How to effectively use case studies in your marketing.
Case studies might seem like they belong to the world of dry academics but this is far from the truth. Used correctly, they can be an effective content marketing tool for your business. A case study is a research method that involves an up-close examination of a subject, group, or happening. For business purposes, it’s like an expanded testimonial – highlighting a customer’s need or industry challenge and showing how the business delivered a solution, thereby telling prospective clients what they could gain from the business.
With 9 out of 10 people looking online for product reviews before they buy, a case study is the kind of marketing material that can help position your business’ offering as relevant, valuable, and reliable. And, when aligned with blog posts and social media content, case studies are becoming an increasingly effective way to talk to your ideal audience about what they want and need from their products.
Get the most (marketing) out of your case studies
1. Keep them all in one place
Set up a dedicated page on your website for housing all your case studies. Make sure it’s easy for visitors to find by labeling it simply and clearly, for example, Case Studies or Examples of our Best Work. Structure the page well and make sure it’s up to date and easy to navigate, including a link or Call To Action from the home page of your website.
2. Link them to blog posts
Write blog posts (and social media content) about your case studies so that they can be easily shared among your followers. Write the blog post in such a way that it highlights or answers the needs of your target audience. Make your target customer the focus and offer the selected case study as relevant and useful to that persona.
3. Get mileage on social media
One way to keep your case studies alive and circulating (and ultimately leading back to your business) is to talk them up on social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Post a link to the case study and tag the client who is the subject of the study or people you feel might benefit from reading it. Make sure your status highlights the problem being addressed or solved by the case study rather than just describing what it’s about. You could also update your cover image on selected media platforms to reflect the case study and drum up interest.
4. Send an email (or two)
Do you use email marketing to connect with your clients? If you segment your database (and you probably should), then you can send specific emails highlighting relevant case studies to different sections of your target market. Case studies can be effective in activating or advancing leads if they are sent to the right person, especially if they contain a service or product solution specific to that person’s needs.
5. Sign off just right
Your email signature goes out multiple times a day. So, it’s a good idea to use it for more than just signing off your correspondence. Include a link to a case study on your website at the end of your signature. It won’t irritate your recipients as, if they are not interested, they merely have to ignore the link but it might just reach the right person at the right time, driving them to your website. Make sure to make the Call To Action for the link engaging, for example, “Read how one company using xxxx came out on top in 2016. Click here.”
Want to learn how to use case studies (and other on-trend marketing materials) to boost your business? Need it done but don’t have the time or interest to research it yourself? Switch can help! Our team of content and design experts and marketing consultants know the best ways to leverage your content for marketing success.