Is your organization engaging in a content marketing strategy? Don’t know what content marketing really is? Not sure you see the value in it? If you feel lost already, you’re not alone. That’s why we’re going to give you a brief overview of content marketing and 4 reasons why your organization can no longer ignore it. Content marketing, put simply, is the creation of relevant, valuable content and the incorporation of it into all aspects of your marketing strategy (both online and offline). The content is focused on a very specific target audience with the goal of engagement, and ultimately revenue-generation.
Some examples of content marketing include:
- Keyword-optimized website copy
- A regularly updated blog with custom content (articles)
- Engaging and informative infographics
- Relevant posts pushed out & shared across social media channels
- Case studies
- Press releases & E-press releases
- EBooks, Whitepapers, etc.
So why should small businesses consider a content marketing strategy? Pay close attention, because here are:
4 reasons why content marketing can no longer be ignored
- It creates personal connections. In order to be successful, your content marketing strategy must focus on strategic planning, genuine content creation, distribution against many channels and analytic measurement. But if done correctly, it helps you create and maintain a personal connection with a potential customer/client.
- It promotes credibility and trust for your organization. Content marketing can help your target audience associate your brand with a positive experience through education, instead of being overwhelmed by ads and sales pitches. Research shows that online searchers prefer quality content to pushy advertisements any day.
- It increases your online visibility. Content marketing is GREAT for SEO (search engine optimization). If you can’t be found online, then selling your product/service online is pointless.
- It starts conversations. It encourages engagement on the part of you, your prospective clients and your existing clients, across all aspects of your online presence including your website, blogs, and social media channels.
So let me circle around and rephrase the first 3 questions I asked. Will your organization start engaging in a content marketing strategy in 2013? Are you confident you know what content marketing is? Do you see the benefit? Please share your answers in the ‘comments’ section below.
