Content is one of those marketing buzzwords that often gets diluted by trends, obsessions with virality, and the daily churn of social media. But, at its heart, content marketing is simple: share valuable information with your audience that shows your brand not as a product pusher, but as a dependable resource people can turn to. Let’s explore this topic in more detail!
Defining Content Marketing
Content marketing is the creation and distribution of online material that doesn’t sell products or promote a brand. Seems counterintuitive to business growth, right? It’s actually a great way to establish your brand as an industry leader and build a more personal connection with your audience.
By writing and sharing content that helps people solve problems, learn about an interesting topic, or see something in a whole new light, you show them that your brand can be trusted and beneficial in their day-to-day lives—something that’s often more meaningful than just highlighting product features or telling them to book an appointment with you.
Content You Can Create
Content marketing takes many forms, and doing it well means using a mixture of those forms across different channels. Here are some types to try:
Blogs
Blogs are a great way to boost traffic on your website and establish your brand as a helpful resource. Consider the trends emerging in your industry or the problems customers typically come to you with. If you’re a commercial roofer, how can businesses prepare their roofs for winter? What is green roofing, and why should a property owner consider it? The purpose of a blog is to address a challenge, break down a topic, and give the reader actionable guidance. This blog you’re reading right now is (hopefully) a good example!
Videos
Content doesn’t just refer to copy. Sometimes, the best way to deliver information is in video format. From interviews with real-life customers to company histories, videos tell a dynamic and human story, putting names and faces to your brand. These can be shared on your website, social media, landing pages, and more.
Social Media Posts
Posting on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, or Instagram helps you build an online community of current and potential customers who find value in what you have to say. Here, you can respond to questions or comments, share facts about your industry or company, and more. Don’t be afraid to get creative and have a little fun, because followers don’t want dry sales pitches. They want relatable and engaging content. You can even post a meme or two if you’re feeling brave!
Case Studies
This is your opportunity to stretch some storytelling muscles. Think of a time you helped a customer with a problem. What was the challenge, what solutions did you provide, and what were the results? The more specific you can be and the more numbers you can include, the better. Case studies are good to share on social media, in email campaigns, and during sales presentations because the reader can put themselves in that customer’s shoes and get as close to experiencing your value firsthand as possible.
Other Stuff!
- eBooks – These are a more extensive form of content marketing, covering a specific topic in much greater depth. These don’t just define the subject, but explore its direction and offer insights exclusive to your company.
- Whitepapers – Think of whitepapers as a less intensive version of eBooks. Like eBooks, they cover a topic in more technical detail and are heavy on the data, but they’re not as long—sort of like a business research paper.
- Podcasts – Podcasts are perfect for interviewing thought leaders in your sector, sharing things you’ve learned in the business, and highlighting customer stories. These shouldn’t just relay information but spark a greater conversation.
- Infographics – Infographics put numbers about your industry, company, or another topic into a visually appealing and easy-to-digest format. Think cybersecurity statistics for an MSP or a timeline of a company’s history.
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Why Is Content Marketing Important?
Content marketing is important for several reasons:
- Build Trust – By sharing information the audience can actually use, you make your brand more credible and memorable.
- Boost Conversions – Online content helps you generate leads and convert people who like what you’re sharing into loyal customers.
- Enhance Engagement – Customers who keep finding value in your content are more likely to recommend you to others and stay loyal to your brand.
- Improve SEO – Optimized content like blogs and videos strengthen your online presence, so your brand ranks higher in the search results.
The Content Creation Process
Writing a blog every once in a blue moon won’t do it. You need a strategic approach to content creation if you want to build a sustainable and consistent online presence.
1. Content Planning
Think about who you’re targeting with your content. What does your ideal customer look like? What are their goals, challenges, values, and demographics? You also need to develop specific goals for the content you’re making, whether that’s getting more subscribers for your blog or generating leads through social media. Ideally, these goals should have a certain number and timeline attached to them, like “I want our blog to gain 30 subscribers in the next two months.”
Topics also need to be planned in advance. Maybe one week you write a blog about X, the next you post on Facebook about Y. Content calendars will keep topics organized and everyone on the same page. If there’s seasonal relevance at play, like winter for commercial roofing, consider that as well.
2. Task Assignment
Now is the time to delegate content creation and management tasks to certain team members. Set rules for the tone and verbiage they use to ensure consistent branding. If there’s a certain term you want to avoid in your copy, for example, make that clear. Deadlines should also be determined before anybody gets started. With tasks assigned, guidelines created, and due dates established, the content creation process will go much smoother.
3. Review & Revision
It’s important not to rush into publishing just because you have something done. Editing, fact-checking, and proofreading are musts. Get several eyes on that blog or case study before sharing it online so mistakes can be caught and improvements can be made. This gives your brand more polish and prevents misinformation that can damage your credibility.
4. Publishing
Where’s this piece of content going? If you’re posting on social media or sending it in an email campaign, remember that timing is important. Research when your audience is most active online and schedule publication accordingly for maximum engagement. A final approval before posting is a great idea too, just to make sure everything is in order!
Plus, there are plenty of marketing platforms out there that allow you to manage, edit, and publish your content for different channels in one organized space—a worthwhile investment if you’re trying to juggle several platforms and post at specific times.
5. Promotion
You can publish a blog, case study, or video, but if you don’t promote it somehow, not many will see it. Announce this new bit of content on your social media with a link to it for easy access. Email newsletters are great for updating current customers on new resources like eBooks and whitepapers. For even more visibility, you can also do paid advertising at a reasonable cost. Facebook ads, for example, can put your content in front of more people who fit your target audience for as little as $5 a day.
Create Awesome Content With Abstrakt
Clearly, content marketing is a lot. With so many moving parts to consider, some extra help never hurts. Abstrakt is your content resource. We bring a full team of marketing managers, copywriters, designers, and video editors to the table at an affordable price. Our experts will help you choose topics and keywords that fit your brand, then get to work on professionally crafted content that grabs attention, builds loyalty, and establishes you as an industry thought leader. Connect with us today, and let’s create something amazing together!
