Content marketing seems to be all the rage these days across the online landscape. However, with every company now executing a content strategy it can be hard to tell if your efforts are actually paying off. It used to be enough to publish a blog, and call it day, but sadly, that’s no longer the case.
In this post we’re going to cover a few useful metrics you should be tracking to determine if your content marketing efforts are actually working. Or, if it’s time to adjust your sinking strategy.
1. Increased Website Traffic
Traffic is one of the most obvious indicators that something you’re doing is working. If you’re producing multiple kinds of content, and aren’t seeing an increase in total traffic, then that’s something you need to address.
The total increase in traffic will depend upon how competitive your niche is, and how much energy you’ve been investing in your content strategy. By using a tool like Google Analytics you’ll be able to determine which sources the biggest traffic increases are coming from, and optimize those channels accordingly.
2. Rankings Growth For Specific Keywords
Your SEO and content marketing strategy should overlap. If you’re seeing your website rise in the search engines for the keywords you’ve been targeting, then you know your content strategy is working.
If there hasn’t been a change, then you should focus more on optimizing your content effectively.
3. Increased Number Of Backlinks To Your Content
If you’ve been creating high-value content, then you should be seeing a change in the total number of backlinks that are linking to your blog posts. If you’re producing high-quality content, and are promoting it through the proper channels, then the total number of backlinks should grow.
If you haven’t seen the number of backlinks increase, then try creating longer-form content that’s very actionable, or highlights other companies in your niche.
4. Growth In The Number Of Social Media Shares
There are a variety of media specific metrics that suggest your content strategy is working. These metrics will spend upon the type of content you’re creating. For instance, this could show up as the total number of podcast downloads, the total number of social media shares, or the view count on your YouTube videos.
The media metrics you’ll be looking for will spend upon the style of content you’ve published.
5. Increase In Total Number Of Conversions
What counts as a “conversion” for you will depend upon your business’s goals. This could mean increased phone calls, a new product order, an email subscriber, or something else entirely. If you’ve seen that number rise since you’ve started to execute your content marketing plan, then chances are your strategy is working.
Are you interested in a content strategy that’s geared towards the needs of your company? Then get in touch with our C7 Creative team.
