Concluding the three part series in which I discuss the important aspects of digital marketing to master in the coming new year, I am focusing this last piece on content management. While understanding both SEO and PPC strategies are critical, the tasks of a content manager are an ongoing project which requires consistent market research and keeping up-to-date with current trends. There are several avenues any business can take when it comes to content management.

The only secret I can offer when it comes to gaining notoriety on the web is to produce the content yourself and as often as you are able to. The most effective way to do this is by starting your own blog and regularly writing about developments within your business or local industry. It doesn’t need to be long, 2-3 paragraphs is fine for when you’re starting out. Many sites like WordPress offer the option of starting a blog for free.

Try to commit 20-30 minutes per day to your blog

Seek out other blogs related to what your business does, or the customers you can target. Often you’ll find insight and may have networking opportunities after you become a recognized blogger within the community. The content you produce has to be enticing and coherent enough for a reader to follow along. If you make a bold claim, be sure to provide accurate sources which back up your words. This only serves to increase your credibility, as well as completing an essential part of SEO.

In addition to starting a blog, it’s important to also become active on multiple social media platforms. In 2016 there are plenty to choose from, with the most popular being Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and websites like Reddit. Be sure to tag your posts to increase visibility. You can also use social media as a way to boost your blog posts and drive your reader base.

Getting your content out to your readers is important for growing future online business, but be sure to not flood them with posts. If someone is consistently seeing your status updates when they’re trying to catch up on other news, it might turn them off. Optimize your posts so that they have maximum readership potential. Social Media Week has a great piece on breaking down post frequency across multiple platforms.

Share your content with others in discussion groups on sites like LinkedIn to get some professional feedback about your ideas. This also serves as an additional networking opportunity for things like guest blogging on more popular websites. Participating in both will be sure to help you advance to a blogging master.

Be sure to do your research before submitting that blog post!

Final Thoughts

Mastering SEO and PPC advertising is the first step to becoming a true Content Manager. Implement your social media connections, and be sure to interact with your community. Remember, establishing your online presence won’t happen overnight. Remain consistent and your business will start to see a payoff. I hope this series has helped anyone who may have been struggling with getting more exposure. If you don’t have the time to do this yourself, then at least you have a general idea of what to search for. Be sure the person you hire is excellent at research methods and willing to network to gain industry insight.

-Mitchell S.