Why do people click on your links and read your content? I’ll tell ya: because they recognize you as an expert in your field and want to learn something new.
But what if they click through and only see thinly veiled promotional content–whether it’s on your Facebook posts, YouTube channel, blogs, Instagram stories, etc.? Chances are you’ll start to lose readers and viewers because they don’t want to be sold to yet again.
Sure, your content should serve as a marketing machine. A place where you can talk about what you know while growing the know, like and trust factor. But more than that, your content should be educational and informative with the goal of teaching your audience something. Because that’s why they’re reading and watching your stuff anyway. (I know…Rocket science, right?)
Businesses create content to build an online presence and to drive marketing and sales efforts. And while there’s nothing wrong with that (I mean, hello–me too!), it’s the approach that some businesses take that is their downfall.
How to Create Like a Teacher
As a former classroom teacher, I know first-hand the difference between creating content for marketing and creating content that truly teaches. While any content you publish is a marketing tool, content that teaches your audience something will likely perform better and give your audience the results you want.
Are you more likely to click on a blog post that tells the story of my business growth or a post that gives you four content tips that you can implement right now to grow your own business? You might be interested in my business story, but if you’re short on time and content you’re more likely to read about what you can do–right now–to grow your business with your own content.
So the next time you sit down to map out your content strategy or to create content, put your own business aside and think about how you’re going to help your audience. What do you want to teach them? What will they be able to do when they’re done reading your blog, watching your video or reading your email? Let that drive your content creation and you’ll quickly drive more sales to your own business.
