Content marketing is a strategic approach to digital marketing that focuses entirely on providing valuable, consistent and relevant content designed to attract and retain a specific audience. Ultimately, like any other kind of marketing, the end goal of content marketing is to drive conversions and profitable customer actions.
Whilst content marketing strategies are utilised by big corporations, it is also a key tool in the arsenal of small businesses and sole traders around the world. Prominent marketing professionals such as Ajab Samrai work with a strong focus on content marketing, simply because it has been proven that it works.
Define the Audience
Before planning the exact content that will form part of a strategy, consider the target audience. Just as many businesses have multiple customer demographics, a content strategy can cater for this too.
Take the time to create audience personas. Work out what their needs are, and what the ideal content engagement cycle would look like. It is also worth mapping out the kinds of content that could be delivered throughout the customer’s journey to help move them towards their goals and a conversion.
Audit Existing Content
Before planning a new strategy, businesses and marketing professionals should take the time to audit any content that already exists before starting to produce other pieces. For example, if a business has been publishing blog posts regularly, launching an ultimate guide to this information in the form of an e-book might be a suitable choice.
Whilst auditing existing content, consider what went well, and what could be done differently in the coming year. Set new business goals and consider how this will align with the goals of the marketing team.
Good quality content is a cornerstone of all marketing techniques and should form part of every marketing process. Great content will benefit social media marketing, search engine optimisation, PR, paid advertising, and inbound marketing strategies too.
Getting Content Seen
After creating interesting content, the next step is to get it seen. Surveys have shown that 89% of marketers use social media to distribute content, followed by email as a close second.
When done well, social media is a valuable marketing strategy. However, many businesses are concerned about the time it takes to develop and maintain. For this reason, having someone on hand who has experience in this field can make a big difference.