- Let's face it,
listening to ads does suck.
And I actually read
that we're exposed to over 5,000 ads per day.
Now, if you're like me,
you're probably just gonna tune it out,
and that's kinda bad news
if you're an online business, right?
But that's where content marketing comes in.
Content marketing is when you distribute content,
like blog articles, YouTube videos, or social media posts
to attract and retain customers in an implicit way.
Now, not to be dramatic, but content marketing
literally runs the world.
Because think about it,
are you more likely to buy a product
because a Facebook ad is telling you to,
or are you more likely to buy a product
because a TikToker who you know and love and trust
is giving you their personal recommendation?
The concept is simple.
Give value before you try to extract it.
You wanna teach people something new,
you wanna inspire them,
make them laugh, all of that.
You want your content to give something.
And this is gonna allow you
to gain trust with your audience,
and introduce 'em to your product naturally,
which will do so much more for you and your brand
in the long term
than trying to go for a hard sell ever could.
But content marketing is competitive.
There are millions of businesses that are out there
trying to push their own content
and trying to capture people's attention.
But here's a secret.
Most brands are doing it completely wrong.
So in this video, I'm gonna give you guys
an unfair advantage.
So I'm gonna show you how you can get the best results
from your content marketing
so that you can get more traffic
and more customers for your business.
And guys, also stick around to the end
because I'm gonna give you some content ideas
that are gonna work for any business
on any platform.
Let's go.
(smooth music)
- Hey guys, what is up?
My name is Michelle Bali,
and if you're just stumbling upon this channel,
welcome, welcome to Learn with Shopify.
This is an official Shopify channel
that's gonna help give you the knowledge that you need
to start, run, and grow your online business.
So if you are an entrepreneur,
make sure that you're hitting that subscribe button
so that you don't miss out on any future videos.
The number one rule of content marketing
is that it should not feel like marketing at all.
Rather, it should actually introduce people to your brand
in a very seamless way.
And I feel like this is where so many brands go wrong.
They publish content that interrupts the user experience
as they're scrolling.
And I know we've all seen those Instagram posts
that are literally just like a product photo
and you're here, you're just like
I'm just trying to see my friends,
I'm just trying to have a good time,
and this is killing the vibe. (laughing)
So it's very clear that when brands do this,
they just don't understand the buyer's journey
because building trust with customers takes time.
From the moment that they first hear about your brand
to the moment that they buy from you,
this is gonna be divided into three stages.
We have awareness, consideration, and decision.
The awareness stage is when someone realizes
that they have a problem and they're looking for a solution
but they're not really sure if there even is a solution.
So they might be typing "how to gain muscle" on YouTube.
In that case, you'd wanna make a how-to video
or an explainer video to address what it is
that they're actually going through.
The consideration stage is when someone is now aware
of a few potential solutions to their problem
but they're trying to choose that right solution.
So they might be typing something in like
"best supplements to build muscle".
In that case, you'd wanna make a YouTube video
that is informative and is lightly touching on your product
without being too in your face.
The decision stage is when someone is ready to buy.
So they might be comparison shopping
between two of the best options.
So if they're on Google,
they might be typing something in like
"whey protein powder versus plant-based protein powder."
So in that case, you could create
a blog post that's persuasive
and addresses any fears or objections
that the customer might be having
before they can actually seal that deal.
So now that you understand the theory,
the next step is choosing which channel
to do your content marketing on.
So I think too many brands are spreading themselves too thin
by trying to tackle
all the channels at once.
I would say just aim to master one
before moving on to the next.
And remember, you do not need to be everywhere.
You just need to be where your audience is hanging out.
Hopefully you've put a little bit of thought
into the type of person that your business is serving,
like what's their age, what's their income level,
where do they live,
what are their values, attitudes, and lifestyles,
because answering these questions are gonna help you
understand where they're spending their time online.
So when it comes to choosing a channel
for content marketing,
you could create e-books, you could do blog articles,
YouTube videos, podcast episodes,
you could do TikToks, you could do Instagram posts,
Instagram reels, all that stuff.
Now, is there really a format that works best?
Not at all.
You just wanna make sure that you're choosing one
for your brand that works
and one that aligns with your interests
and your talents as well.
So if you're good at writing,
maybe start a blog, maybe an email newsletter.
If you're a video nerd, you can try YouTube
or TikTok or Instagram reels.
Once you've chosen a channel,
here's how to get started with content marketing.
First, you're gonna wanna set your goals.
What do you wanna accomplish?
Do you wanna grow an audience,
do you wanna get more sales,
or are you trying to retain your existing customers?
Next, you're gonna wanna figure out your style
and you're gonna wanna find some proven topics as well.
So check out a competitor to find inspiration.
You're gonna wanna take notes
on the kind of content style
and the kind of topics that are doing well.
Like look at the social posts.
What has a lot of comments and engagement?
And you can also get topic ideas
from online communities like Reddit as well.
Also, you can create content by finding a keyword.
Now, whether you're publishing on Google
or YouTube or TikTok,
a lot of content marketing platforms use keywords.
So what you can do is you can use Google autosuggest
to find things people are already searching for
around your topic.
And a pro tip is to use searches related to
at the bottom of Google search results,
and that's gonna help you find variation on your keywords.
Create and publish content.
So if you wanna stand out from the millions of posts
that people are making every single day,
then your content needs to be pretty amazing. (chuckles)
So try not to focus just on quantity.
You also wanna focus on quality.
You wanna consistently give your audience
an amazing experience.
So cut the fluff,
make sure that your content is very engaging,
and no one is gonna watch your content,
if they're not clicking on it in the first place.
So make sure that you're paying special attention
to making your headlines, descriptions,
and your thumbnails A1.
And of course, you're gonna wanna make sure
that you are promoting your content.
Don't just publish your content on one platform,
call it a day.
You wanna make sure that you're distributing it
on websites, content roundups, email newsletters,
and you can also boost your content with a little bit
of paid spend.
So like a boosted Facebook post,
or a YouTube discovery ad, or an Instagram promoted post.
And of course you're gonna wanna make sure
that you are tracking your performance.
Make sure that you're setting measurable goals
for you and your content
so that you can review your analytics
and adjust your content creation as needed.
Now, no matter what platform you're choosing,
you wanna make sure that you're focusing on three metrics,
that's traffic, engagement, and conversions.
If you wanna learn more about creating a marketing strategy
and creating A1 content,
then you might wanna sign up
for this free online course.
When you do sign up, you're gonna get instant access
to a free marketing plan template
along with dozens of other playbooks
to help you take your business to that next level.
You're gonna learn how to create content
that breaks through the noise,
provides value for your audience,
and, most importantly, makes you more online sales.
So you can get to it by clicking the link right up here
(chuckles) or down in the description box.
And do not worry, it's not gonna stop this video
so you can just open it
in a new tab and keep watching this video here
and it'll be waiting for you when we're done.
Okay, so here are my top 10 content ideas
that you guys can be using for any business.
In this case, we're gonna use a supplement business
as an example.
So let's start.
Topic number one, X versus Y.
So an example for a headline could be like
Whey Protein Versus Whey Isolate:
Which One is Better for You?
Another topic idea could be
I tried X and here's what happened.
So this is very popular these days.
I've been seeing a lot of this especially on YouTube.
So your headline could be like,
I Tried a Keto Diet for a Hundred Days
and Here's What Happened.
Here's another one.
If you're doing X, you're doing it all wrong.
So If You're Drinking Protein Shakes in the Morning,
You're Doing it All Wrong.
We got another one. This is what X says about Y.
So like for example, it could be like
What Arnold Schwarzenegger Says About Bulking Season.
(laughing)
I literally can't believe I just said that.
I mean like I've literally never bulked in my life.
But basically in this example, you wanna make sure
that you're using a person who has authority in your field
and a topic can be something
that's potentially controversial
so this will get people excited and curious.
Some other ideas.
You can do a review video.
Like your favorite gyms in the area.
It's probably best not to review like competitor brands,
but try reviewing something
that's complimentary to your business.
You could do a best of list.
Maybe like Best Workouts to Get Bigger Arms.
We are on fire guys.
What about an Ask Me Anything session with your founder?
So that would be something like a livestream vibe.
And I love this idea because you can really get
a real connection with your audience
if you are using a founder and someone's face
in front of the camera.
You could do a community spotlight.
Just literally interview fitness instructors
in your neighborhood
or interview fitness instructors online.
I feel like you'll really need to focus
on a theme for this to work though.
Like instead of just being like
interviewing the best fitness instructors.
You wanna be like the fitness instructors
with the most unconventional training methods,
something like that.
Okay, how 'bout this topic?
The truth about X.
The Truth About Gaining Muscle, for example.
Actually, nah, scratch that.
I feel like so many people came out
with the truth about videos
that it's just like so overdone at this point.
And that kinda leads me to my next point.
There are definitely trends
when it comes to content marketing
and sometimes they get overdone.
But when a trend is really hot and it's emerging,
you could and definitely should participate in trends
because that'll a hundred percent help you gain
a lot more traction and get in front of a lot more people.
Here's another one.
Why I will never do X again.
So like Why I Will Never Do Another Sit-up Again.
That's a spicy one.
I don't know what that's gonna be
but I'm definitely trying to click on that one.
So see what I mean?
You definitely wanna come up with content
that is gonna spark curiosity.
And by the way guys,
a lot of these topics have the word "I" in them,
but if you are the type of business
that uses the royal we,
then make sure you're just subbing that in.
Okay, I got another one for you.
How 'bout what you don't know about X
but are too afraid to ask.
And I think this is really perfect for anyone
that has a bit of an elite industry
and you're maybe like trying to break
some of those walls down, you know what I'm saying?
All right, so I feel like I said I had 10 ideas
but I think that was 11 honestly.
Math was never my strong suit.
But yeah, you guys got a bonus tip
so there you go.
Now I know what you guys are thinking.
You're thinking if I'm just creating content,
how am I gonna be making money off of all that?
(poof)
(funky music) If you are starting to release
content for marketing
and you don't yet have a website,
then you have a problem,
because you need a place to send your customers.
But don't worry, you can make a free website
in a matter of hours
on the world's leading e-commerce platform.
Claim your free trial today
by clicking the link in the description box below.
(record screeching)
Guys, literally this video
right here is content marketing.
Our goal obviously is to help you guys
as business owners primarily,
but at the end of the day,
if you wanted a Shopify subscription,
I mean I wouldn't be mad.
(smooth music)
Okay, so think about it this way.
Let's say it's January, you're ready to turn a new leaf,
you're like, okay I'm ready to get
that hot summer bod, right?
So what do you do?
You're gonna be like, okay, you're gonna open Google
and you're gonna be like, okay, what do I need?
I need a gym membership, I need supplements.
So you're gonna Google supplements
and you're gonna start doing some research.
You're probably gonna click on some blog articles,
you might watch some YouTube videos,
and then all of a sudden you're like, oh, it's late.
I have to go walk my dog, right?
You close your laptop, you walk the dog.
Day later you're like, oh my god,
I forgot about my hot summer bod. (laughing)
And you open up your phone
and you start doing some more research.
And then you start realizing you're like,
oh I've been seeing this brand name a lot
like over and over again.
They must be pretty good.
You go over to their Shopify store,
you buy the product, you're done, right?
Well, all that content that you've been consuming,
the YouTube videos, the blog articles,
that was likely just content marketing.
And that's your journey as a consumer,
but as a business, you can really take advantage
of that journey and use it to sell your products
and get rich and take over the world.
(upbeat jazzy music)
So it's important to create your own content, of course,
and market it on your own channels, yes, as well.
But you also wanna consider linking up with some bloggers,
some influencers, content creators,
people that actually have a platform
and you can get your brand name out there.
Not gonna lie though.
Content marketing can be really hard
because on the one end you're trying
to sell a product, right?
But on the other hand, you're trying to like be this cool
and funny and personable brand
that's like also not trying to sell a product.
You know what I mean? (chuckles)
So here are some tips on how to keep it super real
while also getting conversions with your content marketing.
First of all, if it feels cringe, don't do it.
Take it from me, sometimes I look back
at some of the marketing stuff that I've done
and I'm just like, oh God, no, you know?
So just take it from me.
Be yourself, be real,
and really stand behind your content.
Second tip, guys who likes sandwiches?
This is what you're gonna do.
You're gonna make a sandwich.
You're gonna format your content like this:
content, call to action, content.
And the reason we're doing that
is because it makes being advertised to,
like the blow of being advertised to,
just a lot lighter.
Like who remembers TV?
Good times TV.
That was literally a content marketing sandwich
at its finest.
It was like television, commercial,
back to the television program,
and people came to watch the content
and got sold to in the meantime, right?
Also on the topic of sandwiches, my dog's name is Sandwich.
What are your guys' pet's name?
I only wanna hear funny names in the comment section.
Leave 'em down below.
Okay, all that being said,
if you're like, I'm still having a hard time
creating content that actually feels natural
and is selling a product,
then what you can do is you can just find an influencer
to do it for you.
You know, super easy.
There's gonna be tons of influencers
in your niche that are really good at this.
And you can be like, take it away,
and they'll do it for you.
So if you want a good app that's gonna help you
find some influencers,
I'd recommend that you check out Carro.
It is a free Shopify app.
There's a free plan available
and it's gonna connect you to influencers
that already know about your brand
and already stan your brand.
The way that Carro works is it will be able to tell
whether influencers are following you on Instagram
or they've purchased from you,
or they have subscribed to your email list,
and it'll give you a list of influencers,
and then you can reach out directly to them,
and that'll help you find some influencers
that actually care about your brand
and can speak intelligently
about your products and your services.
Now, the thing about content marketing
is that it actually never ends. (laughing)
People are constantly needing new content to read and watch.
So for you guys to stay organized,
I will drop a calendar template for you
in the description box, and it is gonna be
a free downloadable template
that will hopefully help you out
in your content making journey.
So that is the final piece of bread
in this content marketing sandwich.
Thank you guys so much for tuning in.
If you haven't already subscribed,
make sure that you are subscribed.
This channel is Learn with Shopify,
an official Shopify channel
that's gonna help you start, run,
and grow an online business.
So if you're an entrepreneur,
make sure that you're hitting subscribe.
Also, be sure to like this video
because it does help our video do well and our channel grow.
But other than that, thank you guys so much for tuning in.
My name is Michelle Bali and I'll see you guys
in the next one.
Bye.
(upbeat smooth music continues)