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6 Components of a Best-in-Class Content Marketing Plan

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Having the best content marketing plan in your industry is a proven way to get more attention and more customers. 

Content marketing is more than just having a blog. You need a comprehensive strategy focused on a defined audience. When this happens, you should see your revenue start to grow.

This guide will explore the six components every best-in-class content marketing plan needs to successfully attract your ideal customers.

Key Takeaways

  • A content marketing plan is strategic documentation of your content goals and production.
  • A documented content marketing plan typically leads to more effective results.
  • A content marketing plan defines your content goals, creates audience personas, and delves into competitor research.

What Is a Content Marketing Plan?

Content marketing is producing and releasing various types of media to draw in new audiences and customers. A content marketing plan involves strategic planning and distributing your content marketing materials.

A content marketing plan typically includes a content calendar where you plan the topics you will cover, the format it will be in, and when you will publish it. You should produce multiple types of content to reach a wider audience. This content may include:

  • Blogs
  • Videos
  • White papers
  • E-books
  • Photos
  • Infographics

Why You Need a Content Marketing Plan

Being spontaneous with your marketing tools usually does not lead to good results. According to the State of Content Marketing 2022 Global Report, 81% of companies who reported unsuccessful content marketing results did not have a content marketing plan. Compare this to the 78% of respondents who had successful results thanks to their documented content strategy. This is why having a thorough content marketing plan is so important.

Businesses with a content marketing plan tend to see better results than those that don't.

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If you have ever experienced any of the following situations, you need a content marketing plan:

  • You don’t know what type of content works best for each channel
  • You have run out of ideas for content
  • You don’t know what topics your audience connects with the most
  • You forget to post your content

This video goes into more detail about why content market is important and how to build your strategy.

Build a Best-in-Class Content Strategy with These 6 Components

A documented content strategy is much more likely to produce productive results. To achieve a best-in-class content strategy, make sure you include these six components.

1. High-Level Content Goals 

Your content marketing strategy must have well-defined goals. If you don’t know what you want to accomplish, it will be hard to know if your strategy is having an impact.

Here are some common content marketing goals:

  • Increase brand awareness
  • Attract a new audience
  • Expand into a new market
  • Recruit new talent
  • Conduct customer research
  • Increase the average customer lifetime value

While all these goals are valid, be careful not to have too many goals at once, as this could dilute your efforts. At the most, focus on three goals at a time.

2. Brand Story 

All your content should tell a cohesive brand story. While each piece of content should be different, they should all fit together to tell a complete story. When creating this story, make sure you tell it from your customer’s perspective. You need to focus on your customers’ priorities and their problems.

Some companies make the mistake of producing a single blog post or “About” page and then never telling their brand story again. There is always something new happening. Share these details and reframe past events to keep your brand story in the spotlight.

3. Audience Personas 

An audience persona is a characterization of your ideal target audience. While you want your audience to turn into customers, not everyone reading your content will be a customer. They could be readers or viewers who appreciate your content and share it with others, who become customers.

Your audience personas should be well-researched and based on real data, not assumptions. You gather this data from your customers and content consumers.

You can use some of these methods:

  • Customer interviews
  • Social medial surveys
  • Sales calls
  • Support requests
  • Conversations at industry events
  • Customer satisfaction surveys

With the information you gather, you can create your customer personas. You should craft these like they are a real person. Include a short bio, their pain points, their goals, and what they are looking for in a business like yours.

Audience personas are an important part of a content marketing plan.

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4. Competitor Research

A thorough understanding of your competition’s content can help guide your strategy. You should not copy their content. Instead, look for gaps in the market to differentiate yourself from your competitors. You have your own unique brand story to tell and unique audience personas to appeal to. While competitor research is important in your content marketing plan, be careful not to spend too much time delving into the competition. Use your energy to create your own unique content.

5. Keyword Focus 

One of the key benefits of valuable content is that it becomes an excellent traffic source from organic internet searches. You can achieve this by incorporating specific keywords into the content.

As part of your content marketing plan, you should create a list of short-tail keywords (one or two worlds) that are primary drivers for your business. As a medical supplier, these could be the names of some of your products.

For single pieces of content, you should also focus on long-tail keywords (short phrases) that correlate with the content.

6. Publishing and Promotion 

In your content marketing plan, you must decide what types of content marketing you will use and where and when you will publish each piece of content. You also need to decide how much effort you will spend promoting your content. This will not be the same for every piece of content.

  • What you do every time: Create a list of low-effort tasks you will do with every piece of content. This could be emailing your subscribers and sending out a few social media posts.
  • What you do for high-level content: Your larger content, like whitepapers or e-books, will require special consideration. Make sure the promotion level matches the amount of effort it took to produce the content.

Get the Best Content Marketing Plan with Share Moving Media

As a medical supplier, you need a content marketing plan focused on the right audience. At Share Moving Media, we dedicate ourselves to giving our customers access to the customers they need. 

We are a full-service media company focusing on quality content through blogs, videos, articles, e-books, and webinars. We want to help you succeed.

Ready to learn more about our content marketing strategy? Contact Share Moving Media today to get started.

Why Medical Suppliers Need to Create Content Distributors Can Use

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The world of medical sales is competitive, with over 10,000 establishments in the U.S. alone. As a medical supplier, you know that you need to sell your products and services to get the revenue you need. But you also know you must build a relationship with your customers. They need to know who you are, what you are offering, and why you are the best choice for them. This means more than just selling to them; it means adding value to their lives. To do this, medical suppliers must create content that distributors can use to market their products and services.

Your job as a medical supplier is to help your customers see you as an authority on the subject matter they are discussing. While many customers searching for medical products and services will sometimes look up medical suppliers directly, they will likely run into distributors first. 

Distributors are the ones who are most likely going to be selling your products and services to their customers. They will tell your customers who you are and what you are offering, and they cannot do that without the right content. 

Key Takeaways

  • Distributors use your content to educate themselves and buyers, so having high-quality physical (or digital) content at the ready is crucial.
  • Without the right content from medical suppliers, distributors cannot communicate the benefits of your products to buyers.
  • Supplying your distributors with high-quality content can help build brand recognition and trust. 

Benefits of Creating Useful Medical Supplier Content for Distributors
Medical suppliers have a lot on their plate these days when it comes to running their businesses. Not only do they have to think about their own daily operations, such as their supply chain needs and customer service, but they also need to think about their distributors and how they can help them sell their products. 

Medical distributors are the big movers when it comes to getting your products into the hands of doctors and patients. While you have a lot of control over the products you sell and the services you provide, your distributors are the ones who will likely make the final sale. However, to do this, you must provide them with the right tools and resources, and this comes in the form of content. 

From product descriptions to how-to videos, the content that you provide your distributors can make or break their ability to sell your products. In today’s digital world, distributors will often provide information to their customers through text and video. This means that you need to have on-the-go content that distributors can use as a quick and effective way to answer questions or concerns that buyers may have about your products. 

You can also use content to establish yourself as an expert in your field. Either way, the content that you provide your distributors is vital to not only their success, but yours as well.

5 Types of Content That Medical Suppliers Should Be Creating for Distributors

Many medical supplies and equipment distributors offer their clients professional advice on what medical supplies to use in what situations. However, as a distributor, they must first educate themselves on the products they are selling and the medical supplies they are recommending. From there, they can provide the correct information to their customers.

Therefore, as a medical supplier, you must create content for distributors to use for themselves and their customers. Here are five types of content that you can create to help your distributors:

1. How-To Articles/Guides

Arguably one of the most beneficial types of content you can create for your distributors is how-to articles and guides. These pieces of content are useful for several reasons, including: 

  • They are easy to read and understand
  • They are written to inform, educate, and answer questions
  • They guide the reader on how to use a specific product or inform them on how a service can address their particular pain point, concern, etc.

How-to articles/guides are designed to be a go-to resource for distributors and customers alike. They are a great way to provide your distributors with the information they need to be successful. So taking the time to put care and detail into these pieces of content is essential. 

Source: Biologics By McKesson

2. Case Studies

Case studies can help your distributors and customers better understand how to use the products you offer and best use them to address their needs. They also show your distributors how your products have helped other people. This can help build trust and help your distributors feel more comfortable selling your products.

3. Research Studies

Research studies are designed to provide facts and figures that prove why your products are superior to the competition. This is especially important when trying to convince distributors to carry your products. Taking the time to put together a well-researched study can significantly impact those on the fence about whether or not they should carry your products.

4. Video Content

Videos provide information to your distributors and customers that they can refer to anytime, making them one of the most successful types of content. Video content is often much easier to break down and understand than text, which can be especially helpful when explaining the benefits of your products to someone unfamiliar. 

Here’s an example:

5. Informative Blog Posts

Blog posts can inform your distributors and customers about new products, services, and programs that you offer. They can also keep your distributors and customers up to date on the latest news and developments in your industry.

Example of an informative blog post targeting medical distributors and how they can prevent healthcare product shortages. 

Image Source: Repertoire Dail-eNews

Create Content Your Distributors Can Use with Share Moving Media

Content is the backbone of any marketing strategy. It can help build a strong connection between your brand and your customers. However, when it comes to medical suppliers, content is also a great way to help your distributors. 

By creating content that your distributors can use to answer questions, provide guidance, and help build your brand awareness, you can help them better serve your customers, leading to more sales for your business.

Here at Share Moving Media, we can help you build and execute a content marketing strategy that will help you not only connect with your customers, but help your distributors do the same.

Are you a medical supplier needing guidance on creating content your distributors can use? Contact us at Share Moving Media today, and we’ll help you get started.

Outstanding E-Book Examples: The Powerful Content Marketing Tool You Might Be Missing

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What do a killer content marketing strategy and your next vacation have in common? E-books. Too many companies underestimate the impact that e-books can have in attracting high-quality leads, building their brand, and developing trust with potential customers. But data shows that e-books as content marketing tools are on the rise. In a recent NetLine study, e-books were the number one most requested marketing content. Take a look at these outstanding e-book examples to discover how to make e-books work for you.

Key Takeaways

  • E-books help position your brand and attract high-quality leads.
  • Your e-book should meet an unmet need for your potential customers.
  • The best e-books are formatted professionally to reflect the writer’s brand and values.
  • An effective landing page is a vital component of your e-book strategy.

The Benefits of E-Books as a Content Marketing Tool

Why are e-books such a powerful content marketing tool? Creating an e-book has many benefits, from positioning you as an industry expert to generating more high-quality leads. With an e-book, you will:

Offer Value

E-books are one of the best ways to build value with your audience. Many people worry about giving so much information away for free, thinking their e-book will replace the need for their services. In fact, the opposite is true.

Your e-book is an example of the expertise you can offer clients. By giving it away for free or at a low price, you are giving potential customers a substantive sample of what your services can do for them. When you demonstrate the value you can provide, you build confidence and value in your paid services too. 

Example: software company Devsu offers its e-book on “Tech as a Revenue Driver” to address one of its customers’ key goals. It offers quality insights that can directly assist its clients and demonstrates the value it brings to the table with its services.

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Generate Leads

E-books are an effective lead magnet: a free item you give away in exchange for the potential customer’s contact details. It’s not easy to convince people to part with their valuable contact information. However, if you give away professionally presented, in-depth information in exchange, people will likely perceive it as a worthwhile trade.

That’s why e-books are an effective way to generate leads that convert. They offer a win-win situation: your audience receives valuable and substantial insights, and you receive the contact information of people who self-identify as needing your service.

Example: fitness company Transform offers a free e-book of hunger control shake recipes. Its lean contact form makes it easy for anyone interested in weight loss to sign up for its book. The company can follow up knowing that these potential customers already need its products and services.

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Build Your Brand

Forty-six percent of consumers prefer a brand they know and trust. That’s why e-books are a fantastic opportunity to position yourself in the marketplace and build audience understanding of what your business offers.

Your brand can really shine in an e-book. Every page of your e-book, from the layout and color scheme to the content itself, will convey important messages about your brand, including:

  • Who you are
  • Your points of differentiation
  • Your level of expertise
  • Your brand’s purpose and values

E-books help build familiarity with potential customers, translating into higher brand recognition and more leads.

Example: utility company Surple uses consistent imaging throughout its e-book to convey its brand identity and values.

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Position Yourself as an Authority

When we refer to experts, we often use the phrase “they wrote the book on the subject.” Books, including e-books, carry weight and convey a sense of authority. Providing your valuable insights and expertise in e-book form helps position you as a thought leader and authority in your industry. This translates into greater recognition, trust, and ultimately sales.

Example: social media expert Gary Vaynerchuk‘s e-book “How to Make 64 Pieces of Content in a Day” is an impressive resource that clearly positions him as a leader in his field.

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Writing an Effective E-Book: Examples of How to Use E-Books in Your Content Marketing Strategy

Not all e-books are created equal. To implement an e-book as an effective component of your content marketing strategy, several important aspects must be kept in mind.

Choose an E-Book Subject That Meets Your Potential Clients’ Needs

Like any marketing content, it’s important to consider your audience carefully. You should identify your target audience and choose a topic that fulfills a need. Potential customers are significantly more likely to download an e-book that addresses their unmet needs.

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Example: cyber security company Celerity offers its e-book on “Cyber Security Priorities” to educate potential customers looking for ways to improve their cyber security. The landing page and e-book target the reader’s unmet needs.

Format Your E-Book Professionally to Reflect Your Brand

The best and most effective e-books are:

  • Visual
  • Interactive
  • Easy to digest

Think beyond the words to how you present them. Your e-book is a reflection of your brand, so it’s important for the formatting and presentation to look professional, clean, and consistent with your brand. 

Example: Dropbox‘s e-book “Don’t Let Large Files Slow You Down” effectively uses white space and graphics to present the information in easily digestible chunks.

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Entice Potential Customers with an Effective Landing Page

Your landing page is another vital aspect of implementing your e-book successfully. It should:

  • Tell readers exactly what to expect
  • Give them a preview of the e-book
  • Display social proof in the form of testimonials and reviews

These elements help convince potential customers that your e-book offers them value, making them more likely to provide their contact information in exchange.

Example: this e-book from hosting platform Flywheel offers a stand-out landing page example. The page is attractive and easily digestible. When visitors scroll down, there’s a visual preview of the chapters, giving them a clear idea of what they can expect to learn.

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This Flux Academy episode goes into depth on five crucial elements for an effective landing page:

Outsource Your E-Book to the Pros

When creating an e-book for your content marketing strategy, there’s a lot to consider. Fortunately, Share Moving Media is here to help. Our content marketing specialists know how to craft unique and compelling e-books to help you build your brand and attract the leads you want. 

Contact us today to find out how we can boost your business with an e-book.

5 Tips for Effective Healthcare Organization Content Marketing

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Publishing great content helps establish your brand’s expertise and authority while building trust among your audience. For healthcare organization content marketing, this opportunity comes with benefits and challenges.

This article explores best practices to help your content marketing strategy succeed.

The pandemic impacted how many businesses approach content marketing. As consumer needs and expectations shift, marketers face new challenges to make an impact on their audience.

If you’re ready to boost your healthcare organization’s online presence with the power of content marketing, keep reading to learn more.

Key Takeaways:

  • Content marketing is more cost-effective than traditional forms of marketing, and it generates more traffic and leads.
  • Healthcare organizations are in a unique position to leverage content marketing since many people seek health-related information online to self-diagnose or research treatment options.
  • Content creators should understand their target audience and focus on their area of expertise as they plan out a content calendar for consistent publishing.

Why Should Healthcare Organizations Prioritize Content Marketing?

The third most common online activity in the United States is seeking online health information. Eighty percent of adults have sought health-related information, especially about a specific disease (66%) or a treatment plan (56%).

Organic content is a highly effective marketing channel for healthcare organizations. Mayo Clinic, for example, has become a leading online authority with global reach thanks to strategic content marketing. If you’ve ever Googled a health-related query, you’ve probably seen a Mayo Clinic article ranking among the top results.

Content marketing isn’t a new concept, but it has become a critical component of most marketing strategies over the last few years. Nearly 70% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing.

When you consider that content marketing costs an average of 62% less than traditional forms while yielding approximately three times as many leads, it’s easy to see why.

Healthcare organization content marketing allows professionals to reach their audience online. Well-written, informative, relevant content builds authority, fosters trust in an institution, drives organic traffic, and continues to perform for months and even years after being published.

5 Tips to Optimize Your Healthcare Organization Content Marketing Strategy

Content marketing is has become a highly competitive field. Simply churning out large quantities of poor content isn’t going to help your brand rank on the search engine results page (SERP) or give you a return on your investment.

To create effective content, follow these tips:

1. Understand Your Target Audience 

Before you start writing, you need to know who will be reading your content. It’s tempting to write about topics you enjoy, but it’s much more important to write about what your audience wants to read instead.

For example, is your target audience potential patients or medical suppliers? Is your goal to provide health advice or boost medical device sales? The topic, tone, and vocabulary in your content will be drastically different for those intended audiences.

Take the time to research your audience demographics and understand what kind of content they prefer to engage with. From there, you can start brainstorming topics and determine what content forms and channels you’ll use. 

2. Focus on Your Expertise 

The most successful content marketing strategies target a well-defined niche rather than a broad subject. “Healthcare” or “medical field” is way too vague and has too much competition with thousands of other content creators targeting those keywords.

Your healthcare organization’s content marketing plan should focus on its area of expertise. Not only does this increase your chances for Google to understand your website and rank your content, but it also allows you to build upon your authority in your field.

If you’re an eye doctor, for example, readers are likely to trust your articles about eye health. They’re much less likely to feel you’re qualified to give advice for a sprained ankle. 

3. Write Like a Human 

Most people searching for health information on Google won’t be looking for advanced scientific studies filled with technical jargon.

Healthcare organization content marketing can sometimes struggle to find balance between demonstrating academic authority on a subject and connecting with average readers.

Remember that search engine optimization (SEO) ranks content that is useful and easy to read. Keep your audience in mind and use language they understand. Break up text with headlines, bulleted lists, and graphics so people can easily skim to find information.

People like to feel connected with doctors and medical staff on a human level. Encourage this by sharing videos, posting on social media, creating interactive content, and engaging with your audience in the comments.

While engagement is important, your organization should have clear guidelines set in place for appropriate conduct. All content must comply with HIPAA, and your team should know when to escalate issues and advise people to contact 911 for medical emergencies.

4. Use a Content Calendar for Consistency 

Data suggests that 63% of businesses don’t have a documented content marketing strategy. That impromptu approach often leads to topics that haven’t been thought out, long periods between publishing, and last-minute scrambles to think of an idea.

In addition to creating high-quality content that meets basic SEO guidelines, publishing consistently is one of the keys to a successful marketing strategy. A content calendar will help your team stay organized, plan ahead, brainstorm ideas, and stay on track to publish great content consistently. 

5. Refresh and Republish Old Content 

The biggest investment with content marketing is time. For that reason, republishing old posts that are still relevant is an effective way to get more mileage out of that content rather than rewriting it from scratch.

In some cases, this technique can maintain or even improve content traffic and SERP rankings. When repurposing existing content, make sure to:

  • Update old outbound links to more recent sources and studies
  • Verify that internal links aren’t broken
  • Refresh the content
  • Update the headline (if applicable) to more accurately target a focus keyword

Develop an Impactful Healthcare Content Marketing Strategy

The pandemic changed the way people seek, view, and interact with content online. Is your team ready to face the challenges of content marketing and adapt to the ever-changing guidelines and best practices?

Following the tips outlined above will help you get started on the right foot, but it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Contact us to speak with our seasoned team of healthcare content creators and see how we can help you plan a winning marketing strategy today.