It’s no secret that it takes helpful content to rank well in Google.
It’s also not a secret that having more helpful content is better than having less.
Don’t believe me? Watch this insightful video from AT&T:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGS90HEbP5U
Clearly, more helpful content is better. Glad we can all agree on that finally.
Better ranking in Google (Search Engine Optimization) leads to more traffic…which hopefully drives more leads and sales. There it is – not a direct, algebraic equation, but a clear correlation and causation between helpful content and revenue dollars.
Barrier to Entry: Content Creation
Many companies see the value, but only a few are actually making the investment to get to the critical mass of helpful content required to see significant ROI. [And there is a critical mass. According to HubSpot’s 2013 State of Inbound Marketing Report, visit-to-lead conversion rates rise significantly with more blog posts (50+ seems like a magic number), content offers, etc.]
Creating content is a barrier to entry that prevents thousands of businesses from successfully leveraging the single place that the vast majority of searching customers go first for answers.
The Answer? Repurposing Content
Too many businesses stress out about creating brand new content. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
If you’re an industrial manufacturer like JADCO Manufacturing or Alpine Cutter, take your spec sheets, your product brochures, and your FAQ documents and convert them into blog posts, content offers, and interactive pages.
Repurposing content may require some reformatting work and even some copywriting, but if you can leverage the intellectual property you’ve already created, why would you not repurpose? The costs are reduced, time is saved, and you’re helping your audience at the same time.
Don’t assume that you need to create new material only – even if it’s older material, if it will add value to your target audience, use it!
Content Repurposing Example: Industrial Training International
Zack Parnell started pursuing inbound marketing for ITI in 2009, and faced the same content creation hurdle that many businesses run into.
ITI had already created tons of articles and newsletters, and Zack was able to repurpose that content as blog posts and digital downloads.
The effect, according to Zack, “was awesome – immediately our lead count went through the roof.”
The results for Industrial Training International are pretty spectacular and have made a long-lasting impact. They’ve been able to average a 2x annual revenue growth rate, and a 172% increase in lead volume.
What Are You Waiting For?
What intellectual property and content could you repurpose to grow your online lead generation machine? If you’re having trouble figuring it out, read through Inbound Marketing 101 to get an idea of how the whole system could work to grow your business.
Want More Tips To Help Grow Your Sales?
Repurposing content is a great starting point, but there’s a lot more you can be doing to grow sales. If you’re the kind of person who likes learning, or you just want to have the handbook on your computer for whenever you think of it, download this eBook and learn how 8 Companies Are Closing More Sales Than Ever Before.