Carli Evilsizer is the social media coordinator for WTWH Media, Solar Power World’s parent company. For more marketing advice, check out its website at marketing.wtwhmedia.com.
Carli Evilsizer is the social media coordinator for WTWH Media, Solar Power World’s parent company. For more marketing advice, check out its website at marketing.wtwhmedia.com.
By Carli Evilsizer, Social Media Coordinator at Solar Power World
Content marketing is the term for delivering useful content to customers, which builds trust and leads to sales. Content marketing informs, educates and entertains a target audience. Successfully done, it creates dialogue and relationships between a brand and its consumers.
And the best part? Research shows content marketing often costs less than traditional advertising, generates better leads and improves a brand’s public image.
Solar experts have a special opportunity to discuss a lesser-known technology with a growing and engaged audience. Most every solar company could start their content marketing endeavor with a blog – the production of which is increasingly simple with websites such as WordPress and Blogger.
Here are five points to consider when creating your own content-marketing plan.
Target Audience: In contrast with traditional advertising that focuses on acquiring new customers, content marketing mostly targets pre-existing customers. Companies can build a relationship with their customers by sharing interesting and useful information. If companies keep current solar customers happy, they will tell their friends — who may well become their best source of leads. Companies can also draw potential customers with content marketing because they are interested in what they have to say. By building a relationship early on, those “potentials” will become “currents” in no time because they already trust the brand.
Tell A Story: The content a company shares should be in the form of a story — not a thinly disguised sales pitch. Companies can plan the content based on customers’ current interests. Remember, you are writing for your audience, not for your company. Create brand awareness without explicitly promoting the brand. Tell a story instead that will connect with people – their allegiance to a brand will follow. It also helps to tell a story with personality, giving the brand a relatable and trustworthy ‘voice.’
Provide Value: Every piece of ‘content’ must inform, educate or entertain an audience. Remember, content is not ‘content marketing’ unless the audience finds it interesting and valuable. If it is relevant and enjoyed by customers, they will become loyal clients.
Create A Dialogue: Does anyone actually like being told what to do? Instead of directing customers and ‘selling’ a brand, create an interactive dialogue. Invite the audience to participate in content marketing, and make sure comments and questions receive a response. This not only personalizes a brand, but also helps show honesty. Customers will be more likely to trust a brand if they feel that they have a trusting relationship.
Increase Profits: Content marketing increases website traffic while building a relationship with an audience. With honest content, customers will feel more informed and will be more likely to trust your brand when making a solar purchasing decision. The decision to ‘go solar’ is often one fraught with concern because of the amount of money involved. Content marketing can ease this fear and make customers more likely to buy.
If you implement a content marketing plan for your solar business, you learn more about your current customers and their needs, which will generate new leads in the long run.
Our other content marketing expert is Heather Centorbi, social media coordinator. Here is her take on content marketing in 60 seconds:
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