What is Content Marketing and How Can It Benefit Your Business?

what is content marketing

Hey, are you reading this? Did you click through a link or two to get here? Congrats – it means that content marketing works. We know it does. The problem is, do you know it works?

It is, after all, one of the most effective tools at your disposal to get your name out there. It affects everything from brand awareness to organic search to generating leads – all while putting your business at the top other people’s minds. According to HubSpot’s 2021 State of Marketing Report, 82% of marketers actively use content marketing as a key part of their overall strategy. But how can you make the most of your content marketing efforts and see real results?

Content Marketing Defined

“Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.”  – Content Marketing Institute

Content marketing efforts include:

  • Blog posts
  • Social media posts
  • Emails/e-newsletters
  • Landing pages
  • Infographics
  • Case Studies
  • eBooks
  • Videos
  • Podcasts
  • White papers
  • Web content
  • And more!

What does it take for content marketing to be successful? Well, it’s an ongoing process. If we posted just this one blog and nothing else, no one would care. Content needs to be pushed out regularly across all the channels. You can’t bank on getting one viral hit (if you’re lucky enough) to grow your brand. Results usually come over time. Persistence is key!

Reach Your Audience

All the time and effort you put into your content will mean nothing if no one sees it. Your content marketing strategy should focus on reaching your audience wherever they are, and however they like to consume content. For example, video was the number one format marketers used in their content strategy in 2021; if you’re not making video, you’re missing out on lots of curious eyes. Of course, some people prefer to get their information through a blog post, case study – or even a Tweet. So, be present across different mediums for maximum exposure and impact. It’s okay if you don’t fully understand what TikTok is yet, but you gotta be there!

How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy

There seems to be the next big platform cropping up every few years. Trends come and go quicker than you can learn about them. Don’t let your content marketing suffer because you refuse to keep up with the times.

Like we mentioned, you’ll need to consistently produce content to succeed. And, in case you haven’t noticed, the world is flooded with content right now. To stand out, yours has to be great. So, here are some tips for getting started.

  1. Perform a content audit. Take a look at and inventory of all the content you currently have. Which topics are well covered, and which are under-represented? What types of content are you using? What content has resonated well with your audience, and what hasn’t? Get rid of the stinkers and set your sights on the winners.
  2. Make the most of what you have. You don’t need to start from scratch; find opportunities to repurpose content. For example, turn a popular blog post into an infographic. Turn part of a sales presentation into a case study. Take positive online reviews and post them on social media. Work smarter, not harder.
  3. Focus on quality over quantity. Let’s face it – there’s a lot of bad and lackluster content out there. Don’t just add to the noise. Work on creating content that is truly relevant and valuable to your customers to get the best results. And if you don’t have the time or resources to create the content you need, enlist some professionals to help.

Reap the Rewards

When you have an active content marketing strategy in place, you’ll:

  • Rank higher and be easier to find via organic search
  • Increase brand awareness and loyalty
  • Establish your business as a thought-leader in your industry
  • Generate leads via gated content
  • Nurture existing clients and keep them interested
  • Connect and engage with your prospects
  • Gain additional traffic via backlinks/shares
  • Increase sales

Let us Help!

If you even got to this blog, it should be obvious that Celsius Marketing knows what we’re doing. But if you’re still not convinced, we can walk you through how our expert content marketers are ready to take things to the next level. Let’s Talk.

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