December 4, 2020 •Clare Sheehan
Content marketing is often talked about and is easy to dismiss as the latest buzzword or trend. However, looking at the changing digital landscape, the old ways of marketing simply cannot keep up and businesses must adapt.
So, why are companies using content marketing and what are the benefits? In this blog, we’ll give an overview of what content marketing is like currently, and deliver a list of the top ten benefits of content creation.
What Is Content Marketing Like Today?
Things move fast in the marketing world, and competition for creating great content that ranks is constantly growing. Don’t believe us? Venture over to Internet Live Stats, and see for yourself. As we’re writing this article, over 4 million blogs have been published today (June 23, 2022), and that number continues to grow.
So, what can be done in the face of such intense competition? Here’s our advice:
- Don’t create content in a vacuum. No really, the importance of content creation should never be underestimated. At DemandJump, we recommend a pillar strategy. This method allows you to create a network of content that uses curated keywords to rank higher for what your target audience is searching for. This means you need to create lots of high-quality, targeted, and interconnected content consistently if you want to outperform the competition.
- Make sure your website is up for the challenge. No one will read your content if your website is stuck in the past. You should take the time to conduct a website audit and ensure that everything is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and ready to index.
- Use great writers. Keyword research and a visually stunning website are both key to creating great content. But without talented writers it’s impossible to create content that’s actually valuable. Audiences want to feel heard and understood by the content you create, they don’t just want a sales pitch. The right team of writers can turn those keywords into a compelling story that resonates with your audience and puts your business in the spotlight.
- Don’t be afraid to try new things. In the world of content marketing, there’s a lot to explore. Use your talented workforce to your advantage. Experiment with creating a podcast on writing a case study highlighting a job well done! Really, the possibilities are endless. Here are just a few content creation examples that you could try:
Whitepapers
Videos
Webinars
Live streams
Infographics
Photography
Guides
E-books
We could go on forever. But the point is, keep trying new things until something sticks! - Cater to your audience. When choosing topics for your content, whether you’re writing a blog or making a video, you need to pick something that is valuable to your audience. Too many companies create content based on what they’re interested in, making things very boring for everyone else. Great content is about solving problems for the audience and positioning your company as the solution. Struggling to uncover what your audience is interested in? DemandJump’s got you covered. Our platform automates keyword and SEO research, telling you exactly what your audience is searching for, so you can align your content strategy to actual user behavior.
Hopefully our advice got you excited about content creation. What do you say? Ready to start your content marketing journey? If so, let’s look at the top ten advantages of content marketing and witness all that you can achieve with a solid content strategy in place.
1. Search Engine Optimization
When a customer goes to the internet to search for a product or service, the first place they usually go is a search engine like Google. If you are relying on paid ads and your never-changing website to bring customers in, that’s just not going to cut it. Google rewards websites that are publishing new, engaging content with prime spots on their search results. Content marketing will keep your information at the top of search engine listings and help you stand out from the crowd.
2. Increased Social Media Following
By putting out information consistently through social media channels, and other outlets, you will be rewarded with followers. Consistency in posting is key, and you’ll see an increase in your social media numbers, which strengthens your brand awareness and expands your reach.
3. Display Personality and Charm
What is the most engaging type of content? It’s content that shows your customers who you are and allows the personality of your business to come through. Content marketing is the perfect way to have some fun and show your customers what makes your business personal and special.
4. Reach Customers at Their Level
It’s been proven that people learn in a variety of different ways. Some people are visual learners and benefit from video content or others are more drawn to the written word. Content marketing allows you to provide a multitude of different formats that work for the different ways that people absorb information.
5. Position Yourself as an Expert
Creating and sharing content for your marketing means that you will be building a base of knowledge and expertise in your field. Blog posts, videos, social media posts… all of these pieces of content will get your name out there and established as the “go-to” for your area of business.
6. Educate Your Customers
As you are positioning yourself as an expert, this leads directly into another benefit of content marketing: educating your customer. An informed buyer is a happy buyer, and your content will help them feel like they know everything on their journey to purchase.
7. Become Less Annoying For Your Customers
According to Statista, 763.5 million people were using ad blocking technology worldwide in the last quarter of 2019. Traditional ads like banner ads and other paid promotions can be a big waste of money if your customers aren’t even seeing them! What is the most engaging type of content? That which your customer actually sees, of course. Content marketing can help you get around those ad blockers and provide your customers with content that they will actually pay attention to.
8. Increase Visibility of Your Brand
Pushing out content and keeping your business at the top of SEO rankings will help immensely with the visibility of your brand. Content marketing helps you to be seen by the right eyes, and notoriety is a precious commodity.
9. Build Brand Loyalty
Every brand has “super fans” and loyal customers, and a well-developed content marketing strategy will help keep those fans engaged and happy. Not only that, but your content can also help convert those mildly interested people into loyal customers and on their way to becoming super fans. Content marketing keeps your business fresh in their mind and feeling passionate about your business.
10. Sales!
It used to be said that people have to see something six times before they purchase. Unfortunately, due to the increase in advertising, that number has now increased to ten. The importance of content is that it gets your business in front of customers’ eyes and that leads directly to sales and money in your pocket.
How Will You Use Content Marketing to Your Advantage?
How do you stand out when there are so many great pieces of content already competing for attention? DemandJump takes the guesswork out of building your content strategy and helps you create content that your customers will actually want. You can align your content perfectly to fit your customers with DemandJump’s analysis of internet behavior that gives you the topics and questions your team should be covering. Sign up today and discover how easy it is to create a content marketing strategy that works for you.
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