Content In Marketing: What Exactly Does That Mean?
With so much marketing activities centered around online delivery of information, marketers have been using the term “content in marketing” for a while now. And naturally, many people are asking “what is content marketing?” “how does this apply to my business?” and “what results can I expect from improved content in marketing?”
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What Is Content In Marketing?
Simply put, Content Marketing identifies the key information that’s required to move a prospect through the journey of becoming a customer. It starts with a clear definition of the intended customer (frequently called a Buyer Persona or Avatar). Then an analysis of the information that moves the customer along the sales process and an application of some content marketing secrets forms a plan of action.
Buyer Persona Examples
To get a good foundation for a Content Marketing plan, the Buyer Persona should include as much relevant information about your intended customer as possible. Market segmentation can help you gain some clarity and focus. (See our Blog Post for more about Market Segmentation.) Including details such as demographic, behavioral, and psychographic information about a buyer helps fine-tune your market intelligence.
For example, it may help a company that provides pool cleaning services to know who typically buys these types of services- average age, gender, marital status, average income, etc.
Another example would be a contract engineering company that needs to know who typically purchases engineering services- job title, company size, location, and prior purchasing behavior. Do they buy services through a bid/proposal process and how does that work?
Marketing Insights That Feed A Content Marketing Plan
Many resources are available to help identify the information that’s important to your customers. You can look at the social media and websites your customers use and analysis tools like Sparktoro help point you in the right direction. Then you can review those sites for content patterns and trends. Professional associations can provide similar insight into popular topics.
If you’re in the position to analyze prior customer behavior, you can chart out what it took to get them from awareness to conversion. That is, what information was provided in what order to close a sale?
A close look at your competitors may reveal content that customers value that you’re not providing. What content works well for your competitors? Review their social media pages, website, and even email if you can get on their lists. Take note of any new social media platforms they’re using online. Setting up Google Alerts for your competitors is another good way to get timely information.
Finally, keyword research can validate that the topics you’ve identified are actually interesting and being searched for online. Keyword research won’t tell you who is searching for the information, only how popular the topic is, or isn’t.
Content Marketing Ideas
Mapping the information required to move a customer along the Buyer Journey will show which content is needed and in what order. Creative digital marketing content ideas then expand this thinking to define how and where you’re going to present it. Can you move leads thru the funnel with an email drip campaign? Do you have a sales team that might need case studies to help them close a sale? Can you use social media ads to drive brand awareness?
The sales funnel is a helpful model for thinking critically and capturing the insights in document form.
Once you’ve mapped content to the sales funnel, you can prioritize the development of new content based on any gaps. The additional content required can go on a plan that outlines what’s needed and in what order it will be created.
Content Marketing Secrets
The best formats to drive Awareness are advertising channels that reach potential customers that do not yet know about your company. Customers in the interest and consideration stages can be informed with additional information on your website, social media pages, and lead nurture programs.
Many businesses provide a Conversion mechanism right on their website or social media page. Other companies may make sales by inbound phone calls or even at cash registers in a physical location.
Finally, some of the most cost-effective marketing activities are aimed at customers who have already purchased. After all, it’s far more effective to sell to prior customers than find new customers. A steady email marketing program is a great way to stay top-of-mind with prior customers and get referrals from their networks.
Content Marketing Agencies
You can certainly go it alone or you can certainly hire an agency to create and implement a content marketing plan for you. If you decide you need some help creating and implementing a content marketing strategy for your business, SwanRosney Marketing has the experience and skills that will get you excellent results. We can create an entire content marketing plan and all the marketing assets required, or we can jump in and assist with any aspect of your content market program. The first step is to Contact Us and let us know how we can help.
Part 2 of our series on Content In Marketing will cover creative ways to develop content to use in your content marketing program.