Content Marketing: Building a Brand and Making Money

Have you come across the term “Content is King” lately? We guess that you most certainly have. The content creator market is booming and is set to reach an all-time high of USD 412.88 billion by 2021. Traditional advertising is no longer adequate nor beneficial in a world where the majority of the population thrives online. Businesses both big and small have realized this and are leveraging content marketing to consolidate their digital presence and rope in new clients. It indeed is an exciting time for content creators to earn big bucks. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds.

The explosion in opportunities has also resulted in intensification in the competition in the industry. If you have some experience in the industry you would have come across a sea of writers vying for a single writing gig irrespective of the niche. With the market nearing saturation, it is only natural that writers do what they do best - write. Your prowess with words can take the form of content writing which if utilized effectively can help you define yourself as a brand in the industry. Here are some ways in which you can use content for personal branding:

 

Blog Weekly

Blogs are a building block of every content marketing strategy. According to a survey, blogs are the fifth most trusted source of information globally and therefore are vital to content marketing. As a content writer, you can blog on a variety of topics and engage audiences from an array of domains and niches. However, expertise is valued highly in the industry. Defining your niche plays a central role in defining your brand and the value you bring to the table for your clients. As a beginner, you should blog three to four times a week. Keep in mind, the blogs are a direct window to your writing skills and a handy sample to send across to a prospective client. Also, it consolidates your online presence as an author. With Google emerging as a go-to medium for finding experts on topics, your blog could lead you to the big break you are looking for. With a bit of SEO optimization and other SEO techniques, you can garner enough audience to monetize your blogs while roping in new clients. Can marketing can get any better?

 

Build a Strong Presence on LinkedIn

LinkedIn has revolutionized the way employers and prospective candidates connect. Seventy percent of the total work global force is comprised of passive talent who are not actively seeking job opportunities. The figure itself is a testament to how the platform offers a plethora of opportunities to candidates. An active presence on the platform can be highly beneficial for content writers. One way to do so is to periodically upload posts that add value to client businesses and portray your expertise in a particular niche. For instance, you can post an elaborate piece on a new and coming technology on LinkedIn. Through this, you can attract both small and big businesses who are the lookout for hiring a content writer or manager. Additionally, you can use the platform to promote your blogs and gain traction in the corporate world.

 

Guest Posts

A byline in a reputed online blog or magazine speaks volume about your prowess and expertise in a niche. Becoming an active contributor to well-known blogs and magazines could open the floodgates to new clients. Getting your articles published on these sites automatically adds significant weight to your profile and portfolio. It also translates into big clients approaching you for work. While the idea sounds simple, the process of getting an article or blog posted on a reputed site is an uphill climb. You will need to start slow and consistently cold call organizations until you finally find a way in.

 

Online Courses

Selling online courses may be the fastest and most effective way to build a brand and make money as a content creator in a particular niche. For viewers interested in investing in learning the skills you possess, a course can be the ticket to establish yourself as a credible expert and get paid at the same time.

The new platform Skills Co. offers to help content creators build a healthy stream of income by leveraging YouTube and Google traffic. Here, content creators can upload video courses for free and earn 90% profit from every course sold, while Skills Co. helps market your courses online. If your goal is to make the most money, with the least effort, they suggest a dual approach of uploading tutorials on YouTube, directing viewers to a more in-depth course on Skills Co. Then, once the course gets traction, their team will optimize the SEO for your course for free, potentially leading to free Google search traffic.