Content marketing is still a hot topic in the digital marketing world, but for every believer there remains a skeptic. Even brand marketers who understand how the strategy could work for other industries have trouble seeing how it would work for their own. The fact is, content marketing can be an effective strategy for brands beyond traditional consumer-facing industries. One particular industry that could benefit from adopting content marketing is the accounting industry.
Matt Wilkinson, founder and CEO of BizInk recently conducted a webinar focused on the reasons why content marketing is a perfect fit for accountants. The opportunity to offer expert knowledge, differentiate from other businesses, move the conversation from compliance to business advice, get leads and help existing clients, Wilkinson argues, make content marketing a must for accountants. Add to that the fact that 61% of consumers say they feel better about a company that delivers custom content, and you’ve got plenty of reasons to make the jump.
Before setting up your company’s new blog, though, be sure to ask yourself and your team the following questions.
What topics can you offer expertise on?
Go into your editorial calendar creation with a plan in mind. Are there certain topics that your team is better equipped to tackle than others? What frequently asked questions can you effectively explain and offer advice on that could also set you apart from the competition? Take the time to discuss and identify what is and isn’t blog-worthy material.
Are there tools or worksheets you can offer?
People are always looking to take better control of their finances and the web is often the first place they turn to for assistance. Not only are they looking for advice, they’re also looking for tools that they can use online and off, from one month to the next. Are there tools or worksheets that you could develop and offer for viewers to use or download? Perhaps a tax preparation check list? Or a weekly expenses spreadsheet? Providing tools that people can use at home will help keep your firm top-of-mind, and give them a resource to turn to when questions pop up.
Are there natural thought leaders within the organization?
No two members of your organization are alike. Their areas of expertise and past experiences give them unique and valuable insights that you can easily build content around. Identify members who would be willing to have their name and face associated with posts and then gather advice from them. You may have to have a member of your marketing team actually pen the post, but being able to associate it with an authority will give it more value.
What is and isn’t okay for you to talk about?
We’ve seen first-hand that creating social messaging in highly-regulated industry requires a lot of teamwork and communication between departments. That’s why it’s best to determine pre-launch what is and isn’t acceptable to address, particularly from the legal team’s perspective. Creating these workflows ahead of time will save you time and headaches.
Hop on over to our content marketing section for more guides and strategy tips, tricks and advice.
