Driving Sales with the Help of Targeted Content Marketing

The battle between marketing and sales has been around since dinosaurs roamed the earth. Well… maybe not that looooong ago. But, I can see it now – 2 cavemen arguing over how to market and sell the first wheel. Content Marketing can help to bridge that gap.

According to the Content Marketing Institute, 71% of the B2B marketers surveyed say content marketing has become more important to their organization in 2022 vs 2021.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “What’s the reason for this huge interest increase in creating content?” There could be numerous reasons, but the fact of the matter is that content WORKS.

Studies show that the average website conversion rate is almost 6x greater for those who adopt content marketing vs. those who do not. And, as a marketer, you have control over how much content you post as well as how to organize it so it’s easy to manage and easy to find.

On the flip side, in 2019, roughly 25% of searchers blocked ads on their devices. And, ad targeting is going to get even more complex (and expensive) with new privacy regulations. Not to mention that consumers prefer content to advertising. In fact, 70% of users would rather get information about a company or learn something from an article or blog post rather than from a traditional ad.

Still questioning how content marketing can help increase your sales? Read on to learn more.

Building Awareness and Driving Traffic with Content

Search engines L-O-V-E ♥️ new content. They crave it! So, it is important to feed the beast and keep it happy. The more you feed it, the more it will love you back.

In creating new content, you not only satisfy the search engines’ appetite, but you also provide the information and answers internet searchers seek. This in turn will direct more eyeballs (AKA users) to your site, both driving traffic and increasing awareness of your product or service. In fact, according to Upland, annual growth in unique site traffic is 7.8x higher for content marketing leaders compared to followers.

Keep in mind that all this needs to start with a plan. Combining the right content with an intelligent strategy will make it a lot easier to earn links and drive your target buyers to your site. There’s really no better way to give your site traffic a lift than improving your content marketing strategy.

The Right Content Will Convert Qualified Leads

Writing content is not as simple as it seems. You need to make sure your content resonates with your target audience. Always keep in mind: what’s in it for them? Why should they want to continue reading?

And, within that content, specific calls-to-action (or CTAs) need to be added throughout. This gives readers the opportunity to continue their journey on your website. Without a CTA, the content is just another article.

Consider what you want the reader to do next and hopefully, they will take that step. Test out where to put the CTAs in your content as well as what the CTA is – a text link, an image or perhaps a button.

Content Guides a Lead through Their Customer Journey

As noted above, CTAs offer opportunities for the reader to continue researching their options and keeping you on their hot list. Different CTAs can also be used throughout the article depending on where a reader is in their purchasing process.

Consider also linking to other pieces of content that are not gated. This will help in your efforts to create a relationship with the reader – and build trust along the way.

Content Builds E.A.T.

Before someone will buy a product or service from you, they must trust you. And more than just you, they must trust your team and your brand. Through content, you, your team, and your business can share their expertise (E) which positions you as an authority (A) and hence helps to build trust (T).

The more content you create, the more people will be able to read. And the more they read, the better the chances of building on expertise, authority, and trust (E.A.T.).

Not only will your readers begin to trust you, but so will the search engines. And the more search engines see you as a trustworthy, authoritative expert, the more likely they are to position your website higher in online rankings.

Content Fuels Your Sales Team to Close a Customer

While there is usually a line in the sand between marketing and sales, content can help erase that line. By working as a ‘smarketing’ team, content can not only serve searchers and help them find their answers but can also help the sales team close a deal.

Your sales team is one of the closest assets you have for gaining insights into your customers. They can tell you what content needs to be out there based on common questions, but they can also use the content that exists to provide further insights to those hot leads that are likely to sign. The key is to make sure the content can be quickly accessed by sales, which they can use in conversations and follow-up communication.

Get Organized with a Custom Content Hub

While most feel that content needs to be written to attract new site visitors, the right content presented in an easy-to-find way can also help increase sales. CoreResources is your one-stop shop to organize all of your resources using an intuitive plugin, making it easily accessible and optimized for search.

Whether you’re looking to boost brand awareness, share your expertise, or generate qualified leads, this custom content hub is your complete solution. Download it today and get organized with the plan that suits your needs.