SUMMARY
By 2020, coworking spaces will outgrow traditional offices
With an increase in demand and a consequential increase in supply, coworking space owners might face stiff competition
Content marketing can help prospects understand the tremendous importance of using a coworking space
As 2020 is knocking our doors, coworking spaces are ready to outgrow the traditional serviced offices. (Source – myHQ)
GenX and Millennials are preferring co-working spaces because they not only cut down the costs by 15-25% but also provide an amazing environment to network, collaborate and grow together.
Even for freelancers, women entrepreneurs and part-time gig workers, flexible spaces are proving to be a constant source of innovative thinking, productivity increment and mental satisfaction.
If you are a coworking space owner or aspire to become one, you are going to face stiff competition to attract new members and retain the existing ones as the demand grows.
So, is there a way to reduce your stress and attract new members? – Yes, Invest in content marketing.
Through effective content marketing, you can attract and retain your members, while also contributing to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
But, hang on. Doing so isn’t as easy as a pie. You need to figure out your targeted audience because content marketing works best when it is tailored to a specific group of people.
Find out who will your space attract more. Has it been designed to provide a peaceful environment to freelancers and startup owners?
If yes, probably a public speaker or a music composer won’t be a good fit for your co-working space’s membership.
How? – In today’s article, I have detailed down 7 ways coworking spaces can use content marketing effectively to expand their businesses:
Get A Website and Google-My-Business Page
Whether you possess a strong brand awareness on your social media handles or not, people want to see your space virtually by visiting your website. Also, people search for “coworking space near me” on Google to know about new flexible spaces.
You should optimise your website for the search engines and include the keywords at relevant places to rank higher in the search results.
Google-My-Business can show your co-working spaces higher in results when someone searches for a nearby coworking space.
Add your business listing, upload photos and videos and ask people to write positive reviews.
Create A Blog And Upload Informative, Subtle-marketing-oriented Articles
Here’s how the “Ideas” page of WeWork looks like:
WeWork team writes about a variety of topics, ranging from how-to guides to listicles industry-based articles. In between, they also detail their USPs and creative office locations.
Similarly, you can create a blog on your website to inform, educate and engage your prospects.
Showcase Your Space, Amenities and Value Proposition
Is there a book-shelf at your space where you have kept the best books a startup owner can’t afford to miss? Or a cardboard game which is capable of breaking the ice between coworkers? Time to show them up to the community. Click the photos or shoot the videos and upload them on your social media handles.
Also, create posters to show various amenities that your place offers and gives you a strategic advantage over your peers.
Consistency and creativity is the key to catch attention. Use hashtags relevant to your geographical place and targeted audience to increase your visibility among the prospects.
Collect And Display Testimonials On Your Social Media Handles And Website
73% of the customers value written review over overall star rating. (Fanfuel). Do you need any more reasons to collect the testimonials?
A startup owner will get attracted when he reads how another startup owner has networked with like-minded professionals while working at your place.
Similarly, a married female will feel more secure when she realises how other females work stress-free.
Collect testimonials, shoot a few videos and showcase them on your website and social media handles so you can grab the attention even before people have stepped in your place.
Organise Events Specific To Your Targeted Audience
Yeah, it isn’t content marketing as such but events help you in collecting User-Generated Content (UGC) which can be republished from your social media handles by tagging the people. Tagged persons will reshare those posts from their handles which will result in much higher traction and visibility.
Use Email Newsletters To Stay In Touch With Your Prospects
By giving freebies and organising events, you can collect email-IDs from the people, which can be used for circulating email newsletters.
Through that newsletter, you can inform people about a new event happening at your place, a discount scheme running on a special occasion or general industry news they should know.
Include A Compelling Call-to-Action
What is the next step if someone is convinced by the amenities and environment offered by your space?
Call-to-Action plays an important role since it invites people to take up the next step. You can ask people to visit your place, avail a free one-day pass, get a customised quote or attend an event. Make your CTA button clear, eye-catching and compelling.
Bottomline
Content Marketing informs and educates the prospects of a product or service. Demand for coworking spaces is increasing every day but people aren’t fully aware of how they can maximise the co-working spaces to build new relationships.
If co-working owners can formulate a content strategy that educates the startup owners, entrepreneurs and freelancers, they can thrive quickly.
