You’ve seen all of your tech competitors pumping out blog posts, Youtube videos, Instagram Stories, white papers, and all that jazz. Maybe you’ve seen them having success with it. And it’s been enough of a nudge to make you wonder what your software business would look like with better content.

It’s a good question – and the fact that you’re considering it proves your business can use it to grow.

Blog posts are probably the most ‘permanent’ type of content. You host them on your website, so you’re not beholden to random changes to terms of service on other platforms (mentioning no names, Photobucket). But all of your content can point straight back to your blog.

I’ll warn you now. Blogging doesn’t provide quick fixes or easy answers.

But it does provide you with the following benefits.

• Stronger relationships with customers through conversation.
• More leads.
• Better relationships with search engines.

Ready to get started on that better content?

Spend less on banner ads and more on content.

Remember that content is designed to be shared. And what does sharing your content do?

It gets it out in front of far more people than you can reach on your own.

Put it this way. You put out a new blog post, explaining a cool trick for existing users. Maybe it makes their life easier. It might make common tasks faster to complete. Or perhaps it’s just fun to play with (like the Google Doodle).

Your diehard fans, the ones on your mailing list, or the ones who regularly check your blog, share your post on their social networks. They want everyone to know about this amazing product they already use.

A handful of their friends or colleagues see the post. They’ve never heard of you before – and now they do.

And because they trust their friend/colleague, they’ll pay you a little more attention.

That’s an extra pair of eyes (or more) on your content. It’s a new visitor to your site.

It’s a potential lead. Just from having better content.

You didn’t have to pay for a banner ad that might have disappeared behind an ad blocker. And you didn’t have to spend money on Facebook ads and guess at your audience. That can only be a good thing, right?

If you’re strapped for time or you’re not sure how to write a blog post, grab my handy checklist below.

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Your blog can become a knowledge base for your existing fans

If you sell products, most of your business will come from your existing customers.

Finding new customers is crucial to your success. But what are you providing for those who’ve already bought your product? 61% of consumers are even influenced by custom content!

This is where content can really help. Focusing on better content means you can create a backlog of knowledge base articles. That might mean tutorials, how-to content, product videos, case studies, or even hosting creations made using your solutions.

Your website becomes a destination site for your existing customers. And there’s more chance they’ll share your content if they find it useful.

Besides, you’re giving to people who may not have bought yet. Better content means giving before you receive.

But that content also gives you more of a chance of being found through SEO. Say you post a tutorial about how to boost colours in Photoshop. Someone searches for that – and finds your post.

Your knowledge base of how-to articles becomes both a resource and an advert.

And speaking of SEO…

Google loves websites that update regularly. What’s an easy way to do that? Produce new content. And don’t think that more content means more blog posts.

Instead of articles, you can always go for infographics, videos, or images. Copyblogger included this amazing one over on their blog in 2014.

Just make sure you stick to a focused topic. The more you keep to one niche, the more readers you’ll end up getting. Why? Because they’ll know to come to you to for advice, answers, or entertainment.

More readers, more comments and more shares will be rewarded by Google.

Best of all, it does this around the clock. So better content works in the background.

Better content lets you start a conversation with your potential customers.

Traditional marketing relied on being relentless with the same message. It talked at customers. But with content marketing, you can talk to customers.

Remember that old Confucious saying?

Tell me, I’ll forget. Show me, I’ll remember. Involve me, I’ll understand.

Same applies to your blog. With better content, you can encourage customers to get to know you.

And now you’ve got a better chance of them buying from you because you seem approachable.

Use your content to involve visitors. Videos are great for this. Marketer Sujan Patel experimented with video and now they’re his favourite form of content. Why?

Video … makes it pretty much impossible not to show my personality. My passions, emotions, and vulnerabilities are exposed when I’m on camera, whether I like it or not.

That hits the nail on the head. What are you more likely to engage with? A blog post like this one, or a video where you can see and hear the person? Facial expressions are a brilliant way to engage with your audience.

You’re essentially connecting through simply being human.

And yes, I do appreciate the irony of promoting video through a written article!

And it also shows you’re more forward thinking.

Embrace content and show that you’re interested in your customers.

But you can also show them that you’re more forward thinking than competitors.

Because you’re not just clinging to the old outdated model of sitting on high and not involving yourself with anyone.

Content marketing leaders see year-over-year growth in unique site traffic of 7.8x more than content marketing followers.

So show those in your niche how to do content properly. Embrace video or check out Facebook Live. Commission infographics. Get yourself on Youtube.

Be a leader.

Ready to create better content? Drop me an email and we’ll get your blog buzzing.

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