What is Content Marketing?
Delivering the content your audience is seeking in all the places they are searching for it. It is the effective combination of created, curated and syndicated content.
The process of developing and sharing relevant, valuable, and engaging content to target audience with the goal of acquiring new customers or increasing business from existing customers.
A content marketing strategy can leverage all story channels (print, online, in-person, mobile, social, etc.), be employed at all stages of the buying process, from attention-oriented strategies to retention and loyalty strategies, and include multiple buying groups.
Owning, as opposed to renting media. It’s a marketing process to attract and retain customers by consistently creating and curating content to change or enhance a consumer behavior.
Why Content marketing?
Digital technology gives the customer more control of the dialogue with your brand. They expect to be educated, informed, entertained and receive special offers.
The consumer has so many choices for content that traditional methods of reaching your audience are less effective. It is easy for a consumer to just ignore commercial messaging.
A content marketing strategy can leverage all story channels (print, online, in-person, mobile, social, etc.), be employed at all stages of the buying process, from attention-oriented strategies to retention and loyalty strategies, and include multiple buying groups.
How does Content Marketing work?
When done right, Content Marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools that a company can use. It can expand your influence, position your company as a thought leader, and win you more customers.
Content marketing helps you build influence, and lots of it. The amount of influence you have is directly tied to the amount of value you provide. If you want to influence people, it is essential to give them some type of benefit. They must value you. People will not allow themselves to be influenced by people whom they don’t value.
Content Marketing provides tangible benefits to your audience by helping someone answer a question or solve a problem. You’re giving them something valuable without asking for anything in return. In turn, that prospect is far more likely to buy your product or service.
People will be interested in your brand when you provide something that makes their lives easier, happier, less stressful, more profitable, or all the above.
Planning
Build an agile, strategic approach to digital marketing. Competition is fierce online. To win, you need to Plan, Manage and Optimize digital channels with defined targets, measurable metrics, and focused content. It is essential to define audience segments, targeting and positioning for your online value propositions.
Exploration
Publish and promote your content through search engines, social networks, blogs, emails, newsletters, etc. Draw people to your content hub.
Key Measures: Unique Visitors -Value Per Visit -Fans/Followers
Decision Making
Be worth finding via clear customer journeys and a content hub that is relevant, inspirational and useful and generates leads from your website, community, interactive tools, etc.
Key Measures: Leads/Lead Conversion Rate –Time on Site –Shares, Comments, Likes
Purchase
Ecommerce process, product, price and promotion using CRO, marketing automation, and remarketing to ensure contextual relevance that drives conversions.
Key Measures: Sales –Profit –Average Order Value
Customer Advocacy
Delighted customers are key to repeat sales, referrals and social proof.
Key Measures: Repeat Purchases –Satisfaction and Loyalty -Advocacy
Content Marketing
Types of Content:
- Blog Posts
- Emails
- Newsletters
- Website content and pages
- Ads
- Brochures
- FAQs
- Testimonials and Customer Reviews
- Company News
- Facts & Stats
- User Guides
- Checklists
- Infographics
- Ebooks
- Success Stories
- Quotes
- Interviews
- How-To
- Product Reviews
- Case Studies
- Product Comparisons
- Demos
- Lists
- Photos
- Personal Stories
- User Generated Content
- Brochures
- Comments