Content marketing is still as lucrative today as it’s ever been. While blogs, guest posts, and news updates do generate SEO juice, one of the best ways to give back to your customers and get something in return is to create a guide or a how-to.
While creating a guide may seem easy, putting together a professional-quality resource is anything but. It’s as much about the presentation and accessibility as it is about the actual content and information.
Still, the low creation costs mean digital guides — whether an eBook, audio file, or video — are incredibly promising.
As Bill Gates once said, “Content is king.”
The How-To: Creating Expert Guides for Your Customers
To get eyes (or ears) on your content, you need to stand well above the competition. Beyond persistence, there are some things you can do to spruce up your content as well as improve the presentation.
Focus on “Must-Have” Information
Every guide promises to impart valuable knowledge, when in reality that’s rarely the case. Part of that is because the author overpromises, but it’s also because there was never much information to share.
Instead of focusing on creating the best guide with the most successful advice, focus on what’s useful. Build the resource around “must-have” information that’s usable immediately.
The driving question should be, what are your customers getting out of the guide? Are they learning how to do something? Are you helping them improve a skill or talent? Are you sharing industry-specific information they can apply to their experiences?
Choose Your Medium
After you know what message you’ll be sharing, it’s time to choose the presentation medium. Will you be creating an eBook? Would the message make a suitable video on YouTube or social media? Can you host a regular podcast series or even a one-time event?
You should consider the reach of the medium, but also the best way to share the message. If visual content is a part of it, then it may be best to create a video, host a livestream, or hold some kind of event, local or otherwise.
Meanwhile, if a hands-on experience is necessary, then you’ll want to be face-to-face with your students. Text, or video, for that matter, isn’t always the best option.
Create a Content Plan
It doesn’t matter whether you’re going to deliver a single content drop or a scheduled one over a long period. You’ll need a plan in place so that the experience is consistent and coherent.
What is the general theme of your content? What’s the message, and what kind of journey will you take your participants on to get there? Will you have guests or co-hosts? Will you deliver content that spans several mediums, from video to text?
Create a plan, optimize the plan, and stick to the plan. It makes the entire content creation process so much easier.
Test and Gather Feedback
Most creative endeavors aren’t a home run on the first at-bat. It happens every once in a while, but it’s not something you should expect. Applying this to the creation of a guide means you’ll have multiple releases, revisions, and updates.
Adopt a cyclical strategy, at least until you’re happy with what you’ve created. Invite small batches of readers or viewers to engage with and experience the guide, and then collect feedback. You’ll gain valuable insights into what they found helpful, where you might need more elaboration, and what isn’t working. Use that information to optimize the guide until it’s a tried-and-true resource.
The Where: 6 Ways to Provide Guides to Customers
With tips in hand, and hopefully the content created, you’ll need to decide where you’re going to share it. Here are some of the best ways to engage with your customers.
1. Ebooks or Digital Guides
Creating an eBook is one of the more common ways to provide a standalone guide. Most professional content is delivered in a PDF, downloadable to all, and readable on a wide variety of devices, including mobile.
You can also create a separate website or segment on your company’s website, with various pages dedicated to the guide. Other methods include using a writing portal like Medium or Tumblr or going all-out to develop an audiobook.
2. Podcasts
Audio podcasts are super popular, mainly because they provide a low-effort way for people to listen to their favorite hosts and content creators. You can listen to a podcast on your morning commute, for example, or during a workout. Video podcasts are also popular on YouTube and other platforms.
Whichever medium you choose, podcasts are a more interactive way to provide how-to content and guides. Think of it as a radio show, albeit one that’s usually pre-recorded. They can be released as a series, an ongoing show, or in smaller increments. Use whichever format works best for sharing a message.
3. Livestreams and Video Events
Not to be confused with a pre-recorded video presentation, livestreams are precisely what the name describes: a live presentation in video format. You can use services like Twitch or YouTube, or you can use a more professional format like video conferencing tools to host a webinar.
Many live events offer viewers the opportunity to chat with presenters and weigh in on current discussions. They can ask questions, participate in live polls, add to the shared content with their experience, and much more.
4. Workshops
Best for engaging with a local audience, live workshops are another excellent form of guidance that professionals can host. They tend to work best for DIY-style projects, like what Home Depot offers in its stores.
During a workshop, you can share your expertise and valuable advice, answer questions, and work face-to-face with potential clients. The more successful workshops also see participants going home with something, whether that includes an informational packet or an item they made themselves.
5. Email
Email is another channel you can use to engage with your audience. But it tends to work best when combined with one of the other formats. For instance, you might announce the release of your eBook in an email newsletter, and then direct interested customers to the right portal for downloading or purchasing it. Sharing a portion of the guide in the email can help boost interest.
6. Members-Only
Some of the most renowned gurus and guide-related portals allow customers to buy a spot in an exclusive and members-only section. Through this format, they deliver their most useful information at a premium.
Just bear in mind that customers will be less likely to subscribe or pay if they’re not already seeing returns. You’ll need to provide at least some advice or guidance for free, unless you’re really, really good at marketing.
Accessibility and Marketing Are Also Critical
Once you’re satisfied with the content in whatever format you’ve chosen, you’ll need to ensure it’s accessible to your audience. Is it hosted somewhere they can find it easily, and do they have suitable opportunities to engage with you or your team(s)?
If the accessibility is right, then it’s time to promote the campaign. Share it on your social media accounts, send out an email newsletter, tell local clients, and create a dedicated page on your site. Start funneling people and potential clients to your guide, which should generate a lot of hype and create a cascade of attention.
Devin Partida writes about topics concerning tech and the internet. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of ReHack.com.
