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Content marketing is a term that most of us are familiar with; however, you may not know exactly what it entails. Content marketing is essentially producing content that people want to read, but from a marketer’s point of view, it also promotes their company or its products.
In the 21st Century, content marketing should be used by all organisations to promote their products. Indeed, as one of the leading digital marketing companies in Bangkok, we believe that its an essential element of your overall marketing strategy. Large brands promote themselves across the internet via their websites, blog posts, social media, webinars, and infographics. It is almost impossible to effectively promote any B2C or B2B enterprise without utilising modern forms of content marketing.
The importance of developing a content marketing strategy
As with any effective marketing campaign, you must plan ahead and devise a strategy for your content marketing. Firstly, you need to identify your target audience and produce content that is relevant to their interests (within your services). Every piece of content should add value rather than being created without purpose. With this in mind, your strategy should answer questions that your prospects want answering, nurture and educate them, and then guide them smoothly through the closing of a sale. It should be non-aggressive and encourage users to feel like they naturally found your content rather than having it pushed upon them.
Content marketing and SEO
It can be hard to differentiate between search engine optimisation (SEO) content and content marketing, with several aspects naturally overlapping in many ways. The objective of SEO is to be at or near the top of the search engine result pages (SERPs). To achieve this, you must have high-quality content that includes targeted keywords.
Producing new content allows you and your business to reach out to new existing clients. You can inform them about new products or services as well as updating the message that you want to give out. By incorporating high-value keywords, you can help improve higher rankings and create new and compelling content that matches Google’s sitemap preferences. Therefore, SEO will help you to achieve your content marketing objects and vice versa.
Ranking factors to be considered
When it comes to ranking, Google takes more than 200 factors into account and makes a value judgement on both your site and the content on its pages. Considering these criteria, Google’s algorithm will rank your page, making it visible to searchers looking for related content. Naturally, some of the ranking factors carry a higher weight. While it is impossible to give a definitive answer regarding which one is most important, from the data that Google releases, we know that these are some of the top-ranking factors.
- Quality Links (Internal & External)
- Engaging content
- Anchor text keywords
- UX UI Design
- Site Structure
Essentially, Google is looking for sites that are useful to readers, have reputable backlinks and have a high click rate with users staying on pages to read the content. Google is primarily concerned with providing its users with the best answers they are searching for, so you should always consider this when you create any new content.
What are the benefits of content marketing?
The benefits of effective content marketing are almost endless, and when used correctly, it can drive your business to levels beyond your imagination. Some of the most notable benefits include rapid and measurable results; it is cost-effective when compared with other mediums. The leads generated are qualified and, therefore, likely to result in more conversions, and you enhance your organisation’s reputation with new and existing clients.
What are the different forms of content marketing?
Content marketing takes on many guises which allow you to reach out to a broader audience and more buyer personas. A single piece of content can take on many forms, with some of the most common including:
Blog posts
Blog post are one of the easiest ways to create new and thought-provoking content. They allow you to position yourself as an industry leader and display your expertise. You can address common challenges that your clients face and provide solutions and answers to their questions. If you haven’t written a blog post before, it worth researching how you can create blogs that generate results. Once you have created the content, it can create social media posts on the same topic and ebooks containing more detail and visuals.
Case studies
Conducting case studies can be time-consuming, but they are also hugely beneficial. You can address real-life problems and situations and explain how your product or service can help people to overcome the challenges. They are classed as “bottom-of-the-funnel” content with stories of satisfied customers carrying significant authority and influence.
Infographics
The old adage that a picture can tell a thousand words is certainly true with infographics. You need to make sure that they are easy to understand, fun and provide all the information that a user is searching for. They are a superb alternative or addition to blocks of written text, and you can be as creative as you like. Infographics are frequently shared, so they can help immensely with your SEO.
Explainer videos
Explainer videos that explain how your products can help provide a solution are an excellent addition to your content marketing. They are a perfect point of reference and a resource that people can refer back to again. Many search queries on Google relate to how to solve problems, and by creating explainer videos, you can effectively answer these queries.
Testimonials
Genuine testimonials that satisfied customers write are a modern form of using word of mouth. Indeed, it is now recognised that buyers often refer to testimonials and reviews before making a buying decision. By using them effectively, you can dramatically increase conversions as well as creating leads for the future.
Webinars
With social media and conferencing apps such as Zoom being more frequently used by all forms of business, online seminars are a great way to educate your audience. They can be recorded or live and allow you to discuss points that are relevant to your industry. A way to reach out to a broader audience is to create collaborative webinars where you team up with another brand. By bringing more experts to the discussion, you can increase the webinars authority.
User-generated content
User-generated content is content that is created by people external to your organisation. They enlist the help of real people and add an entirely new dynamic to your marketing efforts. They are cost-effective and often give a new perspective. They are becoming increasingly popular with companies of all sizes and can be used in conjunction with social media. Written content, photos, or video can all be used and help gain more followers or likes. In many ways, they are similar to blog comments and product reviews.
Types of content
Content can be grouped into five easily identifiable categories and by adopting a variety of strategies, you can reach out to a wider audience. You need to be creative, but there is no need to reinvent the wheel. The five groups are:
Written
Written content includes blog posts, landing pages, product descriptions, press releases and case studies. All written content should include relevant keywords and be informative and interesting, allowing you to engage and interact with your target audience.
Video
With YouTube now one of the most commonly used search engines, video is a superb way to engage with your audience. Different forms include Vlogs, studio productions, education videos, animations and GIFs.
Graphics
Graphics are another superb method of conveying your message. Infographics are one of the most effective forms, but you could also consider custom illustrations, content formatting, wireframes and mock-ups, as well as customised illustrations.
Social
Social media in 2021 is undoubtedly one of the most effective methods of promoting your business. Facebook promotions, hashtag campaigns and user-generated content are some of the most widely used strategies, but targeted quizzes and polls also produce excellent results.
Audio
Webinars, podcast and recorded interviews with industry experts are frequently used as a form of content marketing and can be highly effective, especially when used with other strategies.
Take away
Most digital marketing campaigns will involve some form of content marketing, whether its ranking a blog article in the organic search listings or promoting a video or infographic through social media. The important thing to remember is to create content that your target audience will find helpful and then making sure they can find it!
If you’re looking for some help with Content Marketing or Digital Marketing in general, get in touch with one of team at Phoenix Media on 02 038 5400.
