Customers no longer want valuable content from your business, they need it. And that content they require needs to be compelling and valuable whilst feeling natural and organic. But, how do you attract and engage your target markets with this type of content? Enter content marketing.
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is the planning, creating, distributing and sharing of content to reach your audience in the right way, at the right time. When content marketing is executed correctly, it can boost your brand awareness, generate reach and even your improve sales. Content marketing is vital to online success. By focusing on content marketing, your brand can:
- Boost conversions
- Formulate a sense of community around your brand
- Show how your products/services solve a problem
- Build relationships
- Educate your audience about the products/services you offer
Content marketing doesn’t just come in static form, there are many types of content marketing that businesses can choose from to keep things fresh and remain creative. Here are some of the most utilized:
- Infographic content marketing
- Social media content marketing
- Blog content marketing
- Video content marketing
- Paid ad content marketing
- Podcast content marketing
Content marketing is no longer an option for businesses; content is king. If connecting with your audience and resonating with them on a level that increases conversions is important to you, you need to hone in on effective content marketing. In order to do that, you need to understand how to create an effective content marketing strategy.
Content marketing strategy
As you now know, content marketing is different from traditional product marketing efforts. Content marketing makes use of a wide range of rich media (videos, webinars, podcasts etc.) to answer specific questions that people have.
Think of your content marketing strategy as a blueprint to formulate some amazing content that answers your audiences’ questions in a natural, efficient way. The steps in your content marketing strategy should look something like this:
Steps to create a winning content marketing strategy
- Set SMART goals
- Determine KPI’s
- Choose your channels
- Decide of content type
- Set budgets
- Create and distribute content
- Measure results
Digital Content Creation & Content Marketing
Content marketing is no longer just a post on social media here, a blog post there. Content marketing isn’t just pieces of content, hoping something sticks. Content marketing is a strategic and creative approach to attract and retain a defined audience in a way that drives profitable customer action.
When you’re planning your digital content creation, remember that content marketing is a long-term strategy. The focus should be on building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with your target audience by providing them with high-quality, consistent content that is highly relevant to them.
Here are some top tips to keep in mind when you’re creating content, courtesy of HubSpot:
