Content marketing has been one of the best marketing tools that companies are making the most of in recent years. More companies all over the world are now getting into it. This has opened up a whole new industry for people worldwide thanks to the increasing number of remote work opportunities. From Washington DC to Mumbai to Sydney, SEO services are now being utilized to produce quality material for different companies. But what exactly is content marketing and what does it do?
The Definition of Content Marketing
By definition, content marketing is a marketing strategy involving the creation and sharing of online material (social media posts, blogs, videos, podcasts). Its goal is to educate people and create awareness and interest without explicitly promoting a brand. The information presented in content marketing should be relevant and valuable to your target market and audience. It is not promotional marketing.
Where promotional marketing is meant to “sell” a product by explicitly laying down all its features and benefits and how awesome it is, content marketing intends to build people’s trust by talking about different aspects of the market and industry a certain brand is related to. Of course, you still have to sell the brand, but you do not take stabs at every opportunity to namedrop or backlink to it. A rule of thumb most content marketers use is the 80-20 rule — 80% of your content is aimed at educating your audience and only 20% is used to sell to them.
The Strategy of Content Marketing
At the end of the day, business is business and the goal is to generate sales from all marketing endeavors. In contrast to promotional marketing where the strategy is outright, in-your-face promotion through ads, content marketing takes a more subtle approach and develops trust from the target market.
More people start to trust you as you keep producing highly informative and relevant content. It makes your company valuable to them. They turn to you as one of their trusted educational resources for topics that are relevant to your field and industry. As long as you keep your focus on educating the market, you are going to convert into more sales. People confidently buy brands they trust.
The Relevance of Content Marketing
Content marketing is all about helping people improve the quality and condition of their lives. Its goal is to equip readers with valuable information that will help them make well-informed and wiser decisions.
Does your content give answers to their questions? Does it help them solve problems? Will it give them vital information regarding a prospective purchase decision, even at the risk of them going to another vendor?
Content marketing sets you apart from your competitors because your market will see that you’re not just out to make a quick buck. They will feel that you care about their welfare by providing them with education and information they can take to make their lives better. It is this level of trust that will drive them into profitable customer action and keep them coming back for more of your content and your product.
Yes, content marketing positions you well in the market and boosts your visibility and credibility. But ultimately, it helps you build strong lifetime relationships with your leads and your market.