It’s a simple concept. In order to build credibility for your business, you must provide evidence that your services work. Incorporating unique, success-driven content on your website can help give potential clients an inside look into the value you bring to your niche. But what goes into making an informative and attention-grabbing spotlight post for your brand or service?
Our third installment of the Benefits of Blogging Series explores using different post types and content elements to spotlight your brand’s successes, and how it can influence the growth of your business as a whole.
How Do You Spotlight A Brand Success?
From the simplicity of project portfolios to the breadth of formal case studies, there are plenty of ways to create content around your business’ triumphs. Finding the right strategy and type of spotlight blog post is vital in promoting your brand.
For example, some services may require more context than others. A landscaping company might be interested in “before and after” portfolio pieces, as they center around purposeful photos with brief descriptions for each. On the flipside, a product designer may prefer to show off their work by stating the challenge and summarizing the process in full detail.
There’s no “one size fits all” method when it comes to spotlight posts. However, developing a connection between you and the audience is key to gaining their confidence. Ask the client you’re spotlighting to provide a quote or testimonial to get their satisfaction on record. Then, if applicable, link to any work located online or in articles to drive the point home. These are simple actions that can effectively boost your credibility to the reader and show off your real-world impact.
As brand spotlights can cover anything from a website update to specific sales data, presenting unique industry information to your audience can make a huge difference in setting your business apart from the competition.
Gather Relevant Data & Statistics
Before creating the spotlight, it’s important to gather the necessary data. Ask your client to provide you with the previous sales or productivity numbers before you delivered your product or service. Not only will this give you better insight into how you have improved their issue, but it will also provide you with valuable information that potential clients will be on the lookout for.
Remember, a spotlight blog post is supposed to build trust between you and the audience. Tell a story about how a customer overcame their problems using your company. By proving that you understood the customer’s objective and challenges, you can then relay how you were able to help them achieve a valuable result.
Does your spotlight post relate to a specific target audience? A targeted focus can help when telling a success story. Then, try to expand it to apply to all potential customers as the post wraps up. Use this opportunity to place the reader in the shoes of the customer your spotlighted post is about. Helping your audience visualize themselves achieving their own objective will allow them to relate to your offering, thus making it clear you have what they need.
As always, do your best to embed verifiable sources and evidence into your spotlight strategy. This can include images, videos, examples of the process, and more. Most people are trusting in nature, but it helps to know that you’re providing actual data and information that can’t be faked. Showing your data and improvements will help build credibility and back up your claims.
Optimize Your Content Properly for SEO
It should be no surprise that your spotlight post should provide valuable content and an interesting read; otherwise, no one is going take the time to view it. Be creative with the titling of the blog. Draw people in with unique content, but be sure to still maintain relevant keywords to help with your SEO ranking.
In order to get closer to your front-page goals, you should always publish these spotlights using the right SEO keywords for your brand. If you need a refresher, check out How Blogging Helps Boost SEO Ranking through proper research and strategy in our first blog of this series.
That being said, spotlight posts are meant to be informative, but you’re also trying to sell your business. Don’t be afraid to inject some personality into the copy. If your client feels you can successfully make a spotlight entertaining to read, they may feel more confident and comfortable using your services.
Share Your Successes With The World
In addition to the organic traffic gained through proper SEO, you can also show off your spotlights by utilizing email campaigns and social media platforms. We often use MailChimp as a great source inspiration and campaign organization. With a mailing list, you can deliver content directly to potential clients who have yet to pull the trigger.
Spotlight blog posts can also be posted to your social feed to gain further trust between you and your prospects. Just as it’s important to choose the right type of spotlight for your brand, housing it on the right platform will depend on the content. Facebook and LinkedIn are great for boosting wordy blogs and case studies, while platforms like Twitter and Instagram cater more towards visuals.
Read our second blog in this series about Providing Opportunities For Shareable Social Content through blogs and spotlights to learn more.
Ready To Get Started?
Talking is easy, but putting it into practice can be a lot harder. If you need help maintaining a business blog or want to begin creating spotlight content for your website, look no further. Square 205’s dedicated team of digital creatives can provide you with the right strategy and implementation to take your brand to the next level.
Contact us online or call us at 940-323-2341 today!
