The Basics Of Content Marketing

You may be familiar with the term “content marketing”, but do you really know what it means?

Well, content marketing is basically the process of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, engage, and delight audiences.

Why should you do this?

Because putting content out there is much more effective than simply talking about a product or service. Thanks to digital marketing, putting out content regularly and effectively has never been easier.

You can use content to introduce a new product (e.g., an iPhone game or a clothing line)…

…you can use content to provide customers with useful information (e.g., how to use a product or service, where to find what they want, or how to resolve an issue),…

…you can use content to build credibility (e.g., by publishing articles on well-known websites or getting noticed for giving good customer service),…

…you can use content to generate leads (e.g., by creating a free webinar or email series around a specific topic or offering),…

…you can use content to gain brand awareness (e.g., by getting featured on a popular website or in a news article),…

…you can use content to strengthen your social media pages (e.g., by adding video content or infographics),…

…you can use content to build credibility on social media (e.g., by getting mentioned or connected to in a tweet or Facebook post),…

How To Create Great Content For Your Business

Great content doesn’t just happen. You have to put in the work to make it happen. However, the end result is well worth it.

So how do you create great content for your business?

The answer is simple, but it doesn’t come easy. You have to be thinking about your target audience when you create content. You have to consider what will make them interested in your product or service and how can you help them?’

For example, if your target audience is businesses, then your content should include information about marketing to businesses. You can also use this content to help businesses gain credibility by connecting them to well-known websites.

If your target audience is consumers, then your content should include information about marketing to consumers. You can use this content to help consumers make smarter buying decisions or to get valuable information that will make them interested in your product or service.

To make this concrete, here are a few examples of how you can approach content marketing in practice:

1. Create compelling content that will keep people interested

You can begin by simply asking yourself:

“What will make my content stand out?”

Then, you can develop a compelling story around that:

“This is the story behind the content. It’s not just about the product or service, but rather it’s about the journey that the product or service took to get to where it is now. People love stories and they will value your content more if they feel like they’re investing in to something that is not simply trying to pitch them on buying something.”

Keep in mind that people have limited attention spans. Your story should be short and sweet—like a movie trailer. The simpler the better. It should include all the essential information needed to have an idea of what is going on.

2. Find the right balance between content promotion and content creation

You don’t want to overload people with too much content. The key is to put out quality content that is interesting, well-written, and entertaining. You can also use your content to establish yourself as an expert in your industry. For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, then you can use your blog to publish informative articles about wedding photography or share interesting stories about the industry’s pioneers.

On the other hand, you don’t want to underdeliver on content. People have grown tired of constant marketing messages and would rather receive content that is well-thought-out and well-written.

3. Distribute your content through different platforms and channels

In addition to websites, you can use content to distribute through other platforms and channels. For example, if you want to promote your blog, then you can use social media to share your content with your target audience. You can also run ads on social media to gain extra exposure. As a general rule of thumb, try to post regularly and engage with your audience. If you can, also provide value and establish yourself as an expert in your industry. This will make you more relatable to your target audience and increase the chance they’ll be interested in what you have to say.

As a content marketer myself, I can tell you that the world of content is constantly evolving. What works today might not work tomorrow. When preparing content for my clients, I make sure to update my strategy and tactics as necessary and adjust my approach as new information comes in.