Content marketing is a strategy used to create valuable and engaging content that attracts audiences to help build brand awareness, and drive profitable customer action. If you’re a marketer or business owner, you’ve probably come across this term before and know that in order to be successful, you need to have a good marketing strategy. If you’re looking for ways to improve your marketing strategy, then you should definitely consider content marketing. Here’s why…
Content Marketing Matters
Considered one of the oldest forms of marketing, it wasn’t until 1996, that the term, ‘content marketing’ was invented by John F. Oppendahl, putting a name to an approach that has been around for as long as humans have existed. From ancient hieroglyphics, to the printing press, to books and magazines, just to name a few, these inventions were early representations of content being marketed for public consumption.
These forms of content built relationships, added value and gave brands and businesses a voice. By having a voice, business owners were able to distinguish themselves from the competition, establish a customer loyalty base, and increase their engagement. But is that still the case?
Due to COVID-19, the world was forced to find alternative ways to do business. With implemented social distancing protocols, congregating was no longer acceptable and non-essential businesses were forced to shut down. This caused a huge disruption in the workforce with millions of workers either losing their jobs or being allowed to work remotely.
In the last two years alone, business owners were forced to either create or improve their online presence if they wanted to survive. This also changed consumer behavior and how we accessed information. With the world required to stay at home, the demand for reliable technology and having a digital footprint increased. If your business was not online, you would not be found. If your business was online, through a website or social media, you wanted to make sure that you were able to be found. To be found, you need to take advantage of the many types of content marketing available for your brand or business.
Types Of Content Marketing
There are many types of content marketing, and knowing what works for your business is very important. It will help you recognize how your users convert, and help you create a foundation that will pay off in the long run as a return on your investment. Here are a few examples of different types of content marketing, OutRank considers universal staples for brands and businesses:
- Blog Posts
- Infographics
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Press Releases
- Social Media Posts
- Email Marketing
As we advance in the new year, these universal staples should definitely follow Google’s E-A-T. Considered number one out of most content marketing trends for 2022, Google’s E-A-T stands for Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. This concept was developed to create content experiences that are unique, visually appealing and interactive. This means that ALL content must have a purpose and provide value.
The Benefits Of Content Marketing
Content is King, and the benefits of content marketing are so vast and should be an essential part of any company’s marketing strategy. The goal should be to create enough awareness for people who are interested in what you have to say about your business or industry, so they keep coming back. This is important to help drive traffic and sales, while simultaneously building an audience which will make up future customers.
It is also a great way to support and provide additional value for your other digital marketing channels, such as:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Social Media
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC)
This is because it generates natural links from inbound content on your website. This gets found by search engines – boosting rankings with good quality information that will likely interest potential customers.
Do You Need Content Marketing Services?
Whether you’re a small business owner or the CEO of a large corporation, content marketing can help your business grow and thrive online. OutRank knows that crafting quality content takes time and effort and is not always easy to create on your own. That’s why we offer professional content marketing services at affordable rates for businesses both big and small. We’re experts in helping our clients grow their business by telling compelling stories that resonate with their target audience. If you need help understanding what it takes to create a successful content marketing plan for your company or organization, contact us today!
