How To Explain Content Marketing

You’ve probably heard people talk about the phrase 'content marketing,' but do you know what it means? If not, congrats; this post is precisely for you.

According to Content Marketing Institute, content marketing refers to a distinctive marketing approach of creation and distribution of valuable, applicable, and dependable content to entice and acquire a visibly defined audience-with the goal of promoting profitable customer action.

Whether you are just learning about the content marketing practice, need help explaining content marketing to your customers, or want to revise your content marketing strategies, this is exactly the post for you. Content marketing concept, as you know, has been in existence for years, although it has gained more popularity, particularly since 2007.

This post gathers information from a flurry of credible sources to help you fully understand content marketing. Here you will get a simplified outline of how you can properly explain content marketing to your family, peers, and even interested customers. Ready? Let's get started.

Content Marketing Explained to Your Family/Peers

Typically, when someone asks what you do, most of the time, our answer can provoke a quizzical look. Surprisingly, they go on and even ask, so what exactly do you do? The case is similar to content marketing. How do you explain it to your family in simple terms?

When explaining content marketing to your peers and family, the best way is to use a practical example. This way, they can easily distinguish normal content and valuable content from a content marketing campaign.

Ideally, help them understand that when companies use content marketing policies, more customers seek out their services and show genuine interest in its products.

A fantastic example of content marketing in use is seen through the famous American Girl brand. Essentially, American Girl uses content to refine something that is a normal commodity-a baby doll.

The brand has a lot of content (not to mention content experiences) for its target audience, which is truthfully staggering—for example, apps, quizzes, videos, games, and in-person experiences and events.

In simple terms, the content generated by American Girl emphasizes how children can effectively interact with either the doll or the provisions that are essential to this demographic.

Content Marketing Explained to Marketers

By now, you already understand that content marketing does not represent your brand, services, or products only. Content marketing is about your audience…what they care about!

More importantly, you want to learn how you can effectively offer something unique from what is in the market, in turn elevating your brand from the ordinary to a commodity that people embrace.

Ideally, content marketing is unique compared to traditional marketing methods such as sales collateral. Content marketing encompasses provisions like e-books, educational articles, entertainment, webinars, and videos that answer precise questions people have and offer something they can’t get anywhere else.

Content marketing is the most effective approach to transform your brand (however common) into something unique. By establishing your brand as a reliable, authoritative resource on items that matter to prospective customers, your brand will have a better chance of being discovered by the right audience.

Content marketing’s primary objective is to offer as much value from your marketing initiatives to your target audience as you can and we are here to explain to you exactly how this works.

As such, it will help you earn your target audience's trust and loyalty, subsequently allowing your business to solidify its customer relationships, build an active, engaged subscriber client base, and boost profits.

Examples of Content Marketing

By now, despite the various definitions and explanations of content marketing, you're likely wondering precisely what content marketing is all about.

The best way you can get more clarity is through considering several unique examples, and here are some of the best examples to aid your mind to begin percolating.

Infographics

Ideally, these are relatively long, vertical graphics that include charts, graphs, statistics, and other data. Typically, infographics can be quite effective, particularly since if one is excellent, it can be dispatched around the various social media platforms and posted on the web for a long time.

In most cases, you can acquire an expertly-designed infographic by hiring an independent contractor, or if you want to eradicate all the risks, then you can go with an accredited company.

You can design decent infographics at an average cost of at least $1000, or you can add a few extra thousands for your agency or contractor to include planning, strategy, copywriting, design, and research.

Videos

Podcasts and videos are a significantly unexploited form of content marketing since people consider them hard and expensive. However, with the decreasing cost of professional-grade gadgets creating high-quality audio and video content is now easier than ever.

In recent times, amateur video content marketing has helped launch new products, sell blenders, and even market the Hong Kong visa consulting services, among other notable provisions. Surprisingly, it may be easier than you probably think.

Articles

Yes, articles can be a remarkable way to promote content. Many visitors worldwide can view your articles, subsequently bringing you countless potential customers who could purchase your products and services. One perfect example of how articles work for content marketing is Moz’s, The Beginner’s Guide to SEO.

Podcasts

Podcasts offer you visibility in an entirely different world-chiefly iTunes. Podcasts can boost sales for many of your products, like your books, services, and other products.

Books

Just like with movies, people usually think of books as items that sell themselves. However, savvy marketers don't usually sell books only to sell them; they do it as distinct marketing tools. While it is easier with self-publishing than actual publishing of books, this uncanny perception is still hard, and only reputable experts can publish business books.

The idea here is to publish your books, and in case people don't read your book, you may still use it as some form of content marketing each time people introduce you as the author of…'

With these few content marketing examples, you should know what it means and how you can explain it to people. Now that you understand what content marketing is and various forms of content marketing, the next thing is identifying how marketers find success with content marketing.

How Do Marketers Get Success with Content Marketing?

Although your head may be spinning with this discovery, and you're probably thinking this is something you should be doing, content marketing isn't for everyone. Moreover, you indeed shouldn't adopt this concept because it's 'trending'!

Content marketing mandates a lot of persistence, patience, and effort. However, it can be a fantastic method if you are truly looking to offer a superior customer experience while significantly impacting the business (for its bottom line and perception).

Below are some key reasons why marketers decide to practice content marketing.

To be found by your target audience prospects, every day users continually search for information and ask questions on various search engines such as Google. As a business owner, you want your venture to rank on the top of the search results.

Answering users' questions through eBooks, blog posts, and multiple other content assets is a fantastic way to accomplish this. Of course, while ranking top is just the first step, it is important to enjoy the associated content marketing benefits.

To Foster an Engaged and Interested Audience

By now, you already understand that your content's value is determined by its ability to attract your target audience and compel them to interact with your business continually. The audience can continually engage with your brand as customers, subscribers, and so on.

After you get a genuinely interested and responsive audience, your content marketing initiatives will help boost sales, collect valuable customer insight, and activate your most loyal followers as brand ambassadors.

To Acquire New Customers

For many marketers, generating revenue is a fundamental objective, and as you would expect, content marketing can be an enormous driver. Once you create an audience that trusts your brand and wants to engage with you, they are more inclined to buy what you are selling.

To Increase Revenue with Existing Customers

Finally, another reason why firms use content marketing is to create more loyal customers. Usually, this can boost sales through up-selling or cross-selling, and in some instances, the brand can subsequently monetize content itself.