Content marketing forms all inbound marketing techniques such as e-mail, social media, blogging and organic search, which highlights how important it is for a business to implement it.
Content marketing is more effective than paid ads
Each individual will see thousands of ads per day. It may not seem as if we see so many ads, but with so much clutter, we are able to subconsciously block out pop-ups on Facebook, banner ads and even Google ads to some extent. Therefore content in the form of a blog post may seem more appealing and less ‘spammy’ than an ad.
More content means more traffic
The more consistent you are with publishing content, and the more useful it is, Google is more likely to increase your page rank on search engine result pages, which makes it easier for customers to find your business.
77% of internet users read blogs and 70% of people would prefer to learn about a company through a blog rather than a paid ad (even though they are super important in gaining traffic too). Ultimately, the more traffic to your website increases the potential for more sales!
Content marketing provides sales-ready leads
Content marketing provides more sales-ready leads in comparison to paid ads. Buyers are likely to view at least 3-5 pieces of content before they contact a company to purchase. The reason for this is that customers are more likely to have a positive outlook on a company after reading original content, as they feel like companies with original content are more reliable and trustworthy.
Helps you build relationships
When you are publishing content, you are ultimately communicating with your current and potential customers. Within your content, it is crucial to answer questions you think customers may want answering, and also implement important messages that reflect your brand. This will help educate your customers on your products/services, which will encourage a positive relationship.
The leading brands use content marketing (and so are your competitors)
Successful SMEs will employ a content marketing strategy, and even the leading companies in the world use content marketing. You don’t have to be a top company to be able to afford content marketing, because it’s very cheap, therefore even small or micro businesses can leverage this great strategy.
Content marketing trends
- Live content – A great way to translate to your customers that you are a trustworthy brand is through live content. Live content just means real-time videos, such as Facebook Live or Instagram Live. This can help your brand and customers build a stronger relationship.
- Snackable content – Content doesn’t just mean blog articles, it can be short videos and pictures too. Many businesses are using Instagram Stories and Snapchat that allow businesses to produce bite-sized content. It’s important to be creative with your content, this will keep your customers engaged and excited.
- User-generated content – Users could be considered your best marketers. 70% of customers often place user-generated content above generic written content, this content could be reviews, ratings and general comments. Publishing this content on social media platforms will help your target audience trust your company.
If you feel that you don’t have enough time to work on content creation, getting a digital marketing agency to help you could be beneficial. At Vizulate, we work with you to create a steady stream of regular and relevant content that keeps your business in the forefront of your customers’ minds. Contact us here if you want help creating awesome content.
References
https://blog.markgrowth.com/20-stats-that-show-the-power-of-content-marketing-in-2018-c2aaa7e1d13a
https://www.digitalwhirr.com/reasons-why-content-marketing-is-important-to-your-business-in-2018/