By eric on 08/19/2016
What is Content Marketing?
More and more companies are embracing content marketing for their advertising campaigns. It creates much higher levels of engagement compared to traditional methods of advertising. But what exactly is it and how have other companies used it? Let’s dive in and explore the history and evolution of content marketing. In essence, content marketing is a more personal way of advertising than display ads or search results. The content presented is closely related to the product that the company is offering while simultaneously promoting the company and leaving the person with a sense of satisfaction after experiencing it.
ContentMarketingInstitute.com describes it this way: “The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.” Content marketing respects the intelligence of the customer and building up the level of trust the customer has for the brand. If they trust the content that the company produces, they will be more likely to trust their products, as well.
A brief history of content marketing
The process of creating content to promote a service or product is nothing new; the toy industry in the 80’s and 90’s is an excellent example of this. Companies created TV shows for children that would showcase their toys and the kids would convince their parents to buy the products for them. Content marketing in the modern age works a bit differently thanks to the speed and convenience of the internet. The ability to simply glance over advertisements has given rise to the need for new alternatives, especially something more substantial and subtle.
How content marketing works
The rise and prominence of social media has also contributed to the effectiveness of content marketing. The news feed is the perfect way for content to gain more attention. If someone finds an article that is especially helpful or entertaining, they’ll share it with their friends, thus exposing the content to even more people. No one shares a blatant advertisement because that isn’t what other people on social media are looking for; they want content and lots of it.
It’s imperative that the content is both authentic and relevant to the subject matter (i.e. not spam). Keeping it short doesn’t hurt, either. The Huffington Post has done an excellent job of creating content that follows these guidelines. They’ve garnered a lot of attention with their quick and simple 60 second recipe videos. Their content is presented in a clean, easy-to-consume format and is a small time commitment, making it very appealing to watch. This strategy has brought in hundreds of thousands of new people to their Facebook page, all hungry for more simple recipes.
Content Marketing has proven to be an incredibly effective way of turning website visitors into strong advocates for their favorite brands. It has evolved over time to take full advantage of technology. Hundreds of companies are benefiting from this marketing strategy today and hundreds more are sure to join them. Hopefully now you have a better understanding of how this unique way of advertising has adapted to give dedicated customers quality content that respects their dignity.
