AMiable Solution #51: Something for Nothing: Content Marketing Q&As

These days, consumers want more from the organizations they support: more help, more insight, and more benefit without additional pressure. Content marketing does this.  It provides valuable information without a sales pitch.  Why do it when there’s no immediate benefit to you?  When done consistently and well, content marketing establishes your organization as an authority and as a trusted resource. The result?  An established or enhanced relationship, which ultimately ends in sales, donations, or other support.

Creating content requires time and effort, but it doesn’t necessarily require cash.  This month, we’ll look at four types of content marketing you can create in-house with at-hand resources.  We’ll start with Q&As, question and answer sheets.

Q&As provide inquirers with background information and explanations to common questions, concerns, and complaints.  Not sure how to get started or what questions to include?  Inspiration for questions can come from a variety of sources:

• Inquiries to your company.  Talk to your customer service and sales departments to find out which questions and which issues concern your clients, donors, or members.
• Changes within your organization.  Has your organization changed its name, policies, key personnel, strategy, or offerings?  Providing your market with explanations or background can make the transition easier.
• Changes in your industry. Emerging technology, evolving strategies and practices, and changing regulations.  If it affects your audience, they’ll want to know what you know you and how it affects them.

Answers to questions should be brief but as complete as possible.  Once you’ve created your Q&A, don’t post it on your website and forget about it.  Make a point of reviewing it and adding to it regularly, and use the information you’re providing for all it’s worth.  Include links to your Q&A page throughout your website--anywhere a Q&A-addressed term or issue is referenced and may need further explanation.   Then, use the topics addressed in your Q&A as inspiration for other content marketing efforts.