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Industry-wide studies on consumer behavior from the Cohley Insights team.
Gone are the days in which you could write an article, hit ‘publish’ and set to work on the next piece of content. With content calendars and campaigns constantly filling up, changing and moving on to the next consumer trend, it’s important to get as much as you can from each piece of both written and visual content that you create.
In this article, we’ll cover all things content marketing - from what it is, different types, the importance of visual content and how you can put content marketing into action for your business.
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There’s a saying that refers to traditional advertising as a way of telling people that you’re great at what you do. Content marketing on the other hand, is how you show people that you’re great at what you do. And you can take it one step further. Content marketing is another way to make the absolute most out of each piece of content that you create - whether it be a podcast, an article, a creative visual asset, a downloadable resource or informative video.
At its core, content marketing is the process of planning, creating, distributing and repurposing your content - with the aim of reaching and connecting with your target audience.
Consumers are looking for the story and the “why” behind the brands they purchase from, now more than ever. The likelihood of purchasing increases when your brand is a credible source and a trustworthy entity.
But how can you become that? Especially if you’re just starting out?
Good news for you: content marketing is your foot in the door.
There are plenty of types of content marketing in existence, running from downloadable content to educational videos. Popular categories include podcasts, long-form website content, social media campaigns and infographics - but the content marketing type that will be most successful definitely depends on your business and what resonates with your audience.
The type of content you choose also depends on your goals. Is your aim to increase leads? Boost revenue? Educate your audience? Entertain them? Each goal could be served by a separate piece of content - and a robust, well-thought out content marketing plan tends to use a little bit of everything, especially visual assets.
Content marketing is a useful tactic for pretty much any company - as long as it’s tailored to suit your brand’s specific needs. Sometimes though, the creative can run dry when you’re trying to find new and innovative ways to connect with your audience.
When this happens, you might find yourself asking - “what are some examples of successful content marketing?”
The answer is multifaceted - because there are many ways in which one can achieve success through content marketing and repurposing. Here are a few examples:
Blog articles are a very common facet within a content marketing strategy. Despite the rumors, blogging is not dead - it’s actually got a way to go before that becomes close to the truth. This example from Athleta, a sustainable activewear brand focused on female empowerment, showcases not only their products and wellness resources, but also how the materials used to create them are made.
From ocean clean-ups to sharing stories about community leaders - Athleta is creating a connected community around a common set of goals. Their blog is on-brand, and it aligns with the values they portray and the products they sell. It also showcases beautiful imagery that highlights their product, making this content marketing example doubly powerful. After all, an image is worth 1,000 words...right?
Another popular, heavily-pursued medium is social media. Social media is a powerful tool - not only can it foster a connection between you and your target audience, but it can also be a great way to spread your message to the masses. Look at this example from Spotify.
They use their platform to showcase new and upcoming artists, as well as those that have already made a name for themselves within the music industry. From interviews to album covers, they’ve got a little bit of everything - but each type of content that they put out represents a facet of their platform. Their Instagram feed is a good example of blending video content with photography, enticing the eye of their audience through beautifully curated visual assets.
Videos are on the rise, and for good reason. They convert well, and they allow your audience to put a face and a voice to the brand with whom they engage with. Take a look at this example from LEGO, a brand that engages with over 10 million subscribers on their YouTube channel alone.
They use original video content as well as user-generated content to keep their audience (ranging from kids to adults) engaged, excited and looking forward to what’s next from the brand. Leggo does a good job in providing value in a way that written content could build upon, as well as any accompanying downloadable content (like a new product teaser).
Brands are even beginning to expand their presence to TikTok, an app with exclusively video content that can keep people informed in short snippets or laughing for hours.
As is with any marketing strategy, there are some best-practice tips that everyone should be implementing when creating their own content marketing strategy.
Think about the types of content you’re creating and the channels you’re creating them for. Then look at your marketing budget for the month/quarter/year. How much money are you comfortable spending to acquire customers on each of your chosen platforms? Sometimes your budget will be distributed equally. Other times, it won’t.
Ask yourself:
The list could go on - but it’s important to note that the only costs are not simply paying for ads, so making sure you know where your budget needs to go will put you in a great starting position.
The easiest way to convert your audience is to meet them where they already are. Instead of trying to convert them to a platform that they either don’t use or are unfamiliar with, why not pursue them on their platform of choice?
For certain types of content - the platform will be obvious. Take YouTube for example, or your brand blog or social media platforms.
Other types of content will require more planning - and decisions will need to be made based on the potential to create traction on the platforms in question.
Are you going to be writing a blog for your brand? Hosting a podcast? Sharing video content? Curating an image gallery or pushing out a new ad on social media? How often will you be sharing new content?
Before you start with the content creation process, it’s important to understand exactly what types of content you’ll be creating as well as how it will be distributed, promoted and repurposed.
Try and answer key questions with your content, questions like: “Who are we?”, “What challenges do our customers face?” and “Why would our product or service add value?”.
What are your goals for your content marketing strategy? They could be tailored and to the point - like to improve brand awareness by 25% by the end of the year.
Or, they could be more general - “we want to expand the types of content we produce by adding two new ways of repurposing previously written content”.
Whatever your goals may be, make sure that they are clear, intentional and measurable. This will ensure that you can stay on track to meet the goals that you set each month, quarter or year.
The world of content marketing is continually evolving - and it moves at a fast pace. One of the best ways to keep your head afloat is to stay flexible. Everything does not need to be set in stone, it’s okay if plans change. Content can be re-worked, new media can be tested, your favorite article could be a flop or the next best thing. It’s all a part of the process.