So, you just spent weeks perfecting an ebook for your company and finally launched it last week. And then… crickets. You posted about it on all of the right channels: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn. You even advertised it on your homepage and in sidebars on your website. So why is no one converting?
Many inbound marketing professionals have this same problem. Considering 86% of B2B marketers are creating content and 70% of them are creating more content than they were a year ago, it’s hard to get your content to stick—or even make an impact—when there’s so much being uploaded. In order to get people to authentically engage with your content, you’re going to have to get creative. Here’s 3 things your content needs to drive engagement:
Make it interactive
People don’t want to just sit on the sidelines—they want to be the ones in on the action. That’s why interactive content works so well. According to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, 81% of people surveyed said interactive content is better at grabbing attention than static content.
Instead of using the old PDF format for your ebook, create an interactive web page with the content, so the reader is fully immersed in the experience. And then give them an opportunity to download the content in a PDF form, thus converting them into a lead.
Even smaller interactive elements can foster engagement. Polls, surveys and interactive graphics can attract a consumer and lead them to a conversion. Including a poll in a tweet that advertises your new ebook can even be a start!
Make it unexpected
Content has become predictable: a blog post about how your product can solve their problem, an ebook about the benefits of your service, blah blah. We’ve seen it before! An easy way you can make it stand out from all of the other content is by adding something unexpected.
Reach out to a prospect and deliver the ebook to them with a personalized message, such as “I know you’re having a problem with this, and we just released an ebook that we think can help!” You can even find people on social media who are complaining about a problem and send them a link. The personal touch will set you apart from your competitors.
Another way you can make content unexpected is by taking a different perspective on an issue your competitors have written about before. No one wants to see the same blog topics from every competitor, but often that’s what happens. Giving your audience content that is different is the easiest way to get them to engage.
Use smart content, to deliver your prospects the content they need at the moment they need it. No one wants to see the same ebook they converted on two months ago still being advertised on the homepage—especially if it’s an awareness stage offer and they’re in the consideration stage.
Really understanding what your audience needs at the right time they need it is the best way to surprise them and get them to engage.
Make it informative
Have you ever read a blog post that is trying to say something, but ends up not saying anything at all? Usually, those posts are created just to get words on a page, so the business can hopefully rank on search engines. But if you’re really going to capture an audience and make them interested in your product or service, you’re going to have to make your content informative.
Tell your prospects or customers something they didn’t know, and do it with quality content. Adding value to a conversation is the only way you’re going to really connect with your audience.
Do your own research and write about it, do a video interview with your CEO about why he or she started the business, or write about the unique benefits of your product or service in the form of 10x content. First and foremost, by making your content unique, you’ll be making it informative. Tell a story only your company can tell and provide someone with information that they can’t find elsewhere, and you’ll capture the reader’s attention—and hopefully their business.
Putting words on a page and optimizing it isn’t good enough anymore. In order to really engage with your audience, you’re going to have to put in work. Writing the content should be the easy part, it’s coming up with a great idea and then getting it in the hands of interested people that’s the hard part.