Unless you are a media brand, you might be wondering how producing content could possibly sway consumers to purchase your products or use your professional services. I mean, how does writing about the weather and current events or ideas for how to spend your weekend influence me to purchase your goods or services?
That’s the beauty of content marketing, and it’s exactly what we will explore below.
What is content marketing?
Content marketing is communicating with customers without including any direct call to action or sales propositions.
How does content marketing attract consumers?
Content marketing effectively harnesses a loyal consumer base by nourishing your brand’s target audience with useful media, information and entertainment.
Information is society’s kryptonite
When marketing and advertising first rose and infiltrated society in the mid-20th century, an unending race toward consumerism began. Advertising pointed out a space in consumers’ lives that they didn’t know existed, then offered a product with which to fill it and improve life.
Over half a century later, it is no surprise that consumers find persuasive messaging transparent and expect more from advertising and marketing. In fact, consumers quickly became so unfazed by advertisers’ messaging, they began demanding more information behind lofty promises. At the same time, global communication spread like wildfire as social media made it virtually possible for everyone on the planet to connect.
The result? An informed society. Anything consumers want to know, they can find out. They know what’s going on in the world, who is spilling oil, who is helping remedy the spill, who cares about it, what trends are popping up in Tokyo and the who’s who and what’s what of every major city in the world.
Information not only supplants consumer decisions, but it also feeds them on a daily basis. And so? Consumers consume media all day long, basically redirecting the hamster wheel from consuming products to consuming news, ideas, information and entertainment.
How to Build your Business with Content Marketing
BYOMO: Be your own media outlet
If consumers are scavenging for content, your best move is to give consumers content. If you can produce quality work that informs, educates and entertains consumers, your audience will come to trust you as a valuable media outlet.
Be a reliable media outlet
Whether you take a non-partisan view on events and ideas or you stay on brand with a particular viewpoint, remain consistent and reliable. Post regularly and about the variety of topics (wide or narrow) that you tell your audience they can expect to read or watch from you.
As you become the go-to media source for your audience, you establish a relationship with your consumers and then, when it’s time for your audience to purchase the product or service you provide, the decision to choose your brand is natural and easy.
The moral of the story? Content first, purchases later. Stay steadfast in quality and consistency, and trust the process.
Promote your content
In order to efficiently and effectively market to consumers via content, you do not need to pump out new content every day.
Instead, follow these excellent content marketing rules of:
- One-of-a-kind. You’ve heard it before, and we will say it again: produce original content. If the topic is already out on the web, find a new spin. Both Google and your consumers are watching you on this point.
- Selective Channels. Choose your channels wisely, according to which types of media your audience is most likely to consume per channel. For example, if you are posting baking listicles on LinkedIn, you might be wasting your time. This audience is looking at Pinterest and Instagram for culinary inspo via photos, stories and live video.
- Repurpose. Pay close attention to which content your audience interacts with and likes. Engagement is indicative of a piece that resonates. When this happens, repurpose it; taking an article into a listicle, an infographic, a video tutorial, a podcast and a webinar series.
To learn more about content marketing business strategies, reach out to our team at Rosy Strategies. We will happily guide you through all the essential content marketing tactics and help you achieve a more robust potential of your brand. We look forward to hearing from you!
