If Content is King, Your Website is the Castle

Done any sort of digital marketing lately? Surely you’ve heard the phrase “Content is King.” You’re sure to know the importance of publishing compelling, informative and valuable content. But strong content marketing takes more than just publishing content. It’s all about sharing the content.

At the hub of any content marketing campaign is your website. The content around it comes in many forms – from blog posts and videos to infographics and whitepapers. The sharing of that content begins by having it available on your website. From there, loyal fans of your brand will (hopefully) share that content via social media, email blasts and more. Even paid search, display, and remarketing campaigns play a role.

Your content marketing efforts reach out to potential customers to bring them back to your website. Once on your site, visitors can learn more about your business. More importantly, you can track every online lead in one central location. This means the quality of your website is just as important as the strength of your content. Remember, Content is King – but your website is the castle.

So, even before you think about a content marketing campaign, make sure your website is ready to house that valuable content. Bowen Media has a few key points to gear your website up for content marketing.

1. Design for an Easy User Experience

Online consumers today are all about simplicity. Flashy designs, timely animation, and disruptive sounds all distract the user. Every user has a goal in mind when landing on a website. All that extra jazz only takes away from the user experience. Credible and professional companies need credible and professional websites to match. Design for an easy user experience to separate your company from the deceptive and dishonest.

2. Create a Clear Path to Follow

We already learned the value of simplicity in the “Content is king” equation. Consumers don’t have the time or attention to dig around looking for information. If a user gets lost on the path, it can only lead to frustration. Potential customers will likely associate their frustration with your brand. Clearly, it’s not the best way to start a relationship. Your website should be designed to lead different users (or personas) down clear paths towards specific goals. Your website has a lot to offer. Don’t lose that value with a confusing or unclear path to conversion. Make the path clear – and users will follow.

3. Optimize for Mobile

Did you know that more than 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices? It’s true. Do you really want to risk losing 60% of potential leads? Probably not. Mobile optimization is thus extremely important for content marketing. Users on a mobile device will simply overlook your content – even if the content is awesome. Nothing crushes the “Content is king” rule like a non-mobile-friendly website.

4. Create Landing Pages

If content is king (and your website is the castle), then landing pages are the prince. Landing pages keep leads focused on not just the message – but also the path you want to take them down. Once again, the key to a successful landing page is simplicity. The best landing pages are extremely simple with a clear call to action directed towards a specific audience. A smart and strategic landing page is a prime opportunity to convert a potential lead.

5. Don’t Ask For Too Much

It’s funny how little it takes to discourage a potential lead from converting. You could have the perfect grasp on the Content is king rule – but still lose the lead. The more hoops your visitors have to jump through to get content, the less likely they are to convert. Don’t ask for too much information before someone walks through the door. Figure out the most important information for someone to inquire with your business, and engage them to take the next steps.