If there was a method that costs less than traditional marketing efforts, what would happen? It would make sure your customers are well-informed, engaged, and ready to progress to the next level in your sales funnel.
Your brand is fortunate to have a solution.
The strategy of Content Marketing involves utilizing the internet as a platform to create brand-related content.
Recent research by CMI has determined that this approach has proven effective in boosting engagement for 72% of marketers. It is recognized for its long-term nature and ability to deliver lasting results to your business.
However, what is the process behind content marketing? Which kinds of content can your brand produce? Furthermore, to what extent is it crucial to generate various forms of content within a unified strategy?
Let us thoroughly explore all of that.
What is content marketing
Content marketing involves the creation and dissemination of valuable and applicable content to your target audience, primarily via the internet. A noteworthy advantage of content marketing is its ability to harmonize with your brand’s tone and generate genuine viewership and conversions.
The overall objective of each form of content, which includes blog posts, newsletters, white papers, social media posts, and more, is to enhance your brand’s long-term decision-making.
- Convey your brand’s expertise.
- Show that your company values its customers.
The frequency of your posts is just as crucial as the quality of your content in order to foster lasting relationships with potential customers and clients.
Your brand will have a higher chance of being chosen by customers when making purchases because your company is willing to share knowledge and is interested in their success, which is evidenced by the content it produces.
Here are essential types of content your business can create and distribute.
1. Blog posts
Blog posts play a crucial role in Content Marketing as they contribute to brand recognition and foster customer engagement. This becomes evident when we examine the functionality of blogs, which provides a highly adaptable platform for effortlessly publishing diverse types of content.
Tools such as WordPress are readily available without any additional cost and can assist you in constructing a blog within a short period of time. This cost-effective approach for promoting your brand depends solely on the excellence of the content you provide.
The likelihood of a blog post achieving desired outcomes for your business increases with its level of detail, elaboration, and timeliness. Although the average blog post is 1,142 words in length, longer content (over 3,000 words) has a higher probability of addressing a user’s search intent.
2. Infographics
Sometimes, a blog post alone is insufficient for explaining the intricate concepts that your brand intends to convey to customers. The inclusion of visuals becomes necessary to effectively clarify your solutions.
Infographics serve as a useful tool for presenting ideas visually, with a focus on bullet points and numbers rather than lengthy blog posts.
When wanting to convey a complex idea to your customer, using an infographic is a good option as it requires fewer words.
3. Videos
Since the popularization of broadband connections and the rise of the YouTube era, the internet has been transformed. More and more content is now produced in video format, which has proven to be challenging yet incredibly effective. Quick videos on interesting topics are loved by many due to their ability to generate excellent outcomes.
Nowadays, if your company only invests in written content, it is less likely to convert and nurture a lead compared to creating good video content. This is because people spend at least 100 minutes watching videos a day, and 48% of customers rely on videos to reflect their interests.
4. eBooks
eBooks provide an alternative for producing content on the internet as they surpass blog posts in their ability to offer long-form texts for a specific reason.
To obtain an eBook, customers are required to furnish your company with certain personal details, for instance, their email address and name. Possessing this information enables your company to smoothly proceed with the nurturing process, offering customers additional content that is likely to capture their interest.
Investing in eBooks on popular subjects can significantly generate interest in your company’s products and services, making it essential to consider this content type.
5. Case studies
One option to ensure new customers are attracted is by utilizing the existing knowledge your company possesses, which can be achieved through the use of case studies content.
Your company demonstrates its expertise and showcases its ability to assist other businesses through case studies, thereby giving your prospects a clear understanding of what your company does and how it accomplishes its work.
Case studies are considered one of the highest quality forms of online content for brands as they effectively showcase expertise in a particular field.
6. Testimonials and online customer reviews
Testimonials and customer reviews utilize social proof as a distinct form of content marketing. These are particularly advantageous in addressing any concerns potential customers may have and alleviating their apprehension. Furthermore, online reviews on external platforms such as Google, Angi, or Trustpilot also play a crucial role in off-page SEO.
Google uses the presence of numerous positive reviews related to your brand as an indicator of trustworthiness, resulting in a higher search ranking for your website compared to brands with fewer positive reviews.
One way to increase the number of reviews and testimonials you receive is by implementing some simple strategies.
- Directly ask existing customers
- Create an automated follow-up request that is sent to customers after they purchase from you
- Incentivize customers with a discount or other reward for sharing their opinion
- Add a review/testimonials widget to your website home page and other key pages so that visitors can quickly leave feedback without ever leaving your site
When designing your website, make sure to prominently showcase testimonials and reviews on the homepage and other applicable pages. A useful tip is to position these testimonials and reviews strategically, in areas where they relate closely to the content of that particular page.
7. Market reports
Market reports are a highly efficient means of attracting media attention and establishing your brand as an influential figure in your industry. This form of content marketing specifically caters to decision makers who require comprehensive market data to shape their strategies.
Reports have the capability to drive high-value media mentions, backlinks, and leads (provided that you gate the report). They can center around factors such as market share, spending, trends, technology, and consumer behavior, among others, making them especially impactful.
8. Podcasts
The effectiveness of podcasting as a form of content marketing and brand building is growing.
One major benefit it has is enabling you to provide extensive, valuable information without requiring excessive time or effort. It permits you to directly share your expertise and narratives with your audience, aiding in establishing connections with potential customers on a more intimate level.
Podcasts have the added advantage of being portable, making them suitable for listening during a work commute or a cardio workout when reading may not be feasible.
By interviewing guests on your podcast, you have the advantage of potentially utilizing your podcast as a means to generate leads. This can be achieved by inviting representatives from companies that you specifically desire to engage in business with and featuring them on your podcast. This approach serves two purposes: firstly, it helps in creating podcast material, and secondly, it aids in establishing a connection with a potential customer.
Recognizing the potential of podcasts for discussing conversational marketing, which is central to their brand, Drift began podcasting early on. As time went by, they expanded their podcast collection to nine separate shows targeting different audience segments. This strategic move ultimately led them to attain a billion-dollar valuation and gain a dedicated following of fans.
9. Webinars
Webinars prove to be a highly effective tool for content marketing, as they help in educating potential customers and existing clients while establishing your brand as an authority in the industry or relevant field.
Webinars are ideal for demonstrating how to maximize your product or solve a specific problem due to their visual format. Webinars usually have a longer duration (30+ minutes) as they offer substantial educational content.
By utilizing webinars, you have the opportunity to collaborate with potential customers. This will enable you to generate distinctive content and establish a connection with a fresh lead.
An additional advantage of webinars is the ability for viewers to engage in live interaction with the presenter. Viewers have the opportunity to ask questions, and the presenter can provide immediate responses, resulting in a more personalized connection compared to static forms of content.
The primary drawback of this form of content marketing is the requirement for considerable effort. You will need appropriate software, environment, and hardware, alongside a well-defined strategy.
10. Interactive events and content
If interacting with customers directly is not always feasible on a daily basis, certain types of content provide the next best alternative for building their trust.
For example, webinars offer a fantastic opportunity to directly engage with audiences. By conducting live scheduled broadcasts, your company can not only educate viewers but also address their queries promptly.
In addition to making recordings of your broadcast available for future viewers, you can also use chat features to provide fast answers to readers who may require immediate assistance at any given time, even if you employ tools like chatbots.
You can use services like Drift to set up conversation boards on your website, which aid in promptly answering visitors’ questions.