THE CONTENT CONVEYOR BELT

Thanks for sticking with me! Time to get into the good stuff …

The Content Conveyor Belt is a visual for the basics of content marketing. Everything here is inspired by Copyblogger’s Content Marketer Certification program. (Including this handy infographic!)

If you want to get deep into this stuff, you should spend the time and money as I did.

But if you want the basics for free, read on.

IT’S ALL ABOUT AIDA: ATTENTION, INTEREST, DESIRE, ACTION

Let’s start at the end …

ACTION: WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO?

Buy, donate, attend, enroll, etc. Sure. But be more specific.

What exactly do you want people to buy? Which product do you want to drive them toward? Nonprofits, what program do you want people to donate to? What will motivate them the best?

You’re going to make this bold ask in an action-oriented email. Starting planning for it.

NEXT, think about how you’re going to motivate them …

DESIRE: HOW WILL YOU POSITION THEM FOR THE ASK?

What will whet their appetite for your product? Or to support your program?

Your task is to get your audience right into the shoes of people who have won with your product, who have benefitted from your service.

The best way to do that is with stories. You’re going to put these into intimate, inviting emails.

NEXT, think about how you’ll make them want to read your stories …

INTEREST: HOW WILL YOU MAINTAIN THEIR ATTENTION?

How are you going to get their email address and keep them on your list? Two ways.

First, you are going to create a landing page that offers a high-value, downloadable piece of content (such as an ebook) for free, so long as they give you their email address.

Then, you are going to hold their attention with a series of autoresponder email messages (“welcome emails”). These will make your audience feel welcome and let them know what to expect from you.

NEXT, think about how you’ll get them to the landing page (this one is sooooo important) …

ATTENTION: WHY SHOULD THEY CARE?

We have finally come to the beginning of the Content Conveyor Belt.

Your primary tool to create interest in your product, service, program, whatever, is your blog. You will publish blog posts that help your audience solve problems so they learn to like and trust you.

Your headlines are going to be attention-grabbing. They will start with words like “How to … “ or “10 Reasons Why …” and end with EXACTLY what your reader has been struggling with.

You are going to promote these blog posts with social media, your email list, and personal emails to individuals you think would be interested.

TOMORROW I’ll tell you more about how to write blog posts that hit the mark with Blogging for Good.

Thanks again for joining this email list. I promise to bend over backwards to give you as much value out of it as I can!

Sincerely,

Matt

Now telling YOUR story