This week I’m all abuzz about what’s clearly surfaced in my reading as the Golden Rule of Internet marketing: publish content unto others as you want it written unto you. In other words, worry more about appealing to your buyers than crowing about your business – which is, after all, what you prefer when you’re searching the Web for answers.
We humans are self-centered by nature, and that tendency certainly extends to business marketing. What subject do we know best? Our own business products and services, of course. Traditional marketing (ads, billboards, collateral material, etc.) focuses on “our position” and “our message.” Internet marketing strives to answer buyer questions and fulfill buyer needs. Unfortunately, many businesses treat websites as an extension of a traditional marketing plan, like a snazzy, multi-panel brochure. That’s not making good use of this powerful tool.
Like me, you may have heard the phrase, “content is king,” but content that uses the buyer’s words (search engine optimization) and solves a buyer’s problems (a reason to stay on your site) reigns supreme. So, instead of crafting messages about your product or worrying about how to position yourself among the competition, put yourself in your buyers’ shoes and provide them with the information they need to make informed decisions. Figuring out their needs does take work (interviews, research and planning), but in the end, it pays dividends.