We’re talking about the value of content marketing! So, what is it and why do you need it? How can you make it work for you?
In our latest blog, we’ve listed five reasons why content marketing needs to be a part of your digital strategy.
In order to best understand what content marketing is, its value and what it can do for your business, let’s start with an analogy (because everyone loves an analogy).
Picture the scene: the madness has ended and we are allowed to go shopping again – hallelujah! You stroll into your all-time favourite shoe shop, taking in the smell of soft leather, the mellow music and the shoes lined up before you. You sigh with pleasure but, before you can browse, a sales assistant comes over and starts making a sale. “What size do you need? These are reduced. Sit down there and I’ll get you a pair.” You feel pushed and pressured, your tranquillity is over, and you leave without buying anything.
That is not content marketing. That is the opposite of content marketing. Content marketing is in the inviting atmosphere of the shop, the signs that assure you that the shoes are handmade by workers who are fairly paid, the comfortable cushions on the seats. It is the place where the business shows you rather than telling you what they are all about.
Content marketing is the stuff that entices somebody onto your website and encourages them to stay and take a look around. Obviously, every business with a digital presence needs it. But just in case you’re not convinced, here are five compelling reasons why content marketing should be a part of your strategy:
Many of the incredible ethical brands that we work with here at Naturally Social have unique and compelling selling points alongside important social missions. Through thoughtful blog posts, incisive articles and enticing email copy, brands are able to show the world everything that they do.
Let’s face it: even if what you do is one-of-a-kind, there’s still a lot of competition out there. Through content marketing you can tell your customers and clients that you exist and that you have something special to offer. You can build a brand over time, so that your customers can know you at a glance.
Once your website is packed with inviting content, you will get more visitors and more potential customers. Data analysis can help you to understand the demographics of who is clicking your links which means that you can tailor your content to your ideal audience. This will, of course, bring them back to visit again and again.
Even more than this, knowing your ideal audience might have an impact on how you design your products or strive towards achieving your goals. It’s a fantastic cycle. You get to know your customer through your exciting content, and you can both develop and grow your business as a result.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is all about getting your business to the elusive first page of that Google search. In times gone past, this could be achieved with short posts stuffed with keywords. Not anymore.
Great content is what drives SEO, meaning longer articles packed with actual information rather than filler. What’s more, high quality content is likely to be linked on other sites which, in turn, gives you a boost in Google ratings. Sounds like a win-win to us.
And why is it important to be on the first page of the Google search? Recent research suggests that 28.5% of people click on the first organic search result that they see. Only 2.5% of people click on the tenth search result. If you’re not on the first page… you’re unlikely to be found. Now that’s gotta underpin the value of content marketing…
No, we’re not talking about that song by Will Young. (Is that an out-of-date reference? Are we showing our age?)
What we mean is, high-quality, well-written content about your brand and business can last forever, without much need to update it as time goes on. For example, a blog post about what led to the creation of your brand will still be of interest to your potential customers five years after it was written. It will still attract visitors to your site and may well lead to more business for you.
To put it more concisely: you do the work once, and it carries on working for you again and again.
We’re not trying to flatter you when we say that your brand is unique. It is. One of the best elements of content marketing is being able to share your brand’s personality with your customers.
When you’re facing stiff competition, your great sense of humour or your core beliefs may set you apart from the others. And there is no better way to express this than in your content.
Most of us consume content all through the day and late into the evening. How many people watch Netflix while scrolling through their phones? Or read articles on the treadmill? Content is ever-present in our lives – and everyone has their go-to corners of the internet that they visit without fail. We know this is because those brands stand out from the crowd.
Have we convinced you yet?
We really hope that you can see how essential content marketing is to a digital strategy. If you would like to know more about how we at Naturally Social can help you with your content marketing, contact us here.
And if you would like to read more about the work that we do through our carefully curated content (insert wink emoji here), take a look at our blog.
Put your feet up, we’ve got this. We’ve been living and breathing social-first communications since the phrase “social media strategy” was first heard on business-leader lips. Get the newsletter to stay in the loop. We respect your privacy and would never sell your details on to a third party. You can unsubscribe at any time – see our Privacy Policy for more details.
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