How Content Creation Can Benefit Your Business

Publishing is a powerful way for businesses to communicate their message to the world. However, in today’s digital age, publishing has taken on a whole new level of importance and scope.

Publishing used to mean creating a printed publication such as a book or magazine, but now businesses can also leverage the power of digital publishing to reach a much wider audience in more versatile ways. And the wider the audience, the greater likelihood of boosting profits.

There are many different types of content that businesses can take advantage of to reach new customers and increase profits. In this article, we will explore five types of publishing:

• Blogs
• How-to and informational videos
• Print and ebooks
• Podcasts
• Webinars

Let’s get started!

Blogging is one of the most powerful publishing tools for business because a blog can be search-engine-optimized to reach a large number of potential customers. The blog posts that are created on your business website will be indexed in search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo increasing the likelihood that potential customers will find them when searching online.

By publishing regular blog posts, businesses can increase traffic to their website as people will be more likely to link to and share the content. Blog posts can also be optimized for search engine queries making them more likely to show up higher on the search engine results pages. This means not only more traffic to each particular blog post but the overall business website as well.

Through publishing high-quality content, businesses can raise their profile and become known as an authority in their industry. This increased brand awareness can lead to more customers and higher profits.

Another way businesses can leverage the benefits of publishing is by guest blogging on someone else’s blog. When done correctly, guest blogging can be a great way to establish expertise, reach a new audience, and refer them to your business website for more information.

Publishing videos on the internet (sometimes referred to as vlogging, video blogging, orvideo marketing) can be another powerful way for businesses to reach a large number of potential customers. These videos can be used to demonstrate products or services, provide tips and advice, or just convey information about the business.

Video blogging can help businesses increase website traffic as people will be more likely to link to and share the content. In addition, each video post and its accompanying description can be optimized for search engine queries making the video more likely to show up higher on the search engine results pages.

You can choose to host your video blogs on your business website or on another platform such as YouTube. The benefit of hosting your videos on YouTube is that you can take advantage of the large number of people who use the site every day.

Once a video has been created and posted on your website or YouTube channel it can also be repurposed for other things such as your social media channels, sales letters, or other video marketing efforts.

The necessary equipment for publishing videos will depend on the type of video you want to create. If you are aiming for studio-quality videos you will need a more professional setup, but the list below will get you started and may end up being all you need.

• Camera – Smartphone, computer camera, or a DSLR camera.
• Microphone – Try using the built-in microphone on your phone or computer, or invest in a stand-alone microphone.
• Tripod – A tripod will help to keep your camera steady and prevent blurry videos.
• Video editing software – This is not required but can help create more professional-looking videos.

Publishing a book can be a very powerful way for businesses to promote themselves and amplify their message to the world. Not only do books give businesses credibility and authority, but they also provide a platform for the business to share their knowledge and expertise with a wider audience.

In addition, publishing a book can also be a very lucrative venture. As businesses become more and more specialized, there is a greater demand for books that focus on specific topics or industries. This means that businesses that publish books have the potential to reach a large number of readers who are interested in what they have to say.

There are three common ways to publish a book. Each method has its pros and cons, so be sure to researchhow to publish a book thoroughly before choosing which method you want to go with.

Self-publishing is the publishing of a book without the involvement of a traditional publishing house. There are several self-publishing platforms available online that make it easy for authors to publish their work.

While self-publishing gives authors the most publishing control, and at the lowest cost, the author will need to have graphic design, editing, and layout skills—or be able to hire for them—and will incur a much larger amount of time involvement.

Publishing through a traditional publishing house can be complicated, time-consuming, and give the author less control over the final published product. But this method can also add credibility, increase the likelihood your book will be available in bookstores, and put the marketing of the book in the hands of professionals.

The first step to publishing through a traditional publishing house is to find a literary agent. A literary agent is someone who represents authors and helps them find a publishing house interested in the author’s book.

A good place to start looking for a literary agent is through theDirectory of Literary Agents.

Some authors find hybrid publishers to be the best of both worlds. Hybrid publishers (also called assisted self-publishing companies) provide some of the services of a traditional publishing house while still giving the author control over their work.

Before contracting with a hybrid publisher, it is important to do your research and make sure you understand what services they provide and how much they charge. Spend some time finding and going over the company’s reviews. If there are any negative reviews, look at how the company handled them.

Shop around on price, too, before committing to a hybrid publishing company. Prices can vary widely, so be sure you know what you’re getting for your money. You’ll want to factor in the company’s services, reviews, and past publishing successes.

Podcasting is another publishing tool that businesses can use to reach a large number of potential customers. A podcast is a digital audio file that can be downloaded from the internet and played on a computer or mobile device.

Businesses can create their own podcasts or be guests on someone else’s podcast. Creating your own podcast gives you complete control over the content and allows you to build a following of loyal listeners.

Being a guest on someone else’s podcast is a great way to reach a new audience and get your name out there. When choosing to be a guest on a podcast, make sure it would be of interest to your target market.

• Computer – Either a laptop or desktop computer to record and edit the podcast.
• Microphone – Use the built-in microphone on your computer or invest in a stand-alone microphone.
• Recording software – This is not required but there are many free and paid options available that can help create better-sounding recordings.
• Headphones – Used during recording to hear the playback and make sure the audio sounds clear.
• Editing software – Not required but can help clean up recordings and add effects.

Webinars are online seminars that are usually presented in real-time and include audio and visual components. They can be used to provide information about products or services, offer tips and advice, or just share information about the business.

In addition, webinars can be recorded and made available to viewers after the live event. They can also be repurposed for your video marketing efforts.

Create a script – The first thing you’ll need to do before you host a webinar is to create the webinar script. The webinar script is the foundation of the presentation and will include an introduction, the body of the presentation, a conclusion, and a call-to-action if you have an action you want your viewer to take. Choose a topic that would be of interest to your target market and can directly result in sales.

Choose a platform –You’ll need to choose a webinar platform to host your webinar on. There are many different webinar platforms available, both free and paid. Some popular platforms include Google Meet, Zoom, and Demio.

Practice – Once you’ve chosen a platform and written your script you’ll want to practice then record a test run. Do this until you feel comfortable hosting the webinar live.

Promote – The final thing you’ll need to do is promote your webinar and direct potential attendees to your sign-up page. You can promote your webinar through email marketing, social media, or paid advertising.

Now that you understand the different types of publishing and how they can benefit your business, it’s time to get started. Pick one or two publishing channels and create a publishing schedule. The important thing is to be consistent and keep publishing new content on a regular basis. Doing so will help you reach more people, build trust with your audience, and ultimately increase profits.

Working with a SCORE Mentor can help you determine which type of marketing would work for your business to best reach your target audience. Click here to schedule a free mentoring session.

This article was written by Teri Ambrose and originally appeared on Score.