Customer loyalty can be hard to earn, but it can also be easy to lose. So how do you win their loyalty, let alone attention?

The best way to keep your customers coming back time and time again is to put together a content marketing strategy that consistently keeps your brand in their minds.

This article walks you through seven different ways you can use content marketing to build customer loyalty while getting those customers involved with your brand and turning them into advocates of your business!

1) Identify your brand advocates:

Start by identifying your brand advocates. These are people who are most engaged with your brand and will always advocate for you. They may not be customers yet, but they like to get updates from you on Facebook or Instagram , or sign up for your email list.

You can identify them through your social media following, direct contacts, search engine marketing campaigns, and online advertising efforts. Once you know who these people are, talk to them about ways you can help their businesses grow through content that educates and entertains.

Now that you’ve identified some of your top fans, start engaging in two-way conversations with them. As an example, I’ll focus on their postings on social media, and when they have a marketing issue, I’ll jump in and offer a solution.

2) Document their story:

Hearing a customer’s story is one of, if not THE, most powerful ways to communicate your brand’s identity and build a deep emotional connection with your audience. These stories also make for great content, which you can repurpose and share across your social media channels and website.

Conduct live interviews and do podcasts to share their story. But don’t stop there: Get creative! Take what you learn from these interviews and use it as inspiration for unique visual content like infographics or video interviews that show off your expertise. The more time you spend learning about your customers, their struggles, goals, and dreams—the more likely they are to become loyal brand advocates who will buy from you again and again.

3) Add a twist to each new piece of content:

When you publish new content on your website, give it some spin. Infuse it with your brand’s personality. Insert some opinion, or a different point of view than most people would be used to.

Be creative! You want to inspire your audience, and keep them coming back for more.

Here are a few ways to add a twist every time you create something new  –

• Give it a headline that will grab attention.
• Make sure you know what keywords they use when searching for information like yours, then make sure those words are in your title. This is called keyword optimization and is an important step in SEO (search engine optimization).
• Use images that complement your content.
• Add a call-to-action at the end of each piece of content that encourages people to take action on something you’ve mentioned in your post.
• Link out to other websites or blogs where readers can find more information about a topic that interests them if it’s outside of your expertise or focus area.
• Add a video or infographic where appropriate.

Here’s a bonus tip: To know how you can take a single pillar article and make it into something new, read the article – How content repurposing can amplify your brand’s presence online.

4) Engage customers in the community:

Take advantage of customer-engagement platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Quora to get feedback from potential customers. You may even find that they’re more than happy to share their own experiences using your product or service.  And if you don’t have a social media presence yet, now is a great time to start building one.

Another way to stay connected with your customers is by sending emails (email marketing). The key to being on top of your customer’s mind is to use value-driven content that engages them on a regular basis.  To ensure you are using the right words for higher conversions, read this article 25 Magical Marketing Words To Use.

5) Offer simple value propositions with each new release:

As a business owner or  content creator, your goal is to offer valuable resources to those interested in what you’re sharing. If you can consistently offer something that your audience will find useful and exciting, they’ll be more likely to trust you and continue following what you have to say. And trust is just one step closer to customer loyalty.

You want people to know that when they come to you for information on your topic of expertise, they’ll get their money’s worth.

So try offering simple value propositions with each new release: What will my readers learn from reading or watching? How can I help them? What are three ways I could make their lives easier? Or better?

6) Create a loyalty club with rewards points and benefits:

You could set up a program in which customers earn points every time they buy your product or service and then can redeem them for merchandise, free products, discounts or even cash. To maintain their customers, the retail industry takes advantage of a natural instinct people have of wanting to collect a new prize or gift each time they return to the store.

Make sure to communicate with your customers and make it clear what they can do to increase their benefits. This will help them remain loyal to you and continue buying from you.

7) Keep giving your fans reasons to talk about you:

When you give your customers a reason to talk about you, it’s easier for them to spread positive sentiments. Create contests and other fun ways to get people engaged and invested in what you do. This will help ensure they are talking about your brand on social media channels and that they aren’t just saying good things—they’re taking action based on it as well.

Finally, It’s not just about your product—it’s about building relationships with your customers. Providing insights, information and thought leadership on topics relevant to your industry shows that you care about more than just the profits. It’s a great way to build a loyal customer base and brand yourself as an expert in your niche. Put these tips into action, and watch how easily you can grow your audience over time!

If you want to take your customer engagement to the next level, schedule a complimentary call with me to discuss your business objectives. Let’s boost customer loyalty through the use of tried and tested content marketing strategies.