If you’re spending time creating content, you should do what you can to make sure people are engaging with that content. In this episode of The Compete Marketing Group Show, we share tips you can use to build the readership, comments, shares, and other forms of engagement for your content.

* Note that this blog post is derived from the transcript of the audio discussion. Please excuse any typos or odd wording.

Quality Matters More Than Quantity

Many business owners think they need to publish content every day, or every week in order to get benefit from their content. However, we have found that the quality of the content always trumps the quantity of the content. For example,

• If every piece of content that you create is based on very pressing topics in your industry, then that content is going to be engaging to your audience even if it is published infrequently.
• With that said, you do need to do content promotion to build the readership for your content, but the quality of the content you put out is still going to be more important than the quantity.

Mention Industry Influencers

If you’re writing about a topic that is popular in your industry, consider mentioning others that have written about the topic. Specifically;

• If you mentioned influential contacts and companies in your industry that are active online, and fit within the content you’re creating, then,
• The likelihood that they will share that content with their audience is high.

By consistently writing about important topics in your industry, and engaging with industry influencers, you can gradually grow the exposure your content receives, as well as the engagement of the content.

Have A Debate

Important topics are always viewed differently by different people in your industry.

• If you have a different view than others in your market, consider using your content to spark a debate on the topic.
• A constructive debate with passionate readers can be a great way to spark high levels of engagement with your content.

Build And Nurture Your Email List

In addition to publishing content, you need to build an email list of your readers over time. This email list becomes a powerful asset for your company as you can share new content with the email subscribers, and also use the email list to sell products and services.

• Each piece of content you create should have some sort of connection to getting readers onto your email list.
• It’s important to remember that real people receive the emails you send. If you feel you are being too promotional, then you probably are.
• Each time you prepare an email for your list, ask yourself if they would truly appreciate receiving what you are about to send.

If you take the time to build your email list, and nurture it, it can become a powerful asset you can use to build engagement with your content.

Participate Yourself

Once your readership has grown, and your audience is engaging with your content, you will see the direct value in engaging with them as they reply to your content. However, as you are starting your content marketing, and engagement is low, it’s even more important for you to participate.

• Each time you receive a blog comment, a share, or another form of engagement from your readership, make sure to reply quickly.
• Even with a small audience, your direct engagement shows that you care, and will spark other audience members to engage as well.

Summary And Next Actions

We can help you with content marketing. Content marketing can be a powerful way to build a relationship with prospects and customers. If you want guidance and support on creating and managing your content marketing strategy, contact us.