You might be familiar with this concept – Content itself does not need to sell directly. If this is the case, then why even bother with content marketing?
Let’s take a closer look to explore the role of content marketing and how it can be useful in the long run. Refer to this article, which delves into the history of content marketing and how it was used before the Internet existed.
Back in the day when John Deere wanted to sell his products to the farmers, he took a slightly different approach rather than selling directly. He published a magazine called “The Furrow” in 1895 to educate farmers on managing their crops better. Indirectly, he was planting seeds for the idea of using machines for agriculture. And, as we all know, that idea has paid off in a big way.
To put it simply, content marketing should create a connection to ideas and inspire thoughts in your reader’s mind. They should feel excited and curious to explore and try out those ideas. Down the line, they might adopt the ideas and would then decide to buy the product/services, fully aligning their behavior with their new thinking. Therefore, the content has built a deeper connection between your brand and your reader. This leads to trust, and they begin to rely on what you have to offer.
This is especially true for B2B companies. If you have a line of services or products that require educating the customer before they make the decision to buy, consider taking an inbound approach to digital strategy development. Remember that selling should not be the objective of your content creation. Brainstorm ways to educate and inform the user in ways that contribute to long-term gains.
So, how can you start the content planning process?
Below are some questions to consider when getting ready to create content for your brand following:
- What are the pain points that your customers struggle with?
- What information can you provide that encourages them to think differently?
- Can they trust your information? Fact-based and well-researched content is the key to building trust.
- Since we live in a multi-channel digital landscape, be intentional when determining the best format to communicate your ideas. Should you create content for video, podcasts, print, blogs, etc.?
While creating a subject matter expertise is always an exciting topic, a big roadblock to effective content creation is a lack of consistency. Even if you have great ideas, make sure you fully understand the investment involved – time, money, and resources.
Committing yourself to consistently creating original content is one of the best decisions you can make to generate brand equity and a leads channel through digital marketing.
Take a methodical approach to build a strong content strategy, and consistently use analytics to track user response, for long-term success. Contact our team to continue the conversation.
Reach out to us with any questions.
