The phrase content marketing is not new; however as marketing has developed, the methods it encompasses have multiplied. In basic terms, content marketing is the art of driving profitable action from your stakeholders without ‘selling’ to them. Today’s savvy consumer has worked out how to tune out media noise they’re not interested in, and content marketing enables marketers to communicate with these people.
Creating a variety of content, such as blog posts, case studies, white papers, videos and photos enable marketers to generate leads and links, while enhancing a brand’s visibility, and putting the company’s subject matter expertise on display. The theory behind content marketing is that this material makes consumers more intelligent, and if they are continually delivered consistent, valuable information, the business will ultimately be rewarded with their custom and loyalty.
Despite research showing that content marketing is a very cost-effective method of marketing, a recent study of 1,300 digital marketing professionals suggested that 62 % do not have a content marketing strategy in place. The same research stated that 90 % of the respondents stated that content marketing will grow in importance over the next year, and that nearly 60 % are planning to construct a content marketing strategy.
Many marketers will be dipping their toes in content marketing; some may be without realising it, through social media. To make the most of content marketing, more marketers should be aiming to create the content that they post on their social media channels and websites. This could be blog posts, instructional videos, photos, infographics, e-flyers, podcasts – the list is endless.
Another advantage of content marketing is that it can be relatively easily analysed. Tools such as Google Analytics measure the amount of visits a particular webpage gets, how many referrals a website gets from a blog or social media channel and how many clicks a link gets, amongst many other features. This allows marketers to easily evaluate the effectiveness of content – what drives traffic and gains click-throughs, and what is ignored?
Bigwave Media can help with creating content to post on social media channels and websites. Please contact [email protected] for more information.