By Kayla Matthews
The more marketing collateral you have at your disposal, the better – assuming, of course, that people are actually downloading those assets.
But the path from creating content to actually having that content be consumed can be a rocky one. Because of that, it’s important you do all that is within your power to encourage your audience to download your strongest assets, like case studies, eBooks and white papers.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at seven tips you can consider when trying to figure out how to get more eyeballs on your content.
1. Make Sure Your Content Says Something New
We’ve all been around the digital block enough to know that there is an infinite amount of content that says the exact same things.
In order to get people to download your assets, you’ve got to make them interested in it. The best way to do this is to say something new, even if it’s something as simple as updating a few statistics or revisiting a well-known concept in light of a recent study.
2. Remove the Barriers between Your Customers and Your Content
It’s completely understandable that you’d want to gate some of your strongest assets. You spent all that time writing and designing your newest eBook and you probably want to gather some info about the people who are looking at it.
However, keep in mind that your content is less accessible when you ask multiple questions of readers before letting them download it. Two or three questions is enough to deter a lot of people.
Instead, if you must ask for user info, ask for an email address and leave it at that. You’ll likely see your download rates increase.
3. Come up With Unique and Interesting Titles
In today’s digital world, consumers are essentially drowning in content. So write headlines, and then write them again and again.
As you continue to craft more headlines, you’re eventually certain to find one that stands out from the rest. That’s the title you should choose for your asset.
We’re all curious folks, so the more enticing the title, the more likely you are to get extra downloads. However, don’t write an amazing title without backing it up with some equally well-written content. That’s a good way to lose many of your subscribers and potential customers.
4. Promote Your Content Thoroughly
It’s important to keep in mind that your job creating content isn’t done when you’ve edited the last sentence. You need to promote your assets on social media, create blog posts teasing them and mention them in your newsletter.
It can be especially helpful to start envisioning your promotion strategy in the early stages of your content creation process, so you can design your content with specific social media sites and seasonal selling opportunities in mind.
5. Tease Your Content
Does your eBook or white paper have an attractive photo on the cover? You can make your assets stand out by showcasing their graphics.
At the end of the day, human beings are very visual creatures. Rather than just trying to promote your content with text, you might want to consider putting a thumbnail image on your site instead. An image certainly makes it more likely that you’re going to click on the asset than if you were just staring at text.
6. Give Away Freebies
To encourage more people to download your assets, why not launch a contest? For example, everyone who downloads your assets is entered into a contest to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Or, if you’re slightly more strapped for cash, consider offering a free consultation or audit specific to your industry.
Your potential customer gets something for free and you get to show off your business savvy.
7. Get as Many Reviews as Possible
You might think that your content is the best thing since sliced bread, and you may very well be right. But your customers will be more likely to take your word for it if others attest to your awesomeness, too.
To get reviews for your not-yet-published content, send it around to the appropriate industry pundits and see if they wouldn’t mind offering a two- or three-sentence review that you can use to promote your assets. Simply consider having them sign a short contract promising not to share the content with anyone else before its official publication.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel to enjoy increased content downloads. By keeping these seven simple tips in mind, you can get your painstakingly planned content out to more prospective customers.