case studies, and social media posts effectively demonstrate expertise in your industry. These pieces let you share comprehensive information about your company, your work, and the benefits of working with you while engaging with other thought leaders and media. With written content, you can take the time to explain complex concepts in depth, perhaps with supporting diagrams or other visuals. Audio content expressed off the cuff may fail to adequately capture the complex issues you’re talking about.
2. Can be used to complement your audio
If you’ve launched a podcast and are regularly producing audio content, following it up with a written piece is another way to engage with your audience. For example, you could publish the transcript of your podcast or an article that relates to the topics discussed in the podcast. This helps to carry your audio content further, helping you to properly reference news sources or industry leaders if needed.
3. Helps you engage and build your audience
Written content is a great way to engage your audience and encourage conversation within your network. Cross-promoting written content across social media platforms can generate more interest in articles you have contributed to and help your company leverage new channels to promote products and services while engaging in discourse with your audience.
Determining the growth of a business
Engaging the services of a third-party provider like Outsource to support your written content marketing strategy can help support the conversion funnel, establish authority and trust, and develop brand personality.
For more information on optimising your marketing strategy for better growth opportunities, contact the Outsource team today to learn how we can help you develop a content program to promote your organisation.
