Why is Content Marketing such a big deal?
If you’re in the business of selling products and services of any kind, you’re in Content Marketing. Whether you know it or not.
Your brand talks to people every day – or at least you hope it does! Whether it’s your sign on the door, the posters and displays in your office, the product descriptions on your website, or anything else that showcases you to the world… all of that is content that tells something to your prospects. So is it all speaking the same language? Is it saying what you want to say to the right people? Is it even being seen?
The concept really isn’t that different from what we’ve done in advertising since advertising began. We just have much better tools and many more channels to utilize than before. But we need those, because it’s becoming harder and harder to get people to pay attention to our content. With more and more messages flooding our inboxes and devices every day, “Content Shock” (as Mark Schaefer accurately calls it) is starting to set in. Even if what you’re creating is worthy of Charles Dickens, it still has to stand out among literally thousands of other digital voices competing to see who can type in the biggest fonts and embed the most clickable images. It has to have enough value that your audience will try NOT to miss it.
What is quality content?
Quality content isn’t always the prettiest or the most elegant or most artful. It’s content that resonates with an audience on some level, to the point that they want to hear/see/experience more, and they don’t mind letting you into their “inner circle” of trusted voices that they view as worthy of their time and attention.
So Content Marketing is about being able to locate an audience, place appropriate and relevant content where that audience will notice it and consume it, and make it useful or entertaining enough so that they’ll be seeking your content in the future. And at some point, they have to decide they want to spend more money on your products and services.
Simple!
How does SEO impact Content Marketing?
Good Search Engine Optimization techniques have to be aligned with Content Marketing strategy. It does no good to spend a lot of time working on a list of keywords that are sure to bring in new clients and prospects, only to find that none of the content on our site is relevant to those searches. At the same time, I can write the best blogs, create the most innovative video presentation or podcast, offer the best products and service around, but if I’m not showing up on the initial Search Engine Results Page, less than 9 percent of searchers will ever even see my link, let alone click on it!
It’s crucial to have an integrated strategy that combines content generation with SEO intelligence. That allows you to find your niche, identify the audience that’s looking for you, and discuss what that audience cares about. By continually enriching audience personas, refining your SEO strategy and building your library of relevant content, you can create an engaged audience and start developing a relationship based on trust.
How can I help you?
I’ve been studying and working in Content Marketing for the past several years, but my background in content dates back to my days in journalism. I’ve been writing and editing in some form for most of my adult life, and I’ve really enjoyed extending those skills into the digital realm. I have experience across a number of platforms, including web content, blogs, social media, email campaigns, and print collateral.
I’m currently working on freelance projects, and I’d be glad to help you take the next step in creating, optimizing and executing your content strategy. Let me know how I can assist!
Paul Hammons: Content Marketing Specialist 