In today’s fast-paced world, where technology is evolving faster than ever before, businesses face the daunting challenge of delivering more with limited resources. The marketing team, in particular, feels this pressure the most. With new tools and channels constantly emerging, marketers must be resourceful and efficient in creating compelling content that resonates with their target audience. In this scenario, cornerstone content can be the saving grace for marketers. But what exactly is cornerstone content? And how can it be created effectively?
Cornerstone content is a term used to describe the most important content on a website, which can be used to attract and retain visitors. This type of content is often evergreen, meaning it remains relevant for a long time and serves as a foundation for other content on the site. It is also comprehensive and covers a broad range of topics related to the industry. Creating such content is no easy feat, but it can be achieved by leveraging the knowledge and expertise of your operations team.
Many marketers believe that they only need to understand the basics of the industry to create content that resonates with their audience. However, this is far from the truth. To create content that truly stands out, it is essential to have a deep understanding of the industry and its trends. This level of knowledge can only be obtained by spending time with the operations team, who are in the trenches every day and have a wealth of knowledge and insights to share.
To get started, simply listen to the technical conversations that take place amongst the operations team in your organization. Attend interviews and ask WH-type questions to get a deeper understanding of the industry. You will be surprised at how many high-quality content ideas and pointers you can gather just by actively listening and asking questions.
Once you have gathered all the information, the next step is to create long-form base content. This could take the form of a podcast, whitepaper, or even an eBook. This base content should cover all the important topics related to the industry and be as comprehensive as possible. This will serve as the foundation for all other content you create in the future. From there, you can spin out smaller content pieces such as blogs, infographics, short presentations, etc. that are focused on specific topics related to the industry.
The key to success with cornerstone content is to ensure that it is high-quality, comprehensive, and evergreen. It should provide real value to the reader and be a go-to resource for anyone looking to learn about the industry. By creating such content, you will establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry, which can lead to increased brand recognition and trust from your audience.
Once you have created your cornerstone content, it’s time to publish it and measure its impact. The latest tools available today make it easy to gauge the impact of your content on new business. You can track metrics such as page views, time on page, bounce rate, and even track conversions to see how your content is performing. This will help you identify which pieces of content are resonating with your audience the most and adjust your content strategy accordingly.
In conclusion, creating cornerstone content can be a game-changer for businesses looking to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry. By leveraging the knowledge and expertise of your operations team, you can create high-quality, evergreen content that serves as the foundation for all other content on your site. This will help you establish yourself as a go-to resource for anyone looking to learn about the industry, which can lead to increased brand recognition and trust from your audience. By publishing and measuring the impact of your content, you can identify what works and what doesn’t, and adjust your strategy accordingly. This way, you can generate high-quality content that rules the market without having to spend any additional resources, making you more productive in the long run.
