People are actively looking for targeted, compelling, and relevant content to expand their knowledge and help them make buying decisions. This holds true whether they’re deciding upon a new phone to buy, a new hair stylist to visit, or which movie to see on a Friday night.

We live in a world where people want to make up their own mind about what they need to solve their problems. To that end, they’ll likely spend quality time on your dance studio website (and those of your competitors) before they first register for dance classes.

Creating content related to the topics your prospects could be searching for is called “Content Marketing”, and it’s one of the best ways to separate your studio from your competition, build authority, and attract (& retain) new dancers. And a big bonus: Regularly creating worthwhile content on your website can help your dance studio rank higher in search results.

A fine example of content marketing is found on the School at Steps on Broadway site. Their ‘Tips of the Month” page is chock full of valuable, engaging content.

 

Why Content Marketing?

By educating prospects about the world of dance and providing them advise and recommendations, you are delivering indispensable information before they even call or walk through your studio’s door. This relationship will make it FAR easier for them to make their decision, and much more likely that the decision will be that your dance studio is a perfect fit for them.

Content marketing not only builds your reputation in the community and positive relationships with your prospects and customers, it generates more traffic to your dance studio’s website in the first place.

Most dance studios have yet to discover and use content marketing. You’ll have the edge over your competitors if you deliver great content to your current and future customers!

 

What Types of Content Work Well?

So what types of content will drive more traffic to your studio’s website? There are many answers to this question, but here are several types that work beautifully. The key is to write content not to improve your search engine optimization, but to share knowledge. When this is the purpose of content generation, great exposure and improved ranking are generated naturally.

1. Product Reviews

Is there a new leotard style or dance accessory that you’re excited about? Share it with your dancers and with the community at large. Is there a new dance hobo bag that people are chatting about? Check it out for yourself and share your opinions on your website.

2. Q & A

These are easy to come up with and quick to produce. Think of the top questions asked of you and your staff by prospects, current dancers and parents. Just present the question as your heading or title, and the answer as the content.

3. How To’s

These are fantastic, and immediately position you as the dance expert that you are. How To’s can range from “How to Pick a Dance Studio” to “How to Execute a Perfect Pique Turn”.

How To’s on performing dance steps are tailor made for video, and are wonderful additions when embedded on your website.

4. Success Stories

Share a story of how a student went from a tender 5 year old tapping for the first time to an accomplished dancer now entering college. Explain the challenges she had to overcome and the solution you and your studio provided. People love stories, and the benefit to using these is that they demonstrate the success dancers have if they join your studio.

5. Interviews

When you interview a respected dancer or choreographer, you gain respect from your customers and prospects, and often, gain large amounts of traffic. After you invite someone to be interviewed and are accepted, the easiest way to do the interview is by email. Sure, an audio or video interview is fantastic, but keep it simple when starting out. Simply provide the interviewee with a list of questions, along with your thanks for participating, and then post their reply on your website.

Think in terms of what will be helpful, interesting, and/or amusing to your website visitors. We are speaking of WEBSITE content here, by the way, but your social media channels will also benefit when you link the two together. For example, when you’ve written a new product review for your website, write a blurb about it along with a link and post about it on Facebook. Tweet about a success story, with the link leading folks to the full article on your site. A video embedded on your website will also reside on your YouTube channel.

By providing answers to what potential clients are looking for online, you’ll not only create value they’ll be grateful for, you’ll also establish your personal brand, leading to a wealth of new opportunities and new dancers through your doors.

Are you getting started with content marketing? Let me know what challenges you’re facing in the comments below!

Best wishes,
Stacey

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