You may have read my recent content marketing strategy published over at AgoraPulse. If you are one of the readers wondering… “why do I need a content marketing strategy?” then this article is for you.
Here are 5 reasons why you need a content marketing strategy and fast!
1. Consumers Hate Adverts
A recent report from market research giant Nielsen shows consumer trust in traditional media advertising is at an all-time low. In fact a whopping 90% of people said they trust online reviews and recommendations from friends as opposed to advertising. This means that your content needs to be geared up to promote your brand, your core values and embrace storytelling methods.
TAKEAWAY- Content marketing is a way to build trust and create brand association without the hard sell. By exposing customers to positive brand messages you will place yourself higher on the trust scale and will ultimately enjoy the rewards.
2. Content Marketing Delivers Leads
Content marketing converts 30% more organic traffic into high quality sales leads says research firm MarketingSherpa. Compare this to more traditional advertising methods and it is likely you will find that you spend a lot less too. Studies show that per dollar, content marketing produces 3 times more leads than SEM (search engine marketing) and costs 30% less.
TAKEAWAY- Content is essential for obtaining leads so don’t skimp on writing costs… you need a great writer to deliver your message effectively and create a powerful CTA (Call To Action).
3. Content Marketing Improves SEO
Content Marketing rocks the SEO (search engine optimization) world- trust me on that! Search engines are now super smart at delivering the right information to users which spans across blogging, directories, social media, forums and video based channels. Google now places high importance on social sharing and link buzz so the more engaging and sharable your content is… the better your SEO will be.
TAKEAWAY- If your content is sassy enough to pull people in and awesome enough to keep them sharing it then you are winning.
4. Great Content Marketing Produces Thought Leaders
Producing genuine, real content in its various forms and promoting it via your online and offline channels can turn your brand into a thought leader. Amazing and engaging content can elevate your brand to leader in your category, which in turn pushes brand uplift and word-of-mouth recommendations.
TAKEAWAY- World presidents, diplomats, celebrities and CEOs frequently rely on the skills of their writer to maintain and push their image. To succeed in creating a thought leader you will need a great writer and a solid strategy.
5. Social Media Feeds Needs Content Marketing
Without great content your social media is worthless. Yes really… WORTHLESS. If you cannot gain followers and more importantly interactors then there is no point in having your channels. Content marketing materials should always be produced with social sharing and engagement in mind. This means humour, visual engagement, useful sharable content and human interest stories. Social media also needs to be factored into your campaign text through the use of hashtags and trending topic keywords. The man behind Coke’s ‘2020’ content marketing strategy, Jonathan Mildenhall says, “we are successful when people are talking about our brands in the right way.” and he’s correct.
TAKEAWAY- Give people something to talk about, share, comment on, like, tweet and watch and you’re doing it right.
Do you have a solid content marketing strategy? For more information get in touch with me at Charli Says.