Here’s why your online course needs a content strategy
A content strategy is a crucial element of any digital product launch for a therapist. Whether you’re selling a 1 hour online workshop or a six-week self-paced course, we can’t simply create a digital product and expect people to find (and buy from) us. We need to build awareness, we need to educate them and we need to create connections with our audience first and foremost.
We do this through content.
Quality content establishes you as the authority in your field, it showcases your expertise and it piques curiosity. If your audience likes your content and they want to know more, then you’ve “warmed” them up as a customer. It’s the difference between pitching your course to someone you’ve been hanging out with weekly over a couple of months, compared to someone you’ve just bumped into on the street. Which person is more likely to buy from you? Who is more likely to trust you?
That’s right, it’s the one who you’ve established a relationship with. The other is likely to run a mile.
In digital marketing, these are known as “touchpoints.” Typically, a customer needs about 8 touchpoints with a seller or product before they will commit to buying. So the delivery of quality, value-driven content creates those touchpoints to bring you closer to a sale.
As health professionals, it can feel a bit “icky” to think about marketing tactics, but the reality is, if you’re running a business, marketing is a necessity. When you create content, you’re not simply saying “look at how great my course is, please purchase it,” what you’re actually doing is showing them how great it is by sharing educational content. The content builds trust, it educates and piques curiosity. It also helps overcome barriers to enrolling in the workshop or course, too.
How does a content strategy benefit your launch?
The three main benefits of creating a content strategy for your course launch is:
Grow your audience
Sharing content, such as longform blog posts, will help grow your audience. The more people’s radar you get on the more opportunities there will be to connect with the people who will most benefit from your course. Some people will be ready to commit to a course within a few touchpoints, for others it could be months before they are ready. Both are valuable.
When you share your content, ensure you have a call to action. This means directing your audience to the next step. This may be to sign up to your mailing list, or to learn more about the topic with a link back to your website. This is especially important when you share your content on social media platforms, you want to bring them across to your own website where they can learn more about who you are and not simply scroll and move on.
2. Establish authority
When you give value through quality content, you establish authority and position yourself as the “go-to” person in your field. The more you are on someone’s radar the more likely they will turn to you when they are ready to solve their problem. Showcasing your expertise allows people to come to their own conclusions about whether you and your product is the right fit for them.
3. Educate
A good content strategy will educate your audience. This doesn’t mean sharing all of the great content you’ve included in your workshop or course, rather it’s educating people on the importance of your topic and why they should care about it.
Content should also target barriers to enrolling in your course. This could be anything from whether the course is right for them or if it’s the right time to be doing the course.
How do you create a content strategy for your online course?
I’ll share three essential ingredients for a content strategy for your online course.
Write longform content (blog posts) to educate and engage your audience. Create this content on a regular basis. One post per week is a great start. You can also batch write your articles and schedule them ahead of time.
Share your content. Post snippets of your blog posts and links back to your website across your social media. Lead them back to your website. You can also repurpose the blog posts for your email list. Send weekly newsletters to your audience with links to your latest blog post.
Continue to build your email list. Ensure there is a pop up form on your website to capture visitors’ emails.
Recap
A content strategy will grow your audience, establish authority in your niche, educate your audience about the topic (so they’ll want to learn more), and ultimately help you reach your sales target on your online course or workshop.
Need some help creating a content strategy for your online course or workshop launch? Get in touch for a content coaching session or take a look at my blog template and prompts in my online store.