Swerve words at your cost

Content has been called the “atomic particle” of marketing. It’s powerful. Advertising has been dethroned. Content is king. Content marketing - creating social media posts, videos, podcasts and blogs, is the new must-do.

Only four per cent of your customers are ready to buy at any one time. You need to entice, entertain and educate the 96 per cent, by bringing them into your inner online circle, until their cash-spending D-day arrives. You must then be top of mind.

Businesses struggle with this. They want quick sales. The slower burn frustrates. But too many are also hooked on the ‘let me entertain you’ vibe, creating videos and attempts at ‘funny’ social media posts. They disregard the tactic of educating and converting leads through words. Words are content marketing’s poor relation.

Society’s forgotten how to use words to persuade and engage. We’ve become ‘visual obsessed’. We’re word shy. Shockingly many businesses don’t even have a website blog/news area.

They either overlook Google’s word-hungry nature, or cram their website full of keywords in an ugly, meaningless way. Google detects that. Customers aren’t engaged through blatant repetition of clumsy, obvious phrases. Google wants more words these days, not fewer. It seeks helpful, informative content.

Blogs have become too associated with nappy-changing yummy mummies and personal ‘diaries’. Businesses don’t view them as audience connectors, business bringers, a key tool through which to communicate their essence and build their thought leadership. Words aren’t furnishing businesses with compelling e-book downloads, newsletters and e-brochures . Words have been consigned to the cutting room floor.

Swerving words in your marketing is costly. If you’re too nervous to craft your own copy, hire someone who isn’t. Commission a copywriter!