Content Strategy & Optimization
Driving Content through Social Media
Social media has created the single best and worst change that has happened to journalism, marketing and public relations. Now that nearly anybody can freely publish content, more stories are reaching more people than ever before. This is great news for many companies, especially start-ups, which may have otherwise flown under the radar.
Yet the volume of content that is generated every day has contributed to the creation of a vast online wasteland. You’ve seen it. So much of today’s contributed content begins with compelling headlines that at first appear to be an interesting news or feature story. As you continue to read, you realize that you’ve been led to company-generated stories that are actually thinly veiled advertising messages. This approach alienates potential customers and flies against the value of social media and inbound marketing to increase positive awareness.
FastStart Communications believes that building online communities and driving inbound traffic is most effective when there is a balanced approach to communications. One that prioritizes transparency and authenticity while targeting the right message to the right audience at the right time.
A Three Step Approach to Content Strategy
When it comes to driving qualified sales leads to your website, the copy should be easily understood by visitors, regardless of their industry knowledge. By avoiding lofty language, overused phrases and cliches including “the leading provider of” and “bleeding edge” FastStart Communications helps companies stand out by clearly articulating the value they bring to customers. Our approach to content creation and social media is based on the principles behind the Gobbledygook Manifesto.
FastStart Communications believes that it’s time for the content creation pendulum to shift to a more balanced and informative approach to telling a company’s story. Complementing your existing website management and analytics teams, FastStart Communications has a three-step approach to content creation that is focused on:
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The Customer Experience
Instead of writing copy that leads with the company’s sales and marketing pitch, think about the way that a potential customer reads through your website. You want to speak to their business needs, interact with them on their terms and be viewed as a reputable company that is focused on their success.
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Information as the Ultimate Sales Strategy
When it comes to making a high tech purchase, prospects need access to high quality, hype-free white papers, fact sheets and other collateral. Since many buying decisions are often made by a committee, the collateral will be read and evaluated by senior level executives representing different parts of the company. If the materials are blatant promotional documents or too technically written, they can delay the decision making process.
Closing the deal requires a combination of easily understood and relevant information from both inside and outside your company. By providing your potential customers with information on the market, the value proposition behind the purchasing decision, the competitive landscape, and the business value of your offerings, you’ll be better positioned as the vendor of choice.
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Anticipating the Customer’s Search Query
Why is it that some of the best written websites often go unread? While there may have been countless hours dedicated to selecting just the right words, they may not be the right words to drive traffic to your site. One of the best ways to optimize content is to consider how a prospect would find you through a search engine. Think specificity without losing sight of your company’s value proposition. In most cases, those great websites can see a boost in traffic with just a few tweaks to the copy. FastStart specializes in writing compelling content that attracts and drives the right traffic to your website.
