Content Marketing
What is “Content Marketing” and how is it different?
In a nutshell, Content Marketing is the art of winning business without pushy selling. Content marketing is a marketing approach that puts the customer first: sharing information that is relevant and valuable to those who buy your products or services, so customers choose to come to you. Through digital media such as your website, blogs, social media, e-newsletters and videos as well as more traditional ones such as conferences, seminars, white-papers and published books, sharing your expertise freely is one of the best ways to build trust in a cynical world.
Why is everyone so excited about it?
Because it works well in our internet-driven age when traditional more self-oriented marketing methods are losing their power.
Recent research has shown that less than 1% of us accept cold calling by telephone, 44% of us throw direct mail straight in the bin, and 86% of us skip through TV adverts. Content marketing gets away from all that. It’s a more meaningful, comfortable form of marketing – for buyers and sellers alike – and it is bringing many businesses the results they need. Content marketing is fast becoming the smart marketing choice in every sector and every size of business. One of the most exciting aspects of the recent updates to search engine algorithms is that quality content is receiving the recognition it has always deserved and Google’s Freshness Update places greater emphasis on returning newer content for search queries. So timely, relevant Content based Marketing is also rewarded in SEO terms.
How can InForm help?
We can help you add Content Marketing to your overall Marketing Strategy. It many respects Content Marketing brings together many of the services we offer as a Digital Marketing Agency: web design, social media marketing, seo, web collateral, offline marketing collateral, marketing strategy and copywriting. The right content, promoted creatively has the power to engage with prospects across the buying cycle, nurture them and convert them into leads.
InForm will work with you to develop your Content Marketing Strategy – we’ll provide advice and guidance and the tools to make it work for your business.
This is not marketing as you know it. To succeed, you’ll need to be able to adopt the following principles:
- Put your customers first: make your content primarily of benefit to the people who receive it.
- Help, don’t sell: this builds trust so people choose to take the next step in the buying cycle.
- Give some of your knowledge away for free: give value in advance.
- Tell a good story: unite your customers and content around a compelling central message.
- Think niche: businesses that succeed are the ones whose content is most relevant and interesting for their target audience.
- Commit to quality: aim for content excellence. As content marketing becomes more popular, only valuable content will win through.
If you think Content Marketing could be a valuable asset to your business then get in touch to discuss how we can help. It’s not just doing content marketing; it is doing it right that matters.
InForm’s 6 Phase approach to Content Marketing
Content Marketing – Plan
We take time to understand your business objectives and content needs. Then we put these goals into context by evaluating your presence online from both a technical and audience perspective. This gives us the framework we need to develop an effective content marketing strategy covering all aspects of your online presence, from asset creation through content planning and maintenance to SEO, branding and marketing.
Content Marketing – Design
Building an owned media asset which grows in value over time is central to a successful content marketing strategy. By understanding how users interact with you online, InForm can create and optimise these digital assets to give you the platforms to attract and engage your audience.
Content Marketing – Create
Exceptional content that connects with the lives and passions of your target audience.
Content Marketing – Publish
Once content is created, it needs to be published where your audience will find it. Tapping in to online publishers, editors, bloggers, social power-users and influencers to place your content in exactly the right place to reach the right people and build profitable audiences for your brand.
Content Marketing – Promote
Without a significant audience, even the best content has no value. But, as with anything online, simply publishing content doesn’t guarantee it will be seen. Content needs to be promoted to attract and build its audience. We understand the art of online PR and we use unique, sophisticated techniques to market your content. Ultimately, this is what will drive your ROI.
Content Marketing – Monitor / Analyse / Report
Appropriate metrics defined in Stage 1 to measure ROI.
