Before we list the myriad reasons content marketing is important to your business success, we should explore the question ‘what is content marketing?’.
Content marketing is the creation and distribution of content that targets a specific audience. Its purpose is to increase customer engagement and increase revenue or other profitable action. Through customized blogs, videos, social media pages, apps, etc, you build brand loyalty. The content should be consistently useful and engaging, allowing your audience to look to you as a source for more than just your basic offering.
Now, onto the 10 reasons why content marketing is important to your business:
1. Increases consistency and awareness of your brand.
The single most important reason for content marketing lies in crafting your brand’s image and reliability. Consistency is key for any business, and having consistent, relevant content keeps your target audience interested and active with your business.
2. The competition is in on the secret.
According to HubSpot, 70% of marketers invest in content marketing. To maintain a competitive presence, you also must invest in content marketing.
3. Increases Search Engine Optimization
A website that includes keywords and content that is highly sought after increases search engine optimization. You must balance keywords and actually useful content. Filling a web page with keywords and little context won’t bring your audience back again.
4. Content is easy to produce… and lasts forever.
One of the greatest things about content marketing is that if you have the right content, it’s usable repeatedly. Posting one relevant blog can increase initial traffic to your website, can continue to generate traffic, and can even be re-posted in the future.
5. Creates a helpful and informative presence.
Having helpful content, whether ‘how-tos’ or relaying information in an easy-to-consume format, will make your audience continue to seek you out. Building up this trustworthiness is essential for most businesses.
6. Content is essential for digital marketing.
How cool is it that digital marketing relies heavily on content marketing? Using electronic devices has revolutionized the marketing world and content marketing is keeping up. Content marketing is the bones to digital marketing’s magic. Without content, digital marketing is pretty useless. Digital marketing may point to a business, but there needs to be content to keep someone engaged!
7. Give a boost to connections.
By having great content on your site, you may attract the right sort of attention from other sites. If a well reputed website likes your content, they may link your site, creating an awesome opportunity for more traffic. This is often seen on social media sites, with businesses tagging each other, and supporting other businesses, artists and brands - sometimes creating overnight celebrity.
8. Content marketing is flexible.
Though we may initially think of blogs when we think content marketing, truthfully you can include many different types of content. You can tailor your content to what you are all about. If you’re a videographer, relying on video content is a great way to relay information and show your aesthetic style and skills. According to Lyfe Marketing, 30% of all online activity includes watching videos. A combination of great keyword blogs and video content will support your business’ growth.
9. Social media is content marketing’s best friend.
As many brands take marketing to social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, we have seen the marketing results - and they’re worth researching. Instagram has the second highest results oriented investment for marketers. Social media platforms are built perfectly to increase content marketing and audience engagement. With easy-to-use functions such as ‘liking’, ‘following’ and ‘sharing’, spreading brand awareness and loyalty has never been easier.
10. Lead generation.
Taking into account everything we have just listed, know that high-quality content marketing will cause lead generation. Having such a rich internet age means massive amounts of information are being filtered through every day by your average consumer. Having relevant and engaging content will help generate leads for activity such as purchases or subscriptions.
We hope you find this helpful for your own brand, now go out there and get some great content going!
Related post: What should a competitive analysis include?