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Expert Answers to Biz Questions Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.
5 Things You Should Know About Content Marketing
Starting your own business can be complicated. However, many people would say that the truly complicated part is actually running the business once it's established. If you are running your own business, you'll know that there are countless resources available to you to help you succeed.
Marketing is a vital part of these resources, so chances are you've come across something called "content marketing." There are even specific content marketing agencies like Motion - Content Marketing Agency to guide you every step of the way. What is Content Marketing?Essentially, content marketing is a type of marketing that is made up of the creation and sharing of online material. These can include blogs, videos, or social media posts. The focus is to create and distribute content in a way that's consistent, relevant, and valuable to a clearly defined audience. Ideally, this audience will become your customer base.
How Does Content Marketing Work?Unlike other forms of marketing, content marketing seeks to stimulate interest in products or services rather than promote a specific brand. First and foremost, content marketing is about offering targeted material that is helpful and useful. This educational material is designed to build trust, so any possible customers are loyal to your brand and not necessarily a product.
Think about it - if a potential customer only sees your business as offering a specific product, then that customer loyalty could easily change. If there is a cheaper version available, or a more convenient process for accessing that product, then the customer could likely seek what they need elsewhere. However, if a customer has loyalty to your brand rather than just the products that you are selling, you are more likely to keep their business.
As an example, say that you have an online shop that sells printable greeting cards and invitations. Content marketing, in this case, could include creating a helpful instructional video to show customers how to customize their cards or creating a how-to guide with invitation examples and ideas.
Producing thoughtful content like this increases the chance of new customers and returning ones since your business provides more than simply fulfilling an order.
Who Can Take Advantage of Content Marketing?Content marketing has been utilized by small businesses and leading brands alike. That is what makes this type of marketing so effective. It's accessible to even the smallest business. Of course, if your business is on the larger side, you could most likely produce higher volume content, but this doesn't mean small businesses can't also take advantage.
Is Content Marketing Expensive?The short answer is no. Of course, larger companies have more freedom to produce more content, but that doesn't mean smaller businesses can't benefit. Investing a small amount of time in creating helpful content and resources for customers can result in customers returning for years, while also recommending your business to friends and family. Essentially, your potential to benefit only increases over time. What are the Benefits of Content Marketing?So, what exactly are the benefits of this type of marketing? The short answer would be that it grows your business, but there are specific ways in which content marketing is beneficial.
Utilizing content marketing means an increase in sales, building brand awareness, and an increase in customers with more loyalty. By providing content that is educational and useful, you are creating a solid reputation for your business. Compare this to companies that send out spam emails, devoid of content. Are you likely to recommend them to a friend? Are you likely to stay a customer yourself?
Final ThoughtsWe all have a selection of businesses that we are loyal to. It doesn't matter if a newer company tries to get your attention; you are already a loyal customer. This is the exact aim of content marketing.
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