Firms in Nigeria are one hard nut to crack especially when it comes to content marketing. Most entrepreneurs set up businesses without exploring all necessary means to make it grow.
They are most times static and just go by the status quo but in reality, business is demanding and deserves all the necessary attention.
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For those selected few that are able to surmount this huddle, it’s kind of a saving grace period for them. This takes me back to having the right ingredients to promote your business growth.
You can leverage on the advancing technological tools to further push your business and make up for the past.
With the advent of the internet, a lot of things have changed especially in the aspect of companies and firms who have started utilizing the internet to attract customers.
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In recent times, firms in Nigeria were not exposed to this truth but with the recent shift, I can say of a truth that most firms are beginning to tilt towards that aspect.
In 2013 there were about 6% of businesses leveraging the power of the internet but with the 2015 statistics of about 20%, it is clear that there has been a massive shift to the internet.
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In Nigeria, content marketing has been a great source of aid for business promotion and advertising for those who really know how to utilize it.
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Unfortunately for some business owners, they still don’t have the idea of how effective content marketing can drive sales to their brand. For the hand full who have utilized this strategy, they have been able to record outstanding results.
For the essence of clarity and better understanding of this topic, I will share the headings into 3
• Pre – content marketing
• Content marketing and
• Post – content marketing
Pre – content marketing
This will discuss the essential tools that have to be put in place before writing and distributing content. Some vital or key component determines how much your brand will be accepted by your target audience.
Also, before you can determine your target audience, content and methods of distribution, you first have to know the exact niche you are willing to delve into.
The niche helps you tailor out quality content without going all random. I will break down the essentials for this category.
• Firms in Nigeria need to be clear about their niche
Most firms in Nigeria are entangled in multiple activities. They are most often involved in multiple things at the same time which can be kind of confusing for the audience.
You probably write a content today about entertainment and tomorrow your going into politics and next it’s a different field. It’s inappropriate to keep moving from one sector to another.
Be sure of what niche you can comfortably write content on without being bored or idea-less at a point. It’s best you understand what works for your brand in your geographical location (Nigeria) before writing content.
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Most firms in Nigeria love to follow the crowd. Usually, there is a saying that goes, “what is good for the goose is also good for the gander” that my dear friends might not be applicable for all sectors.
Some other person might succeed in a field and once you go following suit, you might miss it all. To avoid going with the crowd, it’s to your best interest that you select what works for you the most and effectively use it to tell your brand story through content marketing.
• Be sure of your target audience
Content marketing has gone way pass what we see it to be, it is a long term marketing investment when used the right way through the right channel to the target or final consumer(s).
When you have an idea of the select target audience, it will be easy for you as an individual to tailor your content to the needs for the audience.
You might write a beautiful piece but once it is not of any value to your target audience, you have lost the potency of the message. Once something won’t add value to me as a consumer, I won’t bother going through the pain to read through.
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One aspect why firms in Nigeria fail is because they misinterpret who their actual audience are and end up making content that won’t effect the required change.
Study and research to understand your audience type, their preferences and what category of content they engage with the most.
• Most firms in Nigeria have insufficient ideas
Most times, people overlook the effect content marketing in regards to their business. They tend to concentrate more on other trivial things. For every content, there has to be an idea conceived first before its being put together for easy understanding.
Some Nigerian firms run into a ditch when they run out of ideas with nothing to say.
It goes down to the fact that some firms outdo themselves when they decide to select niches that are either not relevant for their firm or might end up giving them heartaches to write content.
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It is one huge problem facing firms in Nigeria. To be on the safe side, you can brainstorm with your co-workers or probably look into other platforms to help when sourcing for ideas.
• Create an editorial calendar
An editorial calendar is a planned schedule containing all your content topics that you will use within a period of time. You won’t have to bother about having to think all day about the content idea of your next post.
All you need do is check your calendar and start writing. It helps organize your thoughts and post in an orderly manner.
Content marketing
This aspect, will discuss briefly on the need to set your priorities right especially when it comes to content marketing and distribution.
With content, you have to be double sure about what you are feeding your audience with in other for you not to appear as an amateur or probably derail them with your content.
Since content is expected to add value, you have to be highly careful and tactical about the things that constitute your content. Let’s look at some very important things.
• Writing quality content
Content for any firm in the world looking to generate sales is important. Content tells the brand story effortlessly in a persuasive tone.
It really doesn’t have to be so lengthy and distracting but should be equipped with the necessary information that can inform customer choice or decision.
Firms in Nigeria are failing in content marketing because they do not understand the rudiments of getting content right. Most firms think it is by writing lengthy posts that will drive sales unfortunately not.
The quality of your content tells your audience if you are a “pro” when it comes to that niche. You can’t write just any kind of content and expect people to applaud your work even when it is of no relevance to them.
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You should make conscious effort by writing content that won’t be appealing to your audience only but also attract more people from other spheres to your brand.
It is easy to sell and tell your brand story with your content but if you are doing it wrong, then you should go back to the drawing board. If you are getting your content wrong, make it a point of duty to make things right and fix loopholes.
• Understand the basics of SEO
For your firm to rank on the pages of search engines after a search, it means you must have done your SEO assignment well. Once you understand, the relevance of SEO’s, then will you appreciate and put in efforts in making your firm being displayed as a search result.
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Most firms in Nigeria neglect SEO basics, like making sure they rank on basis of keyword usage, title tags, internal links etc. It is like so much work but that is another reason why firms fail at content marketing.
If you plan on driving traffic from the search engines, you’ll need to at least have the basics of SEO built into every piece of content you create.
• Promote various content types
Firms in Nigeria have an issue with diversifying, and when I say diversifying; I mean giving a variety of content types. Don’t make your blog or website boring; make sure it’s interactive enough. Some people just select a content type and never look back.
There are various content types, in Neil Patels book Advanced Guide To Content marketing; he listed the content types, from infographic, list post and how to do.
Your post should be a blend of the various content types, don’t limit yourself to just one type of content. Nobody does the status quo thing anymore; people are mixing amazing content with so much value in them.
Post – content marketing
This is like the very aspect that crowns your whole effort. This is where the main work lies according to the 80\20 rule: use 20% of your time writing content and 80% distributing it.
According to Rand Fishkin, “Nine out of 10 times, when I talk to content creators and marketers, I find they’re ignoring a massive, crucial aspect of content marketing – amplification strategy. We all generally agree that it’s fairly useless to produce content unless that content will be shared, talked about, reach people, rank in search engines, and generally, attract the visitors you’re hoping to reach. Yet, I find that a huge number of content marketers follow the practice of creating something, sharing it across their social networks, and then hoping for the best. This is folly.”
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Writing content is not enough, what makes it known and brings traffic to your site or blog is the strategies you take to distribute this content.
You have to be sure of the platforms you’re distributing your content on especially because of your target audience. The only problem here is the fact that here in Nigeria, we are still battling with content distribution.
We often take is likely probably distribute on facebook and we fold our arms waiting for traffic to our site or blog which is impossible! You can’t use just one channel or platform to distribute and expect to get a turn over traffic.
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Distributing involves maximizing all the platforms and strategies available to you for content distribution. Neil Patel says, “In order for your content marketing strategy to succeed, you need to increase your promotion efforts.” Content creation without distributing is better left an idea in your head than writing it down.
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Conclusion
Any discussion on content definitely calls to mind the popular phrase, “Content is king.”
However, one must always remember that the most important point behind having quality content is having corresponding viewership to engage with.
Remember; begin with outlining and strategizing the ideas before fleshing out the body of content while considering creative and engaging ways to approach the idea. Follow through with carefully considered content and rigorous editing.
Lastly, consider the method of distribution as probably the most important part of the process.
In the business world, there are few things as satisfying as getting feedback and engaging with customers from successful content marketing.
As content marketing drives sales for businesses it is compulsory for the long term survival of any serious business.
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