What is your current content strategy? If it doesn’t include case studies, then you are missing out.
Online marketing runs primarily on unique content. This is why it is crucial to have a well-balanced content strategy that takes into account every possible avenue that can be utilized and exhausted to help your business reach the right clients and convince them that you are exactly what they need.
‘Case studies’ may not be the first type of content businesses think about when it comes to digital marketing, but they do offer great value as a marketing tool. They may not be as novel and exciting as trendy developments such as content peddled in social media networks, but they work—and they work for a long time. Ignoring case studies in your grand marketing scheme is leaving one of the most valuable content marketing tools in your arsenal unused.
The case for case studies
Case studies are unique in that they largely appeal (and are most suited for) your bottom-of-the-funnel leads. These are potential clients who have already identified their problem or need, researched vendors they could consider, built up their own unique buying criteria, and are looking for that “factor” or “push” to sway their final decision. A case study might just be the push they need to sway their purchase decision toward your company’s direction.
Today’s customers, be they B2C or B2B buyers, are faced with an overwhelming range of options to meet virtually any need or challenge they are facing. In most cases, these potential buyers look beyond price point, value offering, and feature set when deciding whether or not a product or service is for them. This is exactly where case studies come handy.
The essence of a case study as an online marketing tool isn’t necessarily to prove that a particular solution or product CAN meet a prospect’s needs. It works to assure them that it WILL in a particular context—a context that might be similar to their own circumstance.Case studies are particularly effective in convincing leads to jump over the fence because they are narratives about similar clients who have had or continue to find success using the same solution. The more relatable the client is to another prospective client, the stronger the power of persuasion in that particular case. This is because the more similarities they have in terms of industry, resources, and needs, the more likely they are to face similar challenges that require similar solutions.
What makes case studies such a valuable digital marketing tool?
Cultivating trust – Brands put a lot of effort into convincing potential clients that they are worthy of trust. Ultimately, however, customers know if and when you are being sincere or when you are hard selling. A good case study highlights the direct experience of a client, with an undertone of your part in their success. This is a better way to build brand trust than an obvious sales pitch.
Generating unparalleled social proof – Consumers see the opinions of their peers as more valuable than your sales messages. Digital social proof is everywhere in today’s market landscape (think Yelp, BBB, TripAdvisor, and other review sites). Even business websites put the most raving reviews from their clients on display in their landing pages. A case study narrative offers the best kind of social proof that tells people that your brand or service is worth taking a chance on.
Story-telling – Case studies are packaged like stories. They are narratives that unpack a challenge, a solution, some characters (including heroes of the story a.k.a. you or your brand), and an outcome. As a result, readers are able to digest and review a whole lot of information without having to dive deep into technical details that are best left to subject matter experts.
Tipping point – Because case studies are such engaging narratives told in a highly persuasive manner, they serve as critical tipping points that display the kind of meaningful impact that your product or brand has had on like-customers. They tick the “x-factor” box that customers often look for by highlighting tangible and highly specific results that you have achieved for your clients.
Such is the power of case studies as a marketing tool in the digital age. Make sure you’re using them.
Not sure how to add them to your digital marketing mix? We can help. At Pulse Solutions, we can find the most suitable strategies to help enhance your online marketing efforts and bring you web success, beginning with professional web development and web marketing to help your business reach as many potential users as possible and influence their decision-making.