Content Marketing
Consumers have shut off the traditional world of marketing. They own a DVR to skip television advertising, often ignore magazine advertising, and now have become so adept at online ―surfing‖ that they can take in online information without a care for banners or buttons (making them irrelevant). Smart marketers understand that traditional marketing is becoming less and less effective by the minute and that there has to be a better way - enter content marketing.
But what exactly is content marketing?
“Content Marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”
| Content Marketing |
Content marketing’s purpose is to attract and retain customers by consistently creating and curating relevant and valuable content with the intention of changing or enhancing consumer behavior. It is an ongoing process that is best integrated into your overall marketing strategy, and it focuses on owning media, not renting it.
Basically, content marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.
And they do. Content marketing is being used by some of the greatest marketing organizations in the world, including P&G, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, and John Deere. It’s also developed and executed by small businesses and one-person shops around the globe. Why? Because it works.
Why Content is King?
Content marketing is not a new concept in the world of digital marketing, but right now, it is more important than ever before. Content is the king and it is increasingly working its way to the forefront of all digital marketing strategies, as it becomes a crucial element that reaps big rewards.
In saying that, a one-size-fits-all approach will not suffice when it comes to content marketing. Instead, a focus on creating unique, high-quality and utterly authentic content that is entertaining, useful and interesting for consumers will get you the crown. From text, video and imagery to infographics, surveys, webinars and podcasts, whatever your preferred content medium is, ensure it is shareable and relevant to your industry.
So, why is content king?
# It’s Great For SEO
High-quality, unduplicated content on a brand’s onsite blog has a significant impact on SEO and search engine ranking for a couple of reasons. First, unique content published regularly with 300-500 words, internal links to other relevant content and naturally placed keywords helps a website rank organically for relevant search terms and keywords. A higher ranking ultimately exposes the brand to more digital consumers searching for content in its industry. Second, consistently publishing great content creates authority and opens up opportunities to build a glowing backlink profile.
# Encourages Engagement
Good content, whether it is in the form of a blog post or social media update, encourages users to engage with the brand, whether they realise it or not. If the content is genuinely good, users will pause to consume the content, understand the brand message and perhaps even comment, like or share the piece of content. If it’s not, they’ll continue scrolling past and the content will disappear into the black hole that is cyberspace. To further encourage engagement and foster a relationship with consumers through content marketing, ensure all content is pushed out through social media channels and make sharing easy.
# Generates New Leads And Sales
Good content creates brand awareness and authority in a saturated market, which then has the potential to generate new leads and increase sales as more consumers become exposed to the brand. Good content is generally less ―salesy‖ than advertorial, so it gives consumers an opportunity to authentically engage with the brand without a blatant sales message disturbing the engagement. Drowning consumers in product- oriented content can have a negative effect on their relationship with the brand, whereas good editorial fosters the relationship as they move from consumer to customer to brand advocate.
# Adds Value To Your Product/Service
Content that adds value in some way is generally received well by consumers because it solves a problem in their everyday lives or teaches them something new. The value is intangible and doesn’t have a direct monetary value, however it is invaluable to the business model and the relationship between the brand and consumers. Content that adds value to consumers by educating them on the product/service via how-to blog posts, instructional videos and webinars is ideal for adding value.
# Increases Traffic
Not only is good-quality, original content great for SEO purposes, it’s also a brilliant way to drive traffic to a website and keep consumers on the site for longer. For example, a website with just a homepage and contact page will receive much higher bounce rates, limited page views and very little engagement, whereas a website with an onsite blog packed full of engaging content leaves an impression on the user and encourages them to interact with the site and visit multiple pages.
Introduce with different types of content
If you are a small or medium sized business who feels overwhelmed with the content aspect of marketing, don’t worry, you and your website are probably already doing what we recommend: containing texts, images, testimonials or a newsletter.
These are all different types of content marketing, however if you feel that they lack the relevancy for attracting in your customers than it’s worth noting why, and taking a fresh look at your business.
By understanding your business objectives, discovering your exact target market, creating personas to match these, and publishing content you believe will retain and attract new customers, this is content marketing.
Not all types of content marketing are needed for your business, but some are essential. Here are the top:
Content type #1: Infographics
An infographic is the presentation of information or data in a visual way. Its name sums it up —info + graphic.
Infographics get shared more, viewed more, and loved more than most other content types. They are a powerful way to get your information out there in an explosively visual format. One study found
that infographics were liked and shared on social media up to three times more often than other content. The viral potential is there.
Things to keep in mind
§ Infographics can be expensive. The amount cited above — a thousand dollars — is pretty close to the standard price.
§ Infographics used to go viral just by virtue of being an infographic. That doesn’t work anymore. Everyone is making infographics. Today, you have to make it really good to make it shareable.
§ Make a gifographic. Gifographics use the infographic model but feature animated gifs instead of the static images of a conventional infographic.
Content type #2: Videos
There’s a world of variety within videos. You can write a whole separate post on different types of videos. No matter what type it is, however, a good video communicates a message in a succinct and memorable way. Done well, a video can be extraordinarily persuasive.
Things to keep in mind
§ Making a good video is not cheap. You can start small, of course, but contracting a video specialist or a camera crew can cost quite a bit.
§ Videos aren’t supposed to be long. Two to three minutes is a good length.
Content type #3: Product Reviews / Article
A product review can help establish authority and leadership in your industry. Every industry has its unique array of products, software, and services. When you engage key developers, manufacturers, or service providers, you gain recognition and respect. All you need to do is share your experience with the product and provide your recommendation.
Things to keep in mind
If the product is a physical item, you may want to have a video component to the review. A video allows you to take a hands-on approach to the product as you review it.
Content type #4: Podcast/Audio
Podcasts had their phase of popularity, and they’re still a great form of content. Plus, they’re not hard to create. Many people listen to podcasts during their commute or exercise. You have a chance to spread your message farther and better using this format than a lot of other formats.
Things to keep in mind
As with any media publication, be sure to accompany the podcast with content. For example, announce it on your blog with a bit of a discussion. Share information about new podcast releases and provide an overview of the topic. You may even wish to publish the transcript of the podcast. This helps to add SEO value.