In the content marketing world, it is common knowledge that content writing is one of the best ways to attract potential customers.

Local credit unions are no exception to this rule. In order to be successful in today’s competitive marketplace, any business needs to have a strong online presence and blog posts are an important part of any company’s digital strategy.

The key word here is “strong.” If you want your blog posts to work for your business (instead of against you), then there are certain strategies that need to be followed. Blog posts can be a great way to reach out, captivate customers with your company culture, and attract potential new members.

To implement a successful content writing campaign it should not come across as spammy and promotional. A good blog post is informative for the reader while still being engaging enough that people will want to read it all the way through.

In this article you will learn how content writing strategies can help credit unions grow, expand, and thrive. Some of these strategies can be implemented immediately while others will require a level of attention to detail, but they all will increase your brand awareness and attract more buyers into your credit union.

What and Why Content Writing

For background context, here are some common initial questions that many have asked when it comes to content writing and writing website content.

What does a content writer do?

A content writer is someone who writes blog posts, articles or other online content on behalf of a business. Content writers or web content writing can create content for websites and social media pages in order to help give companies an edge over their competitors.

Content writing involves blogging, article creation, copywriting and more but the most common type of content written by professionals are designed to provide value to their target audience.

A content writer is also responsible for researching the subject and creating an interesting story that will keep readers engaged while providing them with information about a company’s products or services.

What is meant by content writing?

Content writing is the practice of creating  content for a website in the form of blogs, articles, or other written communications. Content can be created and used to attract visitors who are looking for information on a specific topic; such as ask questions about your business practices so that they may feel more comfortable investing their money with you.

The reason content writing is important is because companies are given the  opportunity to connect with new customers and increase their customer base by building quality content.

Quality content is keyword-rich, informative, and unique; so that it can attract the attention of search engines. Keyword research includes searching for relevant keywords which are then used in order to create quality content. Quality content will help you rank higher on SERPs (search engine results page) which is where most people will be searching.

How do we maximize content writing?

Credit unions should consider the following strategies to maximize content writing when working through a campaign:

• target a specific audience with relevant information
• use SEO keyword research to increase search engine visibility and engagement rates
• plan ahead for different platforms, such as blogs or social media. The goal is not just quantity but quality of posts that will engage your target audiences
• show off your company culture and personality to give your content a vibrant look and feel

When you keep these four core principles in mind, you’ll start to experience the benefits of content on your website and social media. More people will engage with your material, be aware of your presence in the community, and eventually call you for your business.

How do I start a content writer?

The first thing to do is to decide what you want your content writer to write about. Be clear with your instructions and brief so that high quality content is priority for both blogs and social media posts as well. Content writers value guidance and direction.

You might hire freelance writers to start with, which will give you time to assess their content writing skills. A one person marketing team will love the additional support, especially if digital marketing, writing content, website content, landing pages, content strategy, search results, and business goals are things these content writers bring to the table.

Content writers should focus on search engines and target audience

Content writers should focus on search engines and their target audience as they craft their content. Make sure your content is available on mobile devices by using search engine optimization techniques and high quality content.

Optimizing web content for search results is an important part of any online marketing strategy. Writing skills, knowing how to properly think through website content structure and content formats, while focused on the audience is the main point to keep in mind. Here are some basics on how you’d want the written content on the site to function properly. (note: you don’t need to enroll into content writing courses to be a great content writer. if you increase your output of content writing examples, you’ll get better with time.)

Keyword research

Content writers need to note what keywords are most relevant and who the competition is when writing content. They should use these keywords in their page titles, headings, links and images.

User consent

To protect customer data from being used for marketing purposes without permission, it is important that users agree before any of their information can be collected or shared with third party companies via social media plugins like Facebook’s Like button or Google’s Sign In button.

Video content

Video content provides a more engaging experience than static text alone because they typically last longer than textual posts on a website do (about two minutes), which gives them enough time to cover complex topics while still maintaining viewer attention spans.

Organic Traffic

Organic traffic refers to web visitors who find a website via online search engine queries rather than through paid advertising or other marketing.

Social media

To attract customers, credit unions should use social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to their advantage by leveraging them for the sake of connecting with potential members.

Credit Unions Need To Think This Way

If credit unions want to help the community while growing their  business, they need to think outside the box. Content writing is a great way for credit unions to do both of those things at once because it’s an inexpensive and easy-to-access strategy.

1. Credit unions are an essential part of communities

Not only do they offer financial resources that are absolutely essential such as bank accounts and savings accounts, but credit unions are invested into the local community for the sake of everyone, including new users and others.  And, because credit unions are also nonprofit organizations, the funds that they make go back into members’ savings.

Credit union staff can work with customers to find solutions for their specific needs and offer knowledge about different products available in order to help them meet their financial goals. And this is why we want to be a part of grabbing their reader’s attention and proving value to potential customers.

2. Empower your employees to share their stories

People connect with people, and allowing your employees to be open and authentic you open the opportunity for everyone to form connections. Share personal stories with customers and members through videos showcasing who they are, blog posts that positions the employee as an authority, photos and social media to show them you care.

Putting a name to a face will make it easier for potential customers to feel like they know who works in the branch they live close to.

3. Connect with the community through online giveaways

Giving back is a great way to build stronger connections with the community. Whether it’s by donating in-kind talents like photography or videography, cash prizes for contests and giveaways, you’ll be strengthening your connection with potential customers.

Sponsoring these types of giveaways add more value to their experience with the credit union. They’ll feel like they’re a part of the community and that this is their financial institution, not simply another bank or company.

4. Establish your presence through quality content & educational events

When a credit union can create an educational platform with an industry expert panel to provide high level education and related content, more and more prospects will flock to the events. Covering relevant topics at the foundation level will help alleviate problems for regular consumers.

Because the target audience follows social media posts, reads high quality content, knows the value of compelling content, and recognizes absolutely essential principles they need help with, the promotional bullet points and fliers, web content, video content, and other digital marketing material will go far to push the event and attract the right attendees.

When Will Your Branch Start Creating More Content?

It’s never too late to start blogging. You may be kicking yourself for not investing in a blog sooner, but don’t worry! There are plenty of ways you can still make up for lost time and create an impressive digital presence.

If your credit union is looking for a way to build credibility with potential new members or find new customers, find a personable and experienced team to discuss what your content writing plan would be.

Local credit unions can step up their content writing game and attract more customers. If you’d like to schedule a free consultation with an experienced content writer, contact us for more information.