When I first started my website, the traffic was very low and it felt like growth would take forever. However, everything began to change when I committed to a highly focused content marketing approach.
First, I intentionally identified my target audience and then researched the topics they cared about most. I used various keyword research sites to identify high traffic, low competition keywords, and planned out a content calendar based on them. Each blog post I wrote was optimized for SEO with eye-catching headlines, keyword related meta description, and internal links to previous posts on my blog.
I mixed up the format as well — blogs, infographics, short videos, etc., to keep readers engaged and made sure I shared every piece out to my social media accounts, I joined online communities where my niche lived and shared content there, and I repurposed longer blogs to create short digestible pieces of content for each social platform.
The main thing I focused on was value, value, value — I wanted to truly answer real questions, truly solve real problems or give actionable tips others could enjoy or use. Ultimately, over time my website became known as a trusted resource for my niche.
These efforts began to pay off in six short months. Website traffic increased by 300% and engagement metrics (time on site, returning visitors, etc) increased.
Content marketing is not about short term wins. It is about sustainable, intentional commitment to a content marketing strategy that will develop trust and authority over time. If you do it right, a content marketing approach can change your online presence.