Every business that invests in online marketing must make a choice about which type of marketing is right for them. Many companies add content creation and distribution to their advertising plan. In this article, we will introduce you to content marketing as a strategy, so you can understand why it is favored by many and make an informed decision on whether you want to add it to your marketing arsenal as well.  

What is content marketing?

Content Marketing as defined by the Content Marketing Institute as “a marketing technique of creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and acquire a clearly defined audience – with the objective of driving profitable customer action”.

This kind of marketing can take many forms, some of which are blogs, videos, social media posts, infographics, guides, and more. The diversity of methods by which a business can create and distribute content contributes to a larger audience because it engages multiple learning styles. For this and other reasons, content marketing is a preferred way for a modern consumer to learn and interact with your business. Not only is it favored by the customers, but it is also a winning strategy, as 96%  of all marketers report that content marketing has been effective for them.

Here are the ways in which this marketing strategy can aid your business:

It builds your website and brand authority. 

Methods utilized by content marketing work toward increasing your online authority and ensuring that your site stands out among the competitors. In return, increased site authority means more traffic to your website and more sales. When it comes to sales, brand familiarity is crucial, as the research shows that 82% of the users choose brands they are familiar with. Thus, utilizing content to tell your brand story and increasing your brand influence can be an effective marketing strategy. A company that does not fail to reestablish its brand authority is Coca-Cola. One of the most recent examples is their hugely successful Australian “Share a Coke” campaign that tapped into a whole new level of connecting the brand story with the stories of the customers, by personalizing the bottle labels.  

It boosts your lead generation.

Once you publish your content, it continues to passively nurture your leads in various stages of the funnel. It also allows your brand to appear not only in front of the actual leads but also in front of the potential customers that you have yet to contact. This casts a wide net and expands your sales possibilities further. Content creation strategies aim to build a relationship with your target audience instead of bringing immediate results. However, it is worth investing in due to its cost-effectiveness and long-lasting benefits. Hootsuite understands the value of content marketing. The company created a video that engaged a wide Game of Thrones audience and gained multiple new followers through it. Buildium is another company that cleverly utilized video marketing to increase its followers on Halloween.

It increases users’ trust in your company. 

When choosing between you and your competitors, most consumers will do a preliminary online search. Content marketing helps users not only to learn about your company but also to receive educational content. Helpful knowledge that adds value to your customers creates a positive brand experience and brand loyalty. In fact, 65% of consumers report that educational content increases their trust in the brand. A great example of one business building a loyal customer base through content writing is Buffer’s Open Blog. They write relevant and transparent blogs, and their audience follows them loyally in return. So, investing in creating and sharing information that your audience will find beneficial will further increase your business prospects.

These are some of the many ways in which this marketing strategy can enhance and aid your business in reaching its goals. It is important to note that not all content is made equal, and for this strategy to work you need to provide truly quality content. Reach out to learn more and start on your successful marketing plan today.