Content marketing is a hot word of communication. Everyone knows that one should engage in content marketing, considerably fewer have a plan for just how their company will handle the task. And the hand at heart, do you know what content marketing is – really?
What is content marketing?
Let’s start with a definition. Content marketing is about creating and disseminating free content with high quality. Content that interests potential and current customers, and which in the long run makes them more loyal to your company. However, let’s be clear at one point – it’s not about traditional sales or promotional material. No, what you should bid on is editorial content related to your offer, which informs or maintains. By consistently giving away high quality content online, you build a credibility that neither advertising nor sales material can bring about.
Editorial content
Many people have Google as their homepage in their browsers. The reason is simple, one of the most common reasons to go online is to search for information.
Therefore, you should bid on this – good information with a natural link to your offer. This is what your customers are looking for when they face a purchase decision. Not yet a subjective sales pitch.
Think long-term
Articles, blog posts, newsletters, reviews, educations and reports are examples of editorial content that are attractive to your customers. The more objectively this is in its character, the higher the credibility you build as a content provider.
Therefore, you should not fall for the temptation to transfer, any sales offer should amount to a maximum of 20% of the space. Content marketing is not about getting an end here and now – it’s about creating long-term relationships.
Readers decide
The best platform for building a searchable content base is its own website, or its own blog. Here you can design and customize content and design to suit your needs. On the website there is also the natural link to your offer.
Catch interest
Regularly creating editorial content naturally requires resources and skills. The people responsible for this must be knowledgeable in the current area, and have the ability to express themselves in order to capture both readers and Google’s interests.
A journalist or copywriter can therefore be a valuable resource to associate. Keep in mind that it’s readers who decide what’s good, the visitor numbers on your pages will speak their clear language.
Social media good for dissemination
Good content makes no use if nobody reads it. Therefore, it is important to identify the right channels for knowledge and distribution.
Direct-addressed newsletters, digital and analogue, are a traditionally successful method, which is also part of content marketing. However, it is a different kind of channel most associate with successful content marketing – social media.
Stronger brand
Social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube and Google+ have become a natural part of many people’s everyday lives in just a few years. If you spread your content through these channels, and in addition, maintain a dialogue with readers here, your content may be spread with undue power.
And that’s exactly what you want to achieve with content marketing – to create content that’s so good that people volunteer and share it. If you succeed, your company will be guaranteed to enjoy both a stronger brand and increased sales.
5 factors for successful content marketing
- Create relevant and free content
- Respect the reader – maintain high quality
- Focus on information – do not sell
- Make it easy to spread the content
- Maintain social media dialogue
To learn more about Content Marketing and Digital Marketing Course, please contact our Digital Marketing Trainer, Calvyn Lee.