Do you think you know content marketing like the back of your hand? We dare you to think again!
Just kiddin’ – but our guide on content right here has some surprises in store for you.
1. What Is Content, Anyway?
Let’s dive right in: what can be defined as “content”?
Content provides information and experiences to our audience. As such, it would be a mistake to think that content simply refers to the written word.
Content, in fact, can include other forms of communication, such as video, images, graphics, and even audio files (such as podcasts, for example).
2. Why Do People Like Content?
Well, humans are storytelling-lovers.
That’s not a scientific fact, but it’s something that we generally accept as a given when we talk about human nature.
Since the dawn of time, people’s lives have revolved around communication. Through gestures, sounds, spoken words, and then through written words and other media.
Communication, social interaction, and storytelling are all at the heart of content, so that’s easy to understand why people are drawn to it (and why marketers use content to promote brands).
3. What Are the Different Types of Content Marketing?
In marketing, content comes in different shapes and sizes:
- Blogs
- Paid ads
- Infographics
- Social media
- Videos
- Podcasts
4. How Do You Create a Content Marketing Strategy?
There is no one, universal way to create a marketing strategy. Each company has its own goals, challenges, and requirements, which highly influence the ways it shapes its content marketing strategy.
In general, though, we can identify some essential parts of a solid, effective content marketing strategy:
- Establish your set of SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely) goals
- Define the KPIs that you want to track
- Settle on a budget
- Decide which channels you are going to create content for
- Decide which content type you are interested in creating
- Create and publish your content
- Keep tracking the performance of your content and measuring your results
5. Should You DIY or Work with an Agency?
Again, it depends.
If you are a solo entrepreneur, start-up, or small-to-medium business, then you will probably be better off working with a digital content marketing agency or a freelance expert.
This approach is much more cost-effective and streamlined, which works better if you are a nimble and bootstrapped business.
On the other hand, larger corporations may prefer to keep things in-house and create a content marketing department.
This will enable them to maintain closer control over the entire content lifecycle – although it is also inevitably much more expensive.
6. Should You Focus on Just One Channel, or Create Content for Several?
As with most things, in business, if you want to go far and be successful, it’s wiser to start simple.
There is no real rush to immediately conquer the entire digital content marketing universe. First of all, it would be impossible.
Then, it would also cause you to spread yourself too thin and not deliver the great quality that you want (and that your audience expects).
So, why not go back to your content marketing strategy and begin by tackling the first channel that you had identified?
This could be social media if you are an online-only brand, or it could be blogging if you sell services as opposed to products.
Whatever channel you choose, make sure that it is the most relevant and suitable to your brand, and focus on just that one for a little while.
Once you have mastered it – and have seen the first results – you are ready to move on to a different platform.
7. What Is Mobile-Ready Content?
Did you know that the vast majority of internet users around the world are mobile users? Yes, as many as 4.3 billion people worldwide access the internet via mobile devices.
What this means, for businesses, is that there is enormous potential found in mobile users.
If you want your company to unlock this potential, you need to optimize your content and make it accessible via mobile.
This may include changing font size and color, adding some interactive elements, and incorporating more options to personalize the navigation.
Your aim is for mobile users to access, view, and share your content in a fast, easy, and pleasant way, wherever they are in the world.
8. What Is Metadata?
When you create content, you will need to pay attention to one, crucial aspect: metadata.
Metadata refers to all the pieces of data that are used to describe your content and make it discoverable by search engines (and, in turn, by online users).
Anything from image descriptions to keywords and titles is part of the metadata world. If your content doesn’t include any metadata, then Google and all the other search engines won’t be able to find it – it’s as simple as that.
With metadata, you give your content a context, and therefore you make it understandable and discoverable.
9. What Does a Content Marketer Do?
If you think that a content marketer is simply someone who sits at a computer blasting out content at record speed, think again.
A content marketer is a professional figure who wears many hats, including:
- Research and analysis
- Content ideation
- Client and relationship management
- Copy and content writing (and editing and designing)
- Project Management
10. Should My Company Invest in Content Marketing?
It may sound obvious, but the answer is “yes, of course”.
Content marketing is one of the only types of marketing that are proven to increase ROI and boost a company’s online presence.
That is not to say that content marketing is a quick fix for fast sales and profits. Effective content creation and publication requires a lot of time and effort, and sometimes a hefty financial investment.
In the end, though, it is going to pay off.
Hungry for More?
If you fancy chatting to us about content marketing and finding out how our team can help yours succeed through exceptional content, hit us up.
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