What Is Content Marketing And How Will My Business Profit?

It can almost seem like a meaningless buzzword for business owners who know little about it. I know this to be true, in fact. I’ve lost count of the amount of people who have asked me what I do for a living, and when I explain to them that I’m a blogger and my work consists of providing quality written content for online businesses, I’m more than often met with a rather puzzled stare, followed by the question – “So how do you make money from that?”

There seems to be no particular demographic that those who have expressed uncertainty towards my job and the whole concept of content marketing belong to. Many business owners have scratched their heads as I try and explain the value of what I do, as have Millennials (whom we are told are intrinsically au fait with the Internet Age), and even a few keen young startups.

And do you know what, if I’m honest, before I started this job here at markITwrite, I didn’t really know what I was getting into, nor how important our role was in the realms of digital business in the 21st Century.

And so I’ve decided to take this opportunity to explain two things by answering two questions:

1. What is content marketing?
2. How do businesses profit from it?

Let’s begin.

What Is Content Marketing?

“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.”

That’s the definition provided by the Content Marketing Institute – and I have to say that, taking it in isolation, I can see why many people get confused.

So let’s break it down a little further. In fact, let’s answer another question first to clarify a fundamental element of the larger equation.

What Is Content?

On the internet, “content” is the collective term that refers to any digital material that a business makes public, either on its website or on its social networks.

“Content” refers to any of the following:

• Web copy (i.e. the static, unchanging wordage found on a website’s homepage, About Us page, Products/Services Page, etc.)
• Blog posts
• Images
• Videos
• Slideshows
• Infographics
• Social media posts (including tweets, Vines, Facebook posts, Instagrams, etc.)

Ok, So – What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing refers to the process of producing any of the above types of digital content in order to attract internet users to a business’s website and ultimately make a purchase.

In fact, content marketing is more than just the process of creating content – it’s also the process of sharing that content across the web, and ensuring that the content falls in front of the eyes of the right types of internet user at the right time.

Let’s use an example of what we do here at markITwrite.

The most popular forms of content marketing that we get hired for is blog writing and social media management.

One of our clients is in the business of developing bespoke apps for businesses. The client knows two things for sure: in 2016, their potential customers are looking for them on the internet (as opposed to the Yellow Pages or in the backs of magazines or newspapers etc.); and that they are just one company amongst hundreds if not thousands.

And so, the marketing challenge for them is to make sure first of all that their business is discoverable on the internet, and second of all that their business is presented as the best one of the bunch.

Phase 1 – Creating The Content

Firstly, it’s my job to talk to the client and research everything that I possibly can about their particular business and the larger field of app development. Between myself and the client, we agree on a set of blog titles that I will write for them.

These might be along the lines of:

• The True Costs Of Developing An App For Your Business
• 10 Benefits Of Having Your Very Own Business App
• The Fundamentals Of An App-store Winning App Icon
• How To Create A Mobile Marketing Plan
• 5 Predictions For The Future Of Mobile Apps

As you can see, the blogs that I will write for the app developers are absolutely teeming with added value for the company’s clients, as well as other internet users who may be interested in app development.

These blogs answer questions that potential clients might have. They describe the business benefits of buying the company’s product. They also take into consideration certain things that a potential client of theirs might not have thought about – such as the app icon, and marketing the completed app. And the last one even makes a professional forecast about the future of the mobile app industry.

All in all, this is content that positions the app developers as expert industry authorities, adds value to their existing products, inspires business owners to start thinking about having a bespoke app built for their business, and gives users a reason to visit (and re-visit) the app developer’s website.

Phase 2 – Promoting The Content

Once I’ve written the blogs and they are published on the app developer’s website, they are then in the hands of the markITwrite social media management team to promote.

Firstly, markITwrite has built up an online audience of more than half-a-million technology professionals and enthusiasts whom these blogs are placed in front of at regular intervals, normally for a period of six months.

Secondly, the markITwrite social media management team sets to work identifying businesses who would most likely benefit from having their very own app, and makes sure that these blogs end up in the appropriate social media feeds of these individuals – be it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or what have you.

Thirdly, the social media management team sets to work building up the app developer’s very own targeted audience on social media. It does this by creating a content strategy, which means that, in addition to the blogs that I write, a series of tweets and other social media posts are written and scheduled, as well as competitions (agreed upon with the app developers), and links to other great content that is being produced by third parties that are explicitly relevant to the app development industry.

Furthermore, markITwrite’s social media management team sets about identifying and following social media users who have an express interest in the app business. It also identifies key influencers in the app development industry, and engages them. All of this (and more) helps to grow the app developer’s following in an extremely targeted way, meaning that it’s not just the quantity, but also the quality of the audience that is generated – i.e. those whom are likely to make a purchase, and/or influence others to make a purchase.

In many ways. But let’s list a few of them:

1. Your increased exposure will drive more traffic to your website, which in turn will increase your enquiries and ultimately sales.
2. The professional insight that your blog provides will position your business as a leading figure and industry authority, building greater trust amongst your existing and potential clients, making your business a better choice for the consumer.
3. Your website will be more discoverable by search engines. Unless you’re on the first page of Google, then you may as well not exist. Google rewards sites that provide users with a regular stream of fresh, useful content with higher rankings. The more (quality) content your site produces, the more discoverable it becomes, and the more people will visit, enquire, and purchase from you.
4. Digital content marketing is cheaper than traditional marketing – traditional advertising in newspapers or on the TV costs a bomb. Content and social media marketing, on the other hand, is free. The investment you have to make is in having your content professionally written and the social media accounts professionally managed.

Continue reading here: Guide to Non-Google SEO

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