I’ve mentioned “Content Marketing” in relation to SEO in the last day or two, but I’d like to explain a bit more about the subject. This is because I genuinely believe that Content Marketing is the most elegant marketing technique of the 21st century, and that it’s something which even the smallest B2B company should be doing. You’re probably doing some of it already, but having a Content Marketing strategy brings everything into focus.
I’m not going to hack my way through a jungle where others have already cleared a path. Here’s what an outfit called the Content Marketing Institute has to say in an excellent short introductory article:
“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.”
I know a number of marketing managers who have spent a few hours reading around the subject, starting with articles like this, and who have completely changed their company’s marketing strategy as a result. Is it a good idea? Well, it’s got to be better than the non-strategy of throwing money here, there and everywhere, based on little more than sales pitches made to you by magazine publishers, event organisers and website owners.
Content Marketing isn’t something you can go into lightly. However, it is something which general management and sales teams both seem to buy into, if it’s explained well. That’s because Content Marketing positions your company as the pre-eminent one in its chosen fields. It’s the modern-day equivalent of having the best stand at the exhibition, although in this case it’s a series of niche ultra-specialist exhibitions which you’ve created yourself. MDs and Sales Managers love this.
Find yourself an hour to sit undisturbed with an iPad. Start with an article like the one above, and just browse around some of the thousands of articles, videos and white papers which have been written about Content Marketing. If you don’t want to change the way you do marketing as a result, I’ll send you a chocolate Easter egg in the post.
I actually agree with you on this and will be adjusting our marketing… but may I still be sent an Easter Egg?
If you don’t ask, you don’t get!
Another great article, thanks! – Though I would like to also mention the growing importance of content marketing with Google’s SERP’s ever more becoming less reliant on things such as social media.