Content marketing, by any other name (customer media, customer publishing, branded content, corporate media, corporate journalism, branded media, et al) is the reigning king of web content. Do you agree with many observers? If you’re not creating useful, valuable content for your targeted audience, you’re not marketing at all.
Consumers Are Tuning Out Traditional Marketing and Advertisements
Whether you like it or not–particularly if you or a client spent a baronial fortune on a recent advertising campaign–consumers are rejecting most classic marketing programs. Professional writers, companies large and small, and blog writing gurus are creating compelling copy rich in content and value.
The traditional marketing goal remains constant: To attract and retain customers that result in sales and gross revenue. However, the preferred–some say, the “only”–method that works is now content marketing. Chatting with your target market while offering useful information, absent direct sales messages, is effective, timely and engaging.
Instead of turning off your audience, turn them on with interesting, valuable content. This technique is beyond a “soft sell” program. It’s more like a “no sell” strategy. Have you seen a strong salesperson and a content marketing professional at the same time in the same room? I think not.
While you probably have a favorite mental picture of a strong advertising campaign, you may not have a clear image of the features of and techniques employed in content marketing. Along with its wide variety of names, organizations use various road maps to arrive at a common destination, engaged consumers.
What Is Content Marketing’s Personality?
When you think of blog writing, you probably picture having a conversation with your readers. Whether supportive or contentious, you are engaging your audience. Their comments, positive or negative, indicate the relevance of your posts.
Web content that spurs visitors to action–hopefully to purchase product–also displays creativity, excitement, value, and interest. You have reached your targeted audience.
Companies using professional writers to author content for their web pages, social media sites, e.g., Facebook, tip and advice centers, newsletters, and ezines are reporting continued success and increased sales in a troubling, struggling economy. It’s obvious their target markets are responding.
Is there a common thread? If content marketing were a humanoid, how would you define his/her personality?
Think of a person you know who is engaging, honest, positive, interesting, well read, and thought provoking. How would you describe his/her personality? Much like content marketing, it would probably be difficult to select one word or single phrase that accurately identifies their personality.
Alas, there are all too few people that are so well-rounded and interesting that they would fit your definition. However, content marketing, when properly executed by professional writers, exemplifies your definition, regardless of the name you choose. Those content marketers who understand the concept and translate their knowledge to blog writing, web content, or social/corporate media outlets are akin to a mega stash of gold.
Matching interesting content with the personality of the writer or company delivers the results clients want: Increased revenue and a loyal customer base. Although a single, stratified word for its personality is difficult, effective content marketing has an “engaging, interesting, relevant, and riveting” personality.
William P is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments. WriterAccess is powered by ideaLaunch.
