Bill Gates coined the phrase “Content is King” back in 1996. While much has changed in the world of online marketing since then, this principle still holds true. The kind of content you need to succeed today is very different from 20 years ago and there are lots of new places to post it.
Here are the top 3 reasons why you should focus on content marketing for growing your business.
1. CONTENT MARKETING PROVIDES THE BEST ROI
Compared to paid advertising, content marketing is cheaper and gives you a better return on investment. It's economical or even free to post content on your blog and social media pages. With advertising, you can spend thousands of pounds before coming up with a profitable campaign. According to one study, content marketing costs 62% less and generates three times as many leads as outbound marketing. This makes it an especially valuable tool for smaller businesses that don't have huge advertising budgets. People are increasingly tired of advertising, making it harder and harder to hold their attention. On the other hand, when you create valuable and relevant content, your audience is genuinely interested in what you have to say. That's why the ROI is so much better for content marketing.
2. CONTENT HELPS YOU BUILD YOUR BRAND
There's no question that advertising can be effective for generating leads and sales. As we've seen, it's expensive. It also does little, if anything, to build your brand and reputation. If anything, people are likely to get annoyed if they see your ads too often. The only exception might be huge brands that can afford to create entertaining ads. For most companies, content marketing is a much more effective way to demonstrate your expertise and establish yourself as an authority.
Good content addresses people's problems. For example, an auto mechanic might create a blog with car maintenance tips. A chiropractor can share helpful advice about posture and preventing back injuries. Whereas ads are usually seen as interruptions, helpful content is welcome. In fact, people are actively searching for this type of information. When you provide it, readers/viewers/listeners have a more positive image of your company. Over time, as you publish a large volume of content, you can position yourself as an authority in your industry.
3. CONTENT IMPROVES YOUR SEARCH ENGINE RANKINGS
One of the biggest reasons to emphasise content marketing is for its SEO benefits. No matter what changes occur online, search engine optimisation (SEO) is as important as ever. Many of your customers and prospects find you on Google or other search engines. If you have a physical business such as a store, office, or restaurant, it's especially important to optimise your site for local search. Many businesses find SEO complicated and confusing. There are all kinds of details to consider such as keywords, meta tags, on-page SEO, and other factors. However, the single most important factor for ranking in the search engines is content.
When you publish content on your website (or on third-party sites that link back to your own site), you make it easier for the search engines to find you. Using strategic keywords, words and phrases your customers are searching for, helps you rank well. You can optimise your content by doing keyword researching and learning more about SEO. Another option is to outsource these tasks to a reputable agency. Either way, the best way to improve your search engine ranking is to consistently publish quality content.
Today there are quite a few new trends to keep in mind when publishing content. Visual content is now at least as important as text. You also have to integrate social media into your content strategy. Your website has to be mobile-friendly. The bottom line, is that content marketing is still one of the most effective and evergreen strategies for finding new leads and customers, improving your search engine ranking, and building your brand.
