Marketing content: the keys to good editorial content

As you are aware, the internet today represents a formidable reservoir of customers for your company. But you still need to be able to stand out among the myriad of competitors flooding the Web! Whatever your business, content marketing is essential to attract prospects and turn them into loyal customers.

What are the rules for creating quality editorial content? How to set up and outsource your content production? In short, how do you develop your marketing content strategy? Here are our tips.

 

The objectives of content writing

It's no coincidence that 87% of web marketers use content to guide the buyer through the sales tunnel. As an essential element of your communication strategy, the creation of editorial content serves a dual purpose:

• Improve your visibility on the internet to reach your target audience and generate qualified leads;
• convert your prospects into customers by accompanying them at every stage of their purchasing process, in an inbound marketing approach.

 

The different types of editorial content

There are many formats for text content. The most commonly used, especially in the B2B sector, are :

• the pages of websites;
• blog posts;
• descriptions of products or services ;
• newsletters and email marketing;
• press releases ;
• e-books or white papers.

 

Each type of content allows you to reach your target at a particular stage of the customer journey and aims to trigger an action: sharing on social networks, registering for an event, requesting a quote, downloading an information brochure... The whole challenge is to help the prospect progress to the final objective : the conclusion of the transaction. Your editorial strategy is therefore part of a long-term approach.

 

Steps in the creation of editorial content

Prepare a detailed briefing

Prior to the actual writing phase, it is essential to carry out preparatory work in order to produce reliable and relevant content for your audience. Indeed, the dissemination of erroneous information constitutes a loss of credibility in the eyes of search engines and your audience.

 

According to a study by the Hill Holliday agency, 59% of clients boycott brands that use false information. Conversely, 64% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a company that is honest in its brand content.

Factual and realistic content contributes to making you an expert and establishing your authority in your field of activity. The preliminary research phase helps guide the creative process and avoid wasting your marketing budget. 

Here are the different steps you need to take:

 

1 - Define the objectives

Think about the business goals you want to achieve to determine the most appropriate type of content and writing style. For example, if you want to increase organic traffic to your site, you should focus on high search volume keywords. If you want to convert your readers into prospects, you can use copywriting techniques to convince them to download a lead magnet (downloadable content in exchange for contact information).

 

2 - Create a persona

The "buyer persona" is an abstract representation of your ideal customer. This imaginary character usually has a first name as well as socio-professional and psychological characteristics.

When writing content, it's important to know who you're talking to. The use of a persona allows you to focus on a specific target audience, and to use the language and arguments that will hit the mark with that type of client. This is the basis of successful marketing automation.

 

Thedevelopment of the persona is based on the results of market research, as well as on the profiles of your real customers. For this, you can for example

• create online customer surveys ;
• carry out customer interviews by telephone or videoconference ;
• ask your sales reps what they think;
• Gather information about your target's habits through social media.

3 - Understanding the research intent

Good content is content that meets the expectations of Internet users. It is therefore essential to clearly identify your target's research intention. There are four types of search intentions, which translate into the use of specific terms in the query:

• informational research: the Internet user wishes to find out moreinformation on a subject (use of the words "guide", "tutorial", "how", etc.);
• navigational search: the Internet user searches for a specific page or website (name of the brand, product or service);
• commercial research: the Internet user wishes to find information before making a purchase ("best", "comparative" ...) ;
• transactional research: the Internet user wants to buy a product or service ("purchase", "price"...).

 

Here again, it is the research intention that should guide the choice of content format: a blog article will be perfectly suited for informational research, while a detailed product sheet will be more suitable for transactional research.

 

4 - Do a keyword search

Currently, content writing is closely linked to natural referencing. Content that is optimized according to the rules of SEO (search engine optimization) is more likely to be positioned in the first results of search engines, and therefore to be read. Conversely, duplicate or low-quality content is likely to be penalized by Google and downgraded to the third or fourth page. Your website will lose visibility.

You must therefore identify the keywords that are relevant to your activity and on which you want your target to find you. Some free or paid tools allow you to rank keywords according to the volume of research and competition. The more competitive a query is, the more difficult it will be to position yourself well on it, as the first places are often occupied by authority sites.

 

 

5 - Building a content strategy

The effectiveness of your content marketing is based on the development of a content strategy that includes the following elements:

• formats: what type(s) of content will you favour (articles, posts on social networks...)?
• publication channels: via which medium(s) will they be distributed (company website, mailing, social networks...)?
• creation: who will write the content (in-house staff or external service provider)?
• management: who will take care of publication and customer commitments?
• performance: who will analyze the impact of the campaign and report back to you?

 

This roadmap provides a structured framework for creating and distributing your content without spreading yourself too thin.

 

6 - Finding a good topic

Take the time to look for strong ideas that will impact your readers and generate results before you jump headlong into web writing. To find inspiration, you can

• Identify your target's "pain points" by looking at online reviews or related Google searches;
• Conduct the social network survey by asking your subscribers what topics they would like to discuss;
• study the competition, see what works and add value;
• Ask your employees for their opinion (customer support, sales, product managers, etc.);
• use writing tools.

 

Building an editorial schedule

Once you have clearly defined your objectives, topics, content formats and delivery channels, you can develop an editorial calendar. Highly appreciated by content creators, SEOs and web marketers in general, this tool provides a global vision of the tasks to be carried out.

For each publication, specify the following:

• objectives
• broadcasting channels
• content type
• subject
• deadlines and publication dates
• Assignment of tasks and persons involved in the process

 

You can use a simple Excel spreadsheet, or opt for a specific tool such as Asana, the project management software used by Autour de l'Image.

 

 

This type of collaborative tool facilitates communication between team members, especially during telework periods. You can thus supervise the smooth running of tasks, even from a distance.

 

Writing or having content written

Here are a few tips to help you write impactful texts that are likely to convert your prospects:

• Becareful with the titles: they should be short and punchy, but explicit enough to make you want to click on them;
• catch your readers from the very first lines: place in the introduction (or chapô) details that arouse interest (anecdote, figures, question...) and encourage the reader to continue;
• Structure your content: Streamline your text with subtitles, bulleted lists and spaces to make it easier to read diagonally;
• use visuals: videos, images, graphics or infographics capture and hold the attention of the Internet user more easily;
• remain consistent: all your content must reflect your values in order to build a brand image recognizable by your audience;
• choose an original angle: cultivate your difference to stand out from the millions of contents put online every day;
• tell stories: storytelling is an extremely powerful technique for engaging your community and enabling them to identify with your brand;
• give figures: they illustrate what you are saying and give them credibility;
• use calls to action (CTA): these short, imperative sentences encourage visitors to take action (subscribe to a newsletter, buy a product...) ;
• Avoid spelling, grammar and punctuation errors: quality content is valued by Google and inspires reader confidence.

 

These tips are to be adapted according to the type of content written. For example, for newsletters and emails, the wording of the subject line is essential to maximize the opening rate. Product pages will be more attractive if they include visuals, customer testimonials and detailed descriptions.

 

Once your content has been published, don't forget to evaluate its impact byanalyzing KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). Content effectiveness is mainly measured by organic traffic (83%) and sessions/pages viewed (70%). The other most popular indicators are leads (66%) and conversion rate (53%). 

 

Why and how to outsource its content production?

The advantages of outsourcing

As you can see, creating quality content is a complex and time-consuming task. To help you, you can have an in-house editor or a service provider. According to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, 84% of B2B companies outsource their content production.

 

Indeed, outsourcing has a lot of advantages:

• Save time: you can concentrate on strategic tasks that contribute to the development of your business.
• Savings: Outsourcing often costs less than hiring an employee because of reduced spending on taxes, benefits and training.
• Flexibility: you pay for the items you need, when you need them, without worrying about justifying the salary of an employee.
• Freedom: you choose the billing method that suits you best, whether it's a flat rate, by the hour or by the number of words.
• Expertise: you benefit from the knowledge and know-how of a specialist, as well as an objective outside view of your company and strategy.

 

Contrary to popular belief, writing for the web is more than just good writing. Professional copywriters and web writers know how to choose the right words, tone and style to create content that matches your brand and marketing objectives. It is your brand content.

 

To whom should you delegate your content writing?

The content creation market is divided into three main types of players:

• editorial platforms, which offer unbeatable prices, but often offer low quality content;
• freelance writers;
• communication agencies.

 

In any case, it is advisable tostudy the references and the portfolio of the service provider in order to get an idea of his skills and the companies that have already trusted him.

 

Once you have made your choice, all you have to do is write or have written a detailed briefing specifying the following elements:

• your target audience;
• your objectives;
• the ideal number of words (or a range) ;
• the medium on which the message will be published;
• information about your company and the subject to be dealt with;
• your marketing positioning and brand identity ;
• keywords and hyperlinks to be included in the text ;
• as well as any other element you deem useful to bring to the attention of the author.

 

Specialised in B2B communication, theagency Autour de l'Image offers you copywriting and copywriting services. We enter your universe to understand the codes of your sector in order to establish a coherent and effective content marketing strategy. Thanks to the creation of optimised content, we make your message impactful in order to reach your prospects and customers and encourage their commitment.

 

Would you like to entrust us with the production of your editorial content? Contact us to discuss your needs!