Content marketing provides a strategic aid for the overall functioning of a company or operation. The idea behind this is that you not only get to know your target group better, but that they also see you better as an entrepreneur. When the target group in question regards a company as a reliable source of information, this will generate more sympathy and, moreover, a better market position. Content marketing has many faces. Because of this, understanding the meaning of content marketing is not always easy. High time to change this.
Important forms of content marketing
To understand content marketing properly, it is good to know what forms there are exactly. What exactly does content marketing look like? What do you need to think about when investing in it? Are there things you can do yourself? Or should you outsource everything to a content marketing agency? Below are the main forms of content marketing.
Writing blog posts
Blogs are indispensable in the world of online marketing these days. Writing blog posts is still one of the most popular ways to reach more people and share valuable information in a short time. Many companies have a section next to their own website where they publish blog posts on a weekly or sometimes even daily basis.
The biggest advantage of a blog is that it is much less static than a web page. Whereas web pages usually change very little and address the consumer more formally, a blog post is able to address the target group on a personal level. There is more room for informal language and blogs remain interesting, especially since they are regularly published. As a result, people return to a blog from a website more quickly. The big advantage is that this not only attracts more visitors, but also that they end up high up in Google's search results more quickly. Most companies are therefore very interested in the possibility of publishing blog posts on a regular basis. Structure is of vital importance here.
It is important to realise that blog posts will not immediately end up high in Google. Do not expect miracles when a blog has just been written. Visitors need time to find these blogs. Google also needs time for the content to appear in its algorithm. When you consistently post good articles, Google will have less trouble making them appear in the algorithm.
Content marketing: active on social media!
Social media is one of the best known forms of content marketing. This is only logical, as we all spend more and more time on social media. We might even consider it an addiction. Just think how much time you spend on social media every day. Without really realising it, you can easily spend hours a day scrolling through social media. Checking out Facebook, looking up a video on YouTube, sharing a funny video via TikTok or checking out the stories on Instagram. As a content marketer, it is of course interesting to capitalise on this 'addiction'. After all, a lot of people can be reached through such platforms. What's more, they can be used for a wide range of purposes and there is plenty of room for creativity.
Although being active on social media does not seem to be difficult at all, it is actually more difficult than you think. Moreover, it takes a lot of time to be active on all these platforms. And do you know on which platform you can be most active? As a photographer, for example, you may benefit more from Instagram in order to share more photos, while a writer may benefit more from Facebook or Twitter in order to share interesting thoughts.
By making the right choices, being creative and spending a lot of time on social media, you can ensure that your company gains more brand awareness. Because this takes a lot of time, it is wiser to leave this (partly) to a content marketer. Work as strategically as possible and don't just spam your social media, but really make sure you are working towards a goal. What exactly do you want to achieve from the activities via social media? In consultation with a content marketer you do not only put this in a good place, but you also ensure that the content marketing campaign will be many times more effective.
Posting videos
Something that many people do not know is that YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world. It comes just after Google. It is therefore strange that most companies invest a great deal in order to be visible within Google, but neglect YouTube. It is precisely by making videos and sharing them via this large search engine that you can reach a lot of people.
On YouTube, you can start your own channel as a company and collect so-called subscribers. These subscribers will be the first to see your videos in their overview and will also receive a notification when you have posted a new video. There are channels that now have thousands or even millions of subscribers. This is not only a way to build trust and increase brand awareness, but it can also generate a lot of money.
In addition, posting videos is not too difficult. It is not necessary to have the best editing skills or perfect cameras. It is all about the content you post. Make sure the content you share is interesting and engaging to watch. The longer people watch your videos, the more it will benefit your position in the search results. Once it is running, you can always invest in better materials to make videos.
A content marketer can work with you to come up with the right topics and even hire a professional to put the videos together for you. This not only saves a lot of time, but also gives you a greater chance of success.
Did you know that Google also places your website higher in its algorithm when your webpage is illustrated with videos? Think for example of a company for sun protection. They can post videos to explain to people how best to clean, replace or hang them. In doing so, they provide valuable content and give their webpage the illustration it needs (and deserves!).
Unknown forms
The above forms of content marketing are known to most people. However, there are also forms that are less well known. Nevertheless, they are very effective! Think for example of playful methods to seduce the customer, to attract and retain. What about a funny or an informative quiz?
A quiz is an ideal way to find out more about the target group or simply to tempt them to click on an article. Moreover, a quiz is much more attractive to fill in than an ordinary survey. For example, ask questions about your company's products or services. Then have people invite friends to do the same and compare the results. This not only provides more knowledge about the target group, but also a better findability because people share the link to your website more often.
Besides posting a quiz or other playful methods to reach the target group, there are of course also more traditional forms that can be considered as content marketing. Think for example of e-mail traffic. Ensuring that visitors receive newsletters or special discount codes, makes them extra interested in your company and also ensures that your company does not disappear into oblivion once customers have made a purchase. This is how you ensure that customers return.
If we talk about the meaning of content marketing and relate it to e-mail marketing, then a small note must be made. Because with e-mail traffic, it is important that valuable content is sent and that this is done without advertising. If this is done consistently, people will not see it as spam and they will remain interested. Once in a while you can of course refer to an article, product or special service to tickle the target group and to bind them, but this should not be the first goal. With content marketing, you strategically make sure that your company is considered to be of high quality and an authority. That will be rewarded in the end.
Why is content marketing so important?
Content marketing is indispensable if you want to maintain a good position in Google or if you want to put a new company on the map. But what makes content marketing so important for your company or organisation? What are the advantages of investing in quality content marketing?
- Making choices that best suit your business. Sometimes content marketing can be a bit overwhelming. Especially when you see how much is possible. You can be active on many different channels to achieve results, but it is really not necessary to be active on every channel. Together with a content marketer you make choices on how and where you can best present your company. The longer you are active and the more successes you book, the further you can expand. Moreover, the results are easily measurable, so you quickly see what works and what does not.
- With content marketing, you do not talk to the customer, but with the customer. Because of this, you build a completely different bond with the target group. A bond of trust. By sharing a lot of valuable information and also offering space for response, you ensure that you learn more about the target group and show what you stand for as an entrepreneur and that you leave space for the consumer's opinion. This not only creates more trust, but also gives you the opportunity as an entrepreneur to improve your products and services. Something that is ultimately rewarded with more conversion and a larger customer base.
- Content has many different faces. Because of this, there is always a form of content marketing available that fits your company. This way, you can create a tailor-made marketing plan. Together with an online marketeer. This offers many advantages.
Are you planning to invest more in content marketing? Then call in a content marketing agency to help you on your way. This will not only save you time, but you will also be able to set up a much more effective campaign.