Internet consultants and the field of digital marketing have emphasized the importance of content repeatedly and the significance of great content will not diminish with the passing of time. In fact, it will only become greater. We continue to see a rise in the number of small and medium businesses adopting integrated content marketing strategies to engage with customers and prospects. We also see an increased adoption of trends such as responsive web design, targeted content distribution, and use of visual content.

The increase in the number of customer touch-points has introduced several new complexities for us. Content strategies will need to accommodate the multi-device world your consumers live in. Irrespective of the device used, marketers need to develop content structures that enable optimal viewing experience to consumers. While HTML5 is still a bit away from its "official" launch, website design needs to be more responsive to the viewer's screen size.

Where should

my content go?

* The increasing demand for audio-visual content and the availability of devices that enable anytime access to video content will make it necessary to invest in this format.

* The increasing popularity of Pinterest is an opportunity to repurpose both your existing and new content as a visual medium.

* Look at ways to use Instagram and make your consumers become your content generators.

* Advancements in marketing automation systems, its integration with social media platforms, and new, user-friendly measurement tools give you the ability to understand content effectiveness.

Google is driving the conquest for content. They're undoubtedly steering the content marketing ship, as they have always done. The latest Panda updates give a glimpse into what we can expect in this direction. It clearly indicates that only quality content will work to get you ranked higher, but it also has highlighted the growing prominence of social media.

It seems that search experience optimization (SXO) is now becoming the new SEO. Make sure to stay updated about developments in the Google world to inform yourself of the latest trends and changes. Google is also your best friend if you want to know what your competitors are publishing or to find out about important events in your industry. You can use this information as ideas for your own content development.

For starters,

simplify strategy

Create an editorial calendar and prepare a strategy to update your content regularly. Integrate your strategy across all content media including print, digital, and social. Create an inventory and prepare a plan to reuse your best content. Prepare a strategy to improve your reach across social media channels. Measure and analyze the impact of your content. Understand which content is driving the highest levels of engagement with your prospects and customers, and then optimize in this direction.

Be relevant

- and consistent

Develop a consistent message across all your content assets. Use social media to promote your content across multiple channels. Leverage its growing importance in search engine optimization (SEO). Visually express ideas and populate your LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pinterest, Facebook, Google+, and Instagram accounts. Convert your text content into interesting presentations that can be uploaded easily. Then share the link and integrate social sharing across all your online marketing outlets.

Readers will only visit your blog or website if you post fresh and compelling content on a regular basis. Articles and white papers can be converted into multiple blogs. And all of these artifacts can be re-purposed into an audio-visual format or a webinar. This will help you reach various types of audiences and increase your visibility.

Though most of the information we provide is easy to understand, some of the technical aspects may be a bit overwhelming. Actually incorporating these ideas and implementing the strategy and tactics provided can be very difficult for a business owner who already has enough on her or his plate and struggles with managing the little time they have to handle the more "urgent" tasks required to run a business day to day. That's why Internet consultants and digital marketing resources like us exist. We are here to take some of the weight off your shoulders. We have carried the torch for many businesses just like yours and find that it's quite relieving for the business to be able to trust that we will always keep their interest and success at the top of our priority list.

We have seen businesses try to do it all on their own, and it's just not possible these days unless you hire a full-time employee dedicated to handling and focusing only on your digital marketing. We have also seen people try to use a smaller company that claims it's cheaper - and usually isn't local. When businesses decide to work with us, we find that many of the companies they previously used are simply hacks, claiming to do work for the client but providing no reports to show any results, with billing amounts just big enough to make a profit and just small enough for the client to pay the bill without questioning its legitimacy.

We at WSI Media One are here to help our local businesses, period. We provide a complimentary Internet Business Analysis along with a Webscan to at least give you the information you need to make an informed decision. We believe that whether you decide to work with us or not, every business owner, especially in this economy, is entitled to the truth - the right information and the tools to succeed in the digital world.

Jacob Myong is a WSI Internet Consultant with the Cd'A Press. He has worked in Digital Media for over 15 years. You may email him at Jacob@cdapress.com or call 208.416.5173. Visit www.cdainternetmarketing.com

Need help?

Always feel free to call the experts for help: 208-416-5173