How to communicate with customers via your content

An important buzzword on the PR and marketing scene, content refers to the mediums, such as articles, videos and images, which help tell stories about your business. Content can help you promote your brand, communicate your messages and engage your target audience. 

Sharing your content with your target audience is an excellent way to build a relationship with them, gain valuable feedback and encourage them to become loyal customers.

Content is critical in your PR and social media strategy. Great content can be shared via social media, on your website or blog and with journalists.

Here are some ways to help you develop great content.

Engage with your target audience

When creating content for your business, think about what your target audience are interested in. This will help you create content which is relevant and engaging for them.

Directly engage with your target audience for ideas and ask them to create their own content. Run social media campaigns where your target audience generate their own content. For example, ask them to submit pictures of themselves on Facebook using your product.

Gather customer feedback and questions to help you create relevant content. For example, when answering customer questions or responding to feedback, turn it into content which you can share via FAQs, your website, social media channels and e-newsletter.

Take photos and videos

Visual content, such as photos, graphics or infographics, is an effective method to communicate a message in an engaging and easy way.

Smartphones have made it easy for anyone to be a photographer or videographer. Capture photos or videos at events, create short videos giving tips related to your industry and capture photos at the office to give an insight into your workplace culture.

You can also purchase stock photos and graphics from websites such as Shutterstock.

Repurpose old content

Source your old content such as whitepapers, blog posts, articles, images or case studies, and repurpose them.

For example you could turn your whitepapers into blog posts, your articles into short tips to share via social media, your images into slideshows or gifs, or your articles into video or podcast scripts.

By repurposing your content, not only will you make the most out of your great content, you will manage your time effectively.

Curate content

You don’t always have to create your own content. Sharing other people’s content is a great way to start conversations, get involved in a community and build relationships with others.

Look at websites or publications relevant to your industry. Share articles via your social media channels and provide comment on them.

If you do share content which is not your own, make sure you attribute it correctly or you could be in breach of copyright legislation.

Find stories within your business

Every business has stories to tell, it’s just a matter of finding and communicating your stories to your target audience.

Great stories include new business wins, industry trends, achievements or awards, anniversaries and new appointments.

Hold brainstorm sessions

Brainstorming is a great technique to help you develop fresh new ideas. Ask your team to come to the brainstorm with a few ideas already so you can discuss and expand on them.

Start creating content for your business now because the more content you have the more opportunities you will have to communicate with your target audience.