Do you like all the hype surrounding content marketing? I don’t because all that hype causes confused decision-making.
So here are five things I feel dissolve the hype.
1. Tried and True
The content marketing trend started in 1895 when the John Deere company published Furrow Magazine.
The distribution methods may change—video, podcasting, and whatever comes next—but content marketing will remain a basic practice.
2. Affordable
People think content marketing costs a lot because some companies spend tons of money on it.
No small business owner I know has the marketing budget of an international mega-corporation. Instead, small business owners thrive with content marketing because it’s small budget marketing.
For example, Marcus Sheridan saved his business with content marketing. He slashed his advertising costs by 92% and increased revenue by 25% by using a low-cost tool—his company’s blog.
3. Takes Time and Commitment
You won’t find a quick fix to revenue woes through content marketing.
- You need time and resources to create and optimize content. Because of your efforts, you also need those assets to engage customers both in-person and on social media.
- You need time and patience to experience a return on your investment. And the ROI year over year for content marketers who prioritize blogging is 13 times greater than those who don’t.
4. Educational
Nonprofit organizations receive the most shares per post than any other business group. One reason for their success is they’re usually in the business of helping people.
So if you want success in content marketing, make sure your posts are helpful and educational.
5. Planned
Most people I talk with say they didn’t know what they were doing when they started creating content. They just wrote and posted, hoping for the best. Then they stop posting or post irregularly because they don’t have a plan.
To keep you on track with all your content marketing needs—blogging, emailing, social media, and other tactics—create and implement a content marketing plan for at least 3 months. After 3 months, you can revisit your plan to see how it’s working and to make any necessary adjustments.
You might also like: How Can You Write Content about My Area of Expertise? and How to Organize Your Thoughts So You Can Write a Blog Post.
