In an age when information is so readily available online, traditional marketing is fast losing its potency in its ability to draw in and make customers loyal to a brand.  The Major Purchase Shopper Study has found nearly 80% of people making a significant retail purchase in the US research the product online - comparing prices and different vendors and brands before making a decision. People are more equipped to make their decisions and are less likely to fall prey to the marketing strategies that worked so well in times gone by. Content marketing can be the solution to the increasing obsolesce that traditional marketing like advertising on mediums is undergoing.

What is content marketing?

The Content Marketing Institute defines it as “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.”

The aim is to provide content that is not just an overt attempt to sell something but to provide solutions to people’s problems and become an everyday part of their life. One example of content marketing could be a company that produces chilli sauce having a blog where they share recipes that would be off interest to their potential client base. A company that produces diapers then creating a guide for mothers on how to use the product in the safest way possible for their newborns is another.

Quality content is necessary to a marketing strategy. A content marketing plan should be woven into the plan for disseminating content. It should not be independent. 

Why should businesses invest in content marketing?

There are some clear benefits to having a good content marketing strategy in place. It helps in:

• Building brand awareness by reaching out to a wider audience
• Getting respect within the industry for demonstrated expertise
• Increasing traffic on a website
• Improved SEO outcomes 
• Direct customer conversions

The content marketing campaigns of large companies John Deere, Michelin and Proctor & Gamble naturally lend themselves to scrutiny, admiration and study. The campaigns have cemented their brand further and increased loyalty to the company in a time when consumers are not as responsive to advertising. But you don’t need to be a corporate giant to have a quality content marketing campaign. 

For an SME, which may not have personnel or a large budget, producing content consistently in a way that is well within budget can yield dividends over a period of time. The content needs to be relevant with appeal and doesn’t have to require a lot of resources to produce.

Lastly, the key to content marketing is to persist. Often, it takes time for traffic to rise. Once there is traction, there will be a marked increase in traffic and customer conversions. However, in the initial stages, even with new content being doled, it is quite likely that traction will take time.

Invest in content marketing - it will build a loyal base for the brand you wish to build and give an impetus to your marketing efforts. Watch this video to learn more: