Content marketing is rapidly becoming a critical part of digital marketing for SMEs
In many ways consumers have closed the door to traditional forms of marketing. They have the power to turn off TV advertising – think PVRs, satellite and cable TV where you can skip the ads – magazine ads are often ignored and online information can be consumed without a care for banners or buttons.
The landscape is changing and businesses are now turning to Content Marketing to promote their brand and engage with consumers. Content Marketing consists of any branded content across various media channels and platforms, seeking to engage customers and deliver consumer value, whilst increasing brand awareness.
Although the term “Content Marketing” hasn’t been around for too long it has been a concept for quite some time. It just so happens that the now-abundant use of the internet lends itself to this form of marketing better than ever before.
Why choose Content Marketing?
One reason to invest in Content Marketing is to generate a dramatic increase in website traffic. According to Hubspot, companies that blog over 15 times a month get 5 times more traffic than those which don’t blog at all.
Alongside the traffic boost, Content Marketing boasts a range of other advantages. With an increased number of potential customers visiting your website, you can create a captive audience who are genuinely interested in your future content, and remain in touch with your business. Essentially, content can act as a platform to showcase your products or expertise within your industry.
Content also encourages the retention of current customers, which has never been more important considering a host of companies will most likely offer similar services to yours, all viewable at the click of a button. Engaging editorial copy, or other forms of media, means that customers stay involved with your business.
There is a wide range of creative content at your disposal, which can help alter the perception of your company, and build your brand in any way you see fit.
This includes:
· Whitepapers
· eBooks
· Videos
· Blog posts
· Infographics
You can customise your content to appeal to your target demographic, who will be actively searching for your content or services.
Creating content allows you to integrate it across different platforms and networks, whether it’s online copy, mobile-optimised content, videos, or on social media. Each piece of content can be customised specifically for a certain channel, such as YouTube or SlideShare, and then be promoted, or reimagined, for other channels, creating more effective campaigns.
Customer engagement is an important benefit of content marketing. You can create a bond with readers who comment and discuss on your website and subscribe to future updates. Potential customers will come to trust your brand, and when looking for services or products in the future, your company will be their first choice. Coupling this with retention of customers, means that you can continue to improve offerings and products with their feedback, whether through direct communication or creating content based around their specific pain points.
Is editorial copy an effective form of marketing?
Content Marketing works well in a number of ways as customers can decide how they want to interact with businesses. Why would they choose someone going for the hard sell? Content Marketing provides information customers genuinely want to hear. It adds value and that speaks volumes about your company. In fact, it’s said that 70% of consumers prefer getting to know a company through a range of articles, instead of blatant advertisements.
Does content marketing generate ROI?
When it comes to leads, Content Marketing can have a significant impact on your day-to-day business. Research shows that businesses with more than 200 articles on their site’s blog have over 5 times the number of leads than those companies with less than 10 articles.
Content Marketing costs significantly less than traditional marketing methods (on average 62%) and generates around 3 times as many leads in the process.
Content Marketing isn’t all about seeing blog reads turn directly into sales figures, it’s about building brand awareness, and telling a story. It has the potential to keep your current customer base informed and intrigued, whilst gaining new customers along the way. Statistics shows that on average, B2B companies with blogs generate 67% more leads than those without, showing the real power of blogging.
Simply put, there is no excuse for any business to ignore Content Marketing. Creating original content orientated around your industry and customers is an essential part of an effective digital marketing strategy.
