How Content is the Key to Connecting with Customers in Clean Tech

Travis Morgan 566 Views 3 min read Share

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Ever wonder why a blatant sales pitch sends customers running for the hills? It’s not that they don’t like you; it’s that they don’t know you. Luckily, content provides the opportunity for consumers to develop a familiarity with your business through quality conversation. In clean energy, conversation is vital to relieving customer concerns and skepticism. To ensure that you’re producing content that’s connecting with customers, here are some key points to keep in mind:

Vary Your Content

There’s no one-size-fits-all model for content. You have to mix it up. Blog posts are excellent for industry updates and how-to articles. In terms of word count, there are some limitations, though. For cases where you feel like you’re writing a book, it might be better to actually write one. Try your hand at forming some of those long posts into an eBook. If it seems that you’re writing the same post over and over again, it’s probably true. Keep things fresh by staying up-to-date on trending topics. Also, pay attention to the questions that your customers are typing into search engines. Don’t be afraid to experiment with short and long form content. Typically, the sweet spot tends to be between 600 and 800 words. Having said that, there are benefits to using both short and long form content. Short posts with targeted questions encourage visitors to comment, while longer, more authoritative pieces help you climb up the SEO ladder.

Update Regularly

Content marketing is all about building relationships. This takes time and consistency, so speak to your customers often through your content. Even if you’re only posting once a week, it’s best to stick to a schedule. This gives your visitors an idea of when to expect updates. Outside of irrelevant content, nothing sends readers packing more than a source that looks inactive. This isn’t to say that you should value volume over quality. Quality is the one thing that you never want to compromise. Still, the more you post, the more chances you have to interact with your customers. Striking the right balance takes some trial and error. But if you’re reliable and consistently available, it will go a long way towards building trust with your customer base.

Don’t Give It All Away

We’ve all experienced the frustration and anxiety caused by cliff-hanger endings. As nerve-racking as those moments can be, they always reel us into the next episode. Content creation works in a similar fashion. Let’s say you’re churning out a variety of content at a steady pace and your readers couldn’t be happier. You’ve answered all their questions, so much so that they don’t come back to visit your blog as often as you’d like. How can you entice readers to keep coming back without skimping on the choice information? Start by giving them just enough of what they want to hear. For instance, if you were to write an article on the basics of how solar panels operate, it’s only necessary to briefly mention photovoltaic and solar thermal energy. By teasing your readers with a short intro to these concepts, you pique their curiosity and invite them to learn more in another post. This could even turn into several other posts depending on how you frame it.

The Bottom Line

In short, leave a little mystery. It creates more questions that your customers will be dying to know the answers to. Content is a key component in connecting with customers. However, creating engaging blog articles, eBooks, and materials is only half of the battle. Now that you have your audience’s attention, the next step is to continue to nurture that relationship to a qualified lead. To learn about what’s needed to develop an effective Content and Inbound Strategy, grab our free eBook here! If you have any questions about how to get started with an Inbound Strategy for your company, don’t be shy, reserve a time to speak with us here. We’re happy to help!