Posted on November 10, 2016

4 Reasons You Should Be Paying Close Attention to Content Marketing

In the internet marketing industry, it’s easy to get lost in the constant stream of buzzwords and fads. We know as well as anyone that marketing fads come and go. It’s up to us to decipher which of these marketing trends is here to stay, and which will be forgotten about in a couple months. That said, we firmly believe that content marketing is a “fad” that won’t be going away anytime soon.

Chances are you’ve already heard of content marketing. If you haven’t, or if you still don’t get what exactly it is, don’t worry. Let’s start off with the basics: what is content marketing?

What is Content Marketing?

With several different definitions of content marketing floating around, it can be hard to focus in on what exactly it is. You’re definitely not alone – content marketing is still not completely understood, even by a good portion of internet marketers.

In our opinion, the best definition of content marketing comes from the Content Marketing Institute:

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”

Content marketing uses blog posts, podcasts, videos, eBooks, infographics and social media posts as a vehicle. Any content put out by your practice can be considered a part of content marketing.

So, from this definition we get the “what”, “how” and “why” of content marketing. Now let’s discuss why you should be paying close attention to it!

Content Marketing + SEO

Content marketing and SEO really do go hand in hand. As we all probably know by now, search engines like Google are getting smarter every day. Search engines are getting crazy good at weeding through boring, irrelevant or poorly written content to find exactly what the user is looking for.

If your content is not meeting the expectation of the user, it’s safe to say your SEO will suffer because of it. This is why content marketing should be at the center of any SEO strategy. It’s not enough to post any old blog article just for the sake of posting, or filling up a page of content with keywords and useless information. Focus on creating content that your potential patients actually want to see, and chances are, they will see it.

Content Marketing + Lead Generation

Content marketing is a lead generator. It delivers on the “narrowcasting” strategy. Instead of casting a wide net and hoping for the best, content marketing aims to appeal to a smaller group of potential, high quality leads. This way, we can be sure your content is reaching the right people to increase the chances of conversion.

Content marketing works a little differently than other lead generation strategies. While there are many ways you can generate trackable leads through content marketing, there is much to be said about content marketing as a branding strategy. Everyday content marketing pieces such as blog and social posts are more often aimed at gaining traction and authority in your industry. This is how you get people to trust you.

Content marketing is a long-term strategy. The longer you keep doing it, the more high quality leads you see over time.

Content Marketing + Social Media

It’s not uncommon to see content marketing a social media marketing confused for one another. While yes, they are similar and closely connected, content marketing encompasses a larger scope of content.

Content marketing can be considered a base for a successful social media strategy. Creating relevant, highly targeted content for social media is just as important as it is for any other platform. A solid content marketing strategy should include a cohesive plan for your social media posting, as opposed to posting because you feel like you have to.

The Downfall of Traditional Advertising

It’s no secret that traditional advertising has fallen by the wayside since the “age of authenticity.” People are no longer willing to sit through boring 30 second video ads while you force a sales pitch down their throat. If your video and radio advertisements feature relatable experiences as opposed to a sales pitch, you’ll have better luck. But for the most part, people want to consume content by their own volition, not by force.

This is especially true when talking about younger generations. According to this survey, 84% of millennials do not like, nor trust, traditional advertising. This says a lot about the huge shift in the way people consume content. People don’t want your sales pitch – they want relatability. They want to learn. They want to know how seeking out your services can improve their life.

Podcasts, blog articles, eBooks and webinars are examples of content that grabs your audience’s attention without holding them hostage. When your audience is there by choice, they’re more apt to listen to what you have to say.

By now you probably understand why content marketing is here to stay. The future of marketing is in content, and we’re always here to keep you on the up and up. Reach out to our team here at Glacial Multimedia with any questions, and look for more on content marketing from us as 2017 approaches!