It is the perfect time to explore a strategy that has experienced an exponential increase in the marketing activities throughout all industries and sectors – content marketing. What is the story and how can it work for you?
It is that incredible time of year where many of my clients grab their prior year plans and reports and head into a room with their team with one critical objective — to make a plan for the new year. The main focus will be to address this all powerful question – what to do for growth this year?
It’s the perfect moment to unpack the story of content marketing. My objective is to equip you with knowledge and insights about this marketing approach expanding into a position of dominating marketing strategies throughout all industries as you assemble your plan for the year.
Content marketing is a strategic approach by which you create and distribute ‘valuable, relevant, and consistent’ content. To what end? To attract, retain and engage a clearly defined audience to influence client action.
At all times, people are seeking answers to questions involving your industry, products, services and expertise. Content marketing is deploying your experience, skills and knowledge to provide easily accessible online answers to those questions. As you inform and educate via the information sought by consumers, you gain the trust of your audiences, and sell without selling.
Why Content Marketing?
The consumer journey has changed. In fact, the consumer has gone numb to advertising. At the same time, information is increasingly abundant in every industry and sector. For a buyer, more than half of the purchase process – research, information gathering, reading reviews and recommendations, comparison and consideration is already complete before even contacting a supplier directly.
What information do you provide during this process? Or is this an area to target for improvement, where the story is not being told? Or where a competitor is in control of the dialogue?
A nationally known speaker and thinker in business and marketing, Seth Godin said “content marketing is the only marketing left.”
Let your new marketing plan be to create content to address the interests, questions and concerns of your audience.
Your potential clients will find your content, find value in it, and already have made a decision by the point of first contact. A trust has been built through the content you have provided. High pressure sales tactics become irrelevant. Client engagement becomes a matter of finalizing details.
Top Eight Achievements Content Marketing Can Provide:
- attract those interested at the moment they seek information rather than advertising which will interrupt a general audience expecting to find a few who want it
- without selling overtly, engage and inform at the point the audience seeks information, avoiding the blocks which form against advertising
- build a trust as you provide valuable, relevant and consistent content
- be remembered – helpful information is memorable
- enhance your website search engine ranking — increase visibility of your site
- create a voice, rise above your competitors
- establish your credibility — showcase your knowledges, skills and experience by sharing information and be established as a trusted source
- amplify and broadcast — share your content on social channels as well and engage through discussions with your target audience
Content marketing is on the rise! Take this information and incorporate it into your plans to create relevant and engaging content for your audiences this year.
Irene Karedis Borys