What Is Content Marketing and Why Is It Important?
Before diving into the nitty-gritty of the content marketing strategy, let us briefly discuss what this concept essentially is.
In short, content marketing refers to the process of creating and distributing valuable and relevant content in order to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. This, in turn, helps drive profitable action – that is, making them customers.
Why is content marketing important? Because buyer behavior has changed drastically over the past decade. Nowadays, people do extensive research before buying something. And if your brand is the one that helped them through their entire decision-making process, it becomes impossible to ignore. An advertisement stops being relevant the second you stop paying for it. But a blog post that someone may stumble upon, bookmark, and share could bring sales for years to come.
Content Marketing vs Digital Marketing
The eternal question that beginners in the world of marketing always ask is what is the difference between content marketing vs digital marketing. In fact, they are not competing concepts – they complement each other. Digital marketing is the umbrella term that covers multiple disciplines such as SEO, email marketing, paid social media and video advertising, etc. On the other hand, content marketing is an important part of it that all other areas rely on. It is the foundation, and other tools are built on top of it.
Content Marketing for Beginners: Where to Start
If you are a beginner, the vast amount of information about the content marketing strategy may seem too much to take in at once. But the best beginner’s tip for content marketing is to answer these three simple questions:
- Who are you trying to convince/benefit?
- What are they struggling with?
- What platforms do they use?
The more you know about your target audience, the easier it will be to determine what content to create and where to host/distribute it. And this is the step many beginners miss, resulting in hours of brainstorming about irrelevant topics.
How to Create a Content Marketing Strategy Step by Step
You have defined your audience and know who you are trying to reach. Now, let us discuss how to create a content marketing strategy step-by-step.
Step 1 – Define one ultimate goal. You can either go for more leads, better conversions, or build brand awareness.
Step 2 – Buyer persona. Use the information you gathered in the previous steps.
Step 3 – Do keyword research. Simply put, this is a process of identifying terms and phrases your audience is looking for online.
Step 4 – Decide what types of content you are going to produce.
Step 5 – Create a content calendar. It will help you stay productive and motivated.
Step 6 – Execute, promote, and measure. You cannot know what works and what not until you gather and analyze the necessary data.
Types of Content Marketing
Now that you have an idea of what a content marketing strategy is and how to build one, it is time to decide what types of content to use. There are multiple types of content marketing, and the choice depends on your audience and goals. The most common are blog posts/articles, videos, email, and social media. The purpose of each one is different: the former three help build relationships with customers, while the latter is used for brand awareness. Case studies and infographics also play an essential role as they boost your credibility as an expert in the field. Even when it comes to blogging, the formats may vary. So, there is no harm in combining a few of them.
Content Marketing Funnel: TOFU, MOFU, BOFU
Next, let us talk about the content marketing funnel, also known as TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU. It refers to a set of rules about what type of content to create at different stages of the buyer’s journey.
- TOFU stands for Top of the Funnel and is meant for educational purposes. At this point, a buyer is just becoming aware of their need and is looking for information about potential solutions.
- MOFU, the Middle of the Funnel, is when the buyer is comparing the available options. It is crucial to guide them through the differences between your product/service and your competitors’.
- BOFU, the Bottom of the Funnel, is all about convincing the buyer to make the final purchase.
It is easy to underestimate the value of TOFU content, but neglecting BOFU is an even bigger mistake. It is the point when the buyer is almost ready to say “yes” to your brand, and you should do whatever it takes to help them get to this point.
Content Marketing Examples That Actually Work
At this point, the theory is clear, and it is time to move on to some real-life content marketing examples. When it comes to the content marketing strategy, a hospital may publish an article about annual health check-ups, a real estate agent may write a blog post about what to consider when buying a house, and a local accountant may make short videos about ways to reduce taxes.
Notice that none of them is explicitly telling their clients to choose them as their preferred service provider. Instead, they are educating the people in the relevant fields and, therefore, positioning themselves as experts. That is the point of content marketing.
Content Marketing Plan Template (Keep It Simple)
Keeping a content marketing plan is essential for a steady flow of content. However, it does not need to be overly complicated. A simple content marketing plan template may look like this: Topic, Keyword, Funnel, Content type, Date, Promotion channels. As a rule of thumb, it is better to plan at least 30 days of content in advance. You can also use the above-mentioned content marketing examples as a starting point.
Content Marketing Checklist for Beginners
Before publishing every single piece of content, double-check this content marketing checklist for beginners:
- Is there a clear question a reader should answer upon reading this post?
- Is the keyword in the article’s title, first paragraph, and at least one subheading?
- Are there any internal links?
- Is there a clear call to action?
- Does it sound natural and human-written?
Content Marketing Guide for Small Businesses (and Local SEO)
Many small businesses overlook the importance of content marketing for small businesses. But they are missing out on incredible opportunities. One of the cheapest ways to compete with bigger brands is local SEO. Optimize your website for local searches, complete your Google Business Profile, respond to every review, and publish articles relevant to your area. Use the local SEO keywords as often as possible, and make sure your phone number, website, and physical address are all the same across the web. This way, customers in your region will be able to find you easily, and you will be able to compete with national companies.
B2B Content Marketing Guide
The B2B content marketing guide is slightly different from the one discussed above. It refers to businesses that buy from other businesses as opposed to end-users. First and foremost, B2B content marketing relies on longer sales cycles and multiple decision-makers. Therefore, the marketing funnel has to be nurtured more carefully throughout the process. In addition, the types of content marketing change: whitepapers, case studies, ROI calculators, webinars, and in-depth articles are more suitable for B2B than social media and blog posts. Finally, the language has to be more professional and address specific concerns such as risk reduction, time management, and cost efficiency.
How to Measure Content Marketing Success
When it comes to measuring the success of your content marketing efforts, there are four key performance indicators (KPI):
- Organic traffic
- Engagement
- Leads/sales
- Keyword rankings
It is best to take a holistic view and look at the big picture. However, it is also important to keep track of individual changes. Do not be tempted to remove a certain type of content just because it is underperforming – analyze the data first. And if there is no profit, move on to other types of content marketing.
How to Promote Content After Publishing
After putting in all the hard work and effort, it is finally time to promote your content. Sharing on LinkedIn and Facebook, adding to the email newsletter, making a video or Instagram carousel out of it, and answering questions on Quora with a link to your article are all great ways to do that. Update old content regularly when you have new information to share.
How Reach Skyline Can Help You Leverage This Content Marketing Guide
Building a content marketing strategy and implementing it to drive sales is not an easy task. But you do not have to do it on your own.
Reach Skyline is a full-service digital marketing agency with years of experience in the industry. We started as a two-seamer team in Madurai in 2016 and grew from there to be trusted by clients from all over South India. In addition to digital marketing, we provide SEO, marketing automation, branding, web design and development, and customer experience management. Due to our end-to-end approach, we are able to provide comprehensive solutions tailored to the specific needs of your business as opposed to a generic blueprint. Our agile mindset allows us to shape the solution around you as opposed to the other way around. By focusing on the metrics that matter, such as leads and enquiries, as opposed to vague notions of traffic and engagement, we take a realistic approach to content marketing that actually converts.
Want more practical advice before embarking on your own journey? Check out our latest SEO and content marketing tips on the Reach Skyline blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a content marketing guide?
A content marketing guide typically refers to a resource that helps one understand what content marketing is, why it is important, and how to create an effective content marketing strategy.
2. How long does it take to see results from content marketing?
Depending on the industry, three to six months is a good time frame to see results from content marketing, and the effects will be long-lasting.
3. How often should I publish blog posts?
As a rule of thumb, one or two blog posts per week is sufficient.
4. Is content marketing ideal for small businesses?
Yes, because it allows them to compete with bigger brands on a local level and is more cost-effective.
5. What is the difference between TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU?
TOFU is all about attracting new traffic, MOFU is educating them, and BOFU is pushing toward conversion. To put it another way, TOFU is informational, MOFU is comparative, and BOFU is persuasive.
6. Can I use this content marketing guide on my own?
Yes, it works for both amateurs and experts. However, if you have the budget, delegating this responsibility to an experienced agency may help you achieve better results without putting in excessive effort.
Conclusion: Start Small, Stay Consistent, and Build Trust
You have learned what content marketing is, why it is important, how to develop a content marketing strategy, what types to choose, how to utilize the content marketing funnel, build a plan, and double-check everything with a checklist. This content marketing guide was designed with small businesses in mind, but it applies to larger corporations as well.
So, start small and be consistent. It is impossible to build brand awareness and trust overnight, but one relevant post at a time. If you are looking for professional support along the way, you can always count on honest advice and transparent reporting from Reach Skyline. Reach out to reachskyline.com and book a strategy call today.