Social media marketing, online marketing, digital marketing… Whatever term you use, all of these forms of marketing have one thing in common: Content. When you create great content, your customer base will find you relevant, helpful, and approachable. That’s the first step to forging relationships that are mutually satisfying and profitable.
Creating the right content is always a learning process. Ideally, you will first research topics of interest to your target audience, and then continue to evolve that content as trends shift. Google Alerts has emerged as one of the most effective tools to help you do exactly that.
Here’s how it works:
Google allows you to set up an “alert” for just about any topic or keyword. So for instance, you can create an alert for weight loss, health insurance, business tips, or any topic that might interest you or your target audience. Then, whenever Google discovers recently published content within the category of your alert, they will notify you via email with links to that content. You can then easily find and use the info for your own education or to get new ideas for your business.
Setting up Google Alerts can help you grow your business in multiple ways, such as…
Keep an Eye on Your Industry
Stay on top of industry trends, and continue to develop your business according to the latest knowledge and expectations. Naturally, you always want to meet (and exceed) client expectations!
You might also gather ideas for your own blogs and social media posts. You want your readers to view you as their go-to expert on all things related to your industry. Providing news on the latest developments will help you grow that reputation.
Get to Know Your Clients Better
Follow topics that tend to concern your client base. For example, if you serve the Senior population, you might follow topics on retirement, Social Security, Medicare, estate planning, and so on. If your target audience is millennials, you would set up alerts on topics that appeal to them.
The idea is to understand the daily lives and concerns of your clients, and current trends within those topics. One of the best ways to form a relationship is to immerse yourself in their world. Now you can better relate to them, and create content that will appeal to them.
Monitor Your Competitors
Establish a Google Alert that notifies you whenever the competition posts new content. Knowing how they are serving clients will give you insight on what clients might expect, and how you could potentially do it better.
Now you can keep pace with others in your field, anticipate their next move, and maybe even beat them to the punch. You never want the competition to provide for your clients’ needs, before you do!
Setting up Google Alerts is easy! Just visit this page and follow the instructions. And if you have questions about creating content that appeals to your target audience, give us a call or send an email. We will be happy to explain the digital marketing process in more detail.