Are you at a crossroads with your content marketing and not sure how to get more customers from the organic traffic you have?
The internet is full of potential customers for your business. The difficult part is, how do you find the people who are actually interested in your product and convert them into customers?
The simple four-part strategy below discusses how to use content marketing in a funnel format to attract, capture and convert website visitors into more customers effectively.
Four Elements of Content Marketing
You need four elements to start attracting new customers with content marketing:
First, one or more articles or blog posts that attract organic search visitors to those pages on your website. This could also be content on another platform like LinkedIn, Medium or an industry site, as well.
Second, a compelling “lead magnet” offer.
Third, a high-converting lead capture page (aka landing page).
Fourth, an automated email follow-up campaign.
#1 Long Form Content
Step 1, is the beginning of the customer’s journey. He or she does a web search, sees your article in the search results, clicks the link and reads a portion or all of the article on your site. You have attracted a website visitor to a specific page, and they have consumed some specific content that matches the search intent.
Typically, this is a long form article of some sort (800-3000 words). It could be an FAQ, list or how to type article. It could also be a product page on an e-commerce site. It should be unique and useful information.
The key is that it must be specific and answer the visitor’s search query. If not, you have a low chance of converting that visitor into a customer, who will usually leave quickly and never return.
Assuming your content satisfies the search intent of the visitor and you’ve provided some value, it’s a perfect time to present an offer to turn that visitor into a sales lead.
#2 Lead Magnet
Step 2 of the journey to lead generation with content marketing is the lead magnet. A valuable and relevant lead magnet is one that meets three conditions:
- It addresses a specific need or pain,
- In a specific amount of time or for a specific amount of money,
- With a specific measurable result
For example:
Learn to ride a unicycle without injuring yourself [NEED] in only 1 day [TIME], and become the most popular act at the carnival [RESULT]
Stop pesky mosquitos [RESULT] from ruining your 4th of July party [PAIN] in less than 5 minutes [TIME].
The “lead magnet” must be a close match to your ideal customer’s situation. It can be a PDF, video lesson, discount, useful spreadsheet…even a free consultation or evaluation.
#3 Lead Capture Landing Page
Next you need a custom lead capture landing page. This is where describe the prospect’s pain, what your lead magnet offers and the benefits of getting it. In exchange for the valuable lead magnet, the prospect provides his or her name, email and/or phone number. Visitors opt-in to receive the lead magnet in exchange for their contact information.
Landing pages come in all sorts of formats, from traditional long form “letters”, to surveys, to one-page video sales letters (VSL). Your landing page converts the right prospects using direct response copywriting methods (aka psychological selling).
People who opt-in for your lead magnet are often your best sales prospects because they have taken a tangible action that “pre-qualifies” them. Signing up for your lead magnet indicates they have a specific problem and are interested in solving it.
Simple, yet highly effective!
#4 Automated Email Campaign
Step 3 in attracting customers through content marketing involves engaging prospects with a compelling email follow-up sequence. Your emails should encourage use of the lead magnet, and provide additional value beyond that. Typically this is a series of emails describing how real customers used the solution in your lead magnet to get excellent results.
Along with these emails you include soft messages (never hard sells) that encourage prospects to email, call, visit, make an appointment or buy a product. The automated follow-up sequence helps encourage the prospect to take the next step in the buying process.
The final step of the journey is your prospect taking your desired call to action!
What to Expect from Content Marketing
Content marketing generally follows the 80/20 Rule — 80% of the visitors and sales will be driven by 20% of your content, emails and subscribers. That 20% of your content gets the highest engagement and drives the most new business.
Putting together these four elements creates a content marketing funnel that attracts and gives potential customers a compelling reason to take the next step in your buying process. Because organic search traffic is targeted and warm in nature, a high percentage of prospects convert and become customers.
Your content and follow-on campaign “warms up” potential customers and gives them tangible benefits which leads to higher conversion rates.