What’s the Big Deal about Content Marketing?

Many buzzwords are floating around in the digital marketing sphere these days, some of which include search engine optimisation, artificial intelligence, omnichannel and content marketing.

However, what’s the big deal about these buzzwords, and specifically content marketing? According to B2C Content Marketing 2019: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends, which was released by the Content Marketing Institute, 57% of B2C marketers who were surveyed expected their content marketing budget to be increasing. This is particularly in the area of content creation. There must be a reason for this, but what is it?

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on creating, publishing and distributing content to targeted online audiences. It is not intended only to promote a brand but also generate interest in its products or services through valuable and interesting content. In other words, it’s not the hard, fast sell, but rather encouraging potential clients to build a relationship with your brand in the hope of a future sale.

Why is content marketing a big deal?

• Content marketing is not just talking at people. It allows you to talk to people about their wants, needs, fears, etc. from an expert’s point of view. This practice allows you to develop a relationship with your clients and gets them to trust you. Thus this is valuable from a sales point of view as people are more likely to buy from companies and brands who they trust.
• It allows you to build genuine connections with people. Clients and potential clients want to know who you are, what you stand for and why they should buy from you. They want to know your history, where you are going in future and your ethics and values. Content marketing allows you to do this.

• People buy from people, and content marketing allows you to show a more personal side of your business. It makes your business ‘real’. Authenticity in business is vital, and part of that is telling your story. When you tell the story behind the company (who created the brand, who is the lifeblood of the business, how do you work, etc.), people can relate to you.
• Content marketing helps people to notice and remember you because they build a relationship with you. Through content marketing, brands bring out emotions in their clients. They connect with them. They build a lasting relationship with them.
• Stories can help to change or enhance a consumer’s behaviour. You can attract and retain customers (and shape their behaviour) through content marketing.

Infographics, podcasts, blogs, newsletters, videos, and e-books are some examples of content marketing that you can use. You can use content marketing to create awareness, provide sources for your clients, give them something to consider and, hopefully, encourage them to buy from you. Do you use content marketing? Let us know!

Get in touch with the Digital School of Marketing

The saying “Content is King” has been around for the past number of years. However, it’s not a trend that will be changed dramatically as regularly as Google’s Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) algorithms –  it is here to stay!

If you are passionate about creating content for online platforms, love brainstorming ideas and selling your ideas to the public you need to become a copywriter with DSM’s Digital Copywriting and Content Marketing Course! We’ll teach you how to sell your story through creative and enticing mediums as well as these fit into the greater context of marketing and brand communications strategy.