The buzz around Content Marketing is building. I’ve been writing about it for over a year but I’m sensing the bandwagon is picking up speed. As with any topic in the blogosphere, a lot is being published that’s not particularly useful. Some of it is simply flirting with the truth, making fantastical claims without any real data to back them up.
What is Content Marketing?
According to Joe Pulizzi, a co-founder of the content marketing movement:
Content marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.
What does is look like?
There are three components to content marketing. As the name implies, it’s composed of original content, search engine optimisation and social media. If you’re interested in pursuing a content marketing strategy, you must consider all of them together. People have to find your website (SEO), they have to be informed, educated or entertained at your website (Content), and you have to tell them what you have and where you put it. (Social Media).
A favourite quote of mine concerning content marketing comes from The Tippingpoint Labs:
Social media boils down to the marriage of two main concepts: content and conversation. Without content, conversation is mere networking. Without conversation, content is dead. It goes nowhere.
Still not convinced?
As I was preparing for a recent presentation, I found some good statistics from HubSpot. In a report titled “The State of Inbound Marketing 2010”, they reveal interesting behaviour discovered from surveying over 230 marketing professionals.
The average cost per lead for inbound marketing techniques is about one third of other methods. In other words, you spend a lot less money and get better results than if you’re using traditional techniques like print advertising, radio spots or TV commercials.
Past success with content marketing is responsible for changing the way marketing budgets are being allocated.
What now?
Content Marketing is only going to grow in popularity as business discovers it is an effective and inexpensive marketing strategy. Start to think about how you can increase your social media activity. Consider what sort of content would be effective for your organisation. A blog is a great place to start.
Have you had success with content marketing? Share your experiences.
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