What Is Content Marketing…and Why Do I Need It?

As you’re well aware, traditional marketing techniques such as direct mail, cold calling and print advertising are fading into the background. Online is now the place to be for all businesses, regardless of their size or what they have to sell.

But online marketing techniques are different than the old methods. You know by now that to effectively market your business online, you must have an SEO-optimized website accompanied by a vibrant social media presence.

Another big change that’s taken place is the way you market. You shouldn’t use your customer communication channels (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, HTML emails) to constantly scream, “Buy this! Buy this!”

Instead, you will want to develop a more personal relationship with current and prospective clients. You do this by engaging in conversations on social media, thanking them when they give you a good Google review and providing them with information they’ll find useful rather than a straight sales pitch.

Offering discounts and announcing monthly specials are a couple of ways to give benefits, but there’s yet another method — and that’s by providing useful content.

WHAT IS CONTENT MARKETING?

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Content can be an online video, an infographic, a downloadable brochure or a blog post that relates to your business in a friendly and useful way.

For example, if you own a nursery, you can offer a downloadable brochure about “The Best Plants for San Antonio Summer Weather.” Not only are you drawing attention to the products you offer (plants), you’re providing useful tips to customers and prospects who are seeking information about the heartiest plants to survive San Antonio’s often blistering summer heat.

If you’re initiating a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising campaign, content is an extremely useful marketing tool here as well.

Another example: if your company manufactures and installs custom-built decks, you can create a downloadable brochure or an online video about deck ideas. Here, you can use visuals of your company’s own work, accompanied by case studies about the decks. Again, you’re giving valuable information to people who are in the market for a new deck and are seeking inspiration.

This technique also helps you to build a prospect list by putting the content behind a landing page. In exchange for their contact information, they’ll be given access to the content.

CONTENT MARKETING BOOSTS ALL OF YOUR ONLINE EFFORTS

Evergreen content (that which isn’t tied to a particular event or time period) also has a long lifespan. You can repromote it as a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter post . You can send the link out as an email blast to your current customer list. You can also build a page on your website where the content can live and gradually develop a valuable resource library — which can, in turn, become another PPC campaign!

Other ways that content marketing benefits your business include:

• Social media: custom content personalizes your social media strategy and increases its relevance.
• SEO: Search engines love businesses that publish quality, consistent content.
• PR: Successful PR strategies address issues that readers care about, not just their products and services.
• Inbound marketing: Content is essential for driving inbound traffic and leads.

LET STROTTNER DESIGNS HELP

We’re experts at content marketing, inbound marketing, business strategy, web development, sales support, SEO and more. We can provide your business with some powerful new sales tools. Contact us today!