Why do content marketing?
Are you wondering why content marketing? For online businesses looking to attract and retain their audience, this is the ideal solution. Content marketing can generate more than three times as many leads as traditional outbound marketing, while reducing costs by 62 %. By creating and sharing quality content, you engage your customers in a non-intrusive way, far from invasive advertisements. In this article, discover how content marketing can boost your online visibility, educate and engage your audience, improve your SEO, and strengthen the authority of your brand. We'll also talk about the different types of content to use and how to measure the success of your strategy. Ready to discover the benefits of content marketing for your business? So, let's get to work!
What is content marketing?
THE content marketing Or Content Marketing, it's the art of creating and sharing useful content to attract and keep the attention of your target audience. Unlike the traditional advertising, this approach delivers value by answering the needs and questions of your potential customers with blog posts, of the videos, of the social media posts, of the infographics or even podcasts. The goal ? Build a relationship of trust, improve your online visibility, and attract qualified prospects. Ultimately, to become The reference of your theme!
Why do content marketing? Advantages
Content marketing offers a multitude of benefits for businesses. Here are 8 important ones:
1 Develop your visibility
THE content marketing, it is the secret weapon to boost the visibility of your business on the Web. For example, optimized articles who respond to search intent of internet users with relevant keywords and a rich lexical field, move you up in Google search results. Result ? Your SEO skyrockets. More visibility means more visitors, so more potential customers.
2 Educate your audience
By offering quality content, you help your customers understand and make decisions about your products and services. For example, guides or some case studies show how your product solves their specific problems. Of the frequently asked questions (FAQ) and comprehensive articles clear their doubts and answer common questions, making it easier for them to purchasing journey. This quality content builds trust and authority for your brand, enticing potential customers to buy.
3 Engage your audience
Whether via blogs, of the newsletters or some social networks, the content you share encourages interactions and creates a real community around your brand. You build a foundation of loyal clients And committed (and they won't let you go, even for the holidays!).
4 Improve your natural referencing (SEO)
THE content marketing plays a key role in improving your ranking on Google, which increases your natural visibility (SEO). Concretely, when you use relevant keywords in your items, videos Or infographics, Google understands better what your content is about and offers it to Internet users more often. The more useful and engaging your content is, the more likely it is to appear at the top of search results. This means more visitors to your site, and therefore more conversions.
5 Build Your Brand’s Authority and Credibility
You want to become a reference in your sector? By regularly sharing high value-added content, you show your expertise. Your business becomes a market leader. The more relevant and frequent your content is, the more reliable and competent your business is perceived. This strategy builds a strong relationship of trust with your customers.
The Marketing Funnel – Source MOZ
6 Generate leads and retain customers
THE content marketing attracts your prospects and brings them into the marketing funnel, increasing your chances of converting them into customers. Moreover, according to 90 % of marketers, videos are an essential tool for generating leads. The funnel includes four stages: discovery, consideration, conversion, and retention, each requiring specific content to support prospects. You probably know the proverb “one loyal customer is better than 10 new customers”! By continuing to interest them with your content, you strengthen their loyalty.
7 Bet on the long term
Contents “ Evergreen », or timeless, continually attract new visitors while retaining those already present. This investment pays off well after their publication. By banking on sustainable content, you ensure a solid online presence and gain the trust of Internet users.
8 Save Money
Are you tired of spending a fortune on advertising ? THE content marketing could be your greatest asset and your wallet will thank you. He is much more profitable than traditional paid advertising. Publish quality content that attracts visitors again and again, at no extra cost, what else? In short, you invest once and benefit from long-term results.
81% of marketers are using AI for a variety of marketing tasks, and 68% are seeing greater return on investment (ROI) with the technology.
(Sources: Semrush, Ahrefs).
What types of content should you use in content marketing?
For an effective content marketing strategy, use a variety of formats. Here are the advantages and disadvantages:
Blog posts
Blog posts are texts that you publish online to share your ideas, advice or knowledge on a specific topic.
- Benefits : ideal for sharing tips and tricks, boost SEO by improving your visibility on search engines, easy to write if you have a good command of the subject.
- Disadvantages : take time to write and research reliable information, a lot of competition depending on the sector.
Social media posts
This is everything you post on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, X or even Instagram to interact with your audience.
- Benefits : ideal for creating an instant connection with your audience, promote engagement and sharing, improve brand awareness.
- Disadvantages : require regular content creation, require content strategies adapted to each platform.
Videos
You know, those addictive contents that you sometimes watch on YouTube or social networks instead of staying focused!
- Benefits : grab attention quickly, perfect for social media and advertising campaigns.
- Disadvantages : expensive and time consuming to produce, requiring more or less technical skills.
Infographics
Infographics are images that explain information or data in a visual and simplified way.
- Benefits : simplify complex information, very shareable (even viral), catch the eye thanks to their design.
- Disadvantages : can be expensive to design if you want premium quality.
Ebooks or guides
Ebooks or guides are downloadable documents (mostly free) to learn in more detail about a specific subject.
- Benefits : ideal for delving into topics, generate leads in exchange for contact details, show your expertise.
- Disadvantages : take a long time to create and require a lot of resources.
Case studies
Case studies tell the story of how you helped a customer solve a specific problem, showing the results achieved.
- Benefits : prove your expertise, strengthen credibility, convince prospects by showing concrete results.
- Disadvantages : may require time and effort to do well.
Newsletters/emails
Newsletters are regular emails sent to your subscribers to share news, tips or special offers. Emailings, on the other hand, are one-off emails intended to promote a particular product, service or event.
- Benefits : maintain regular contact, customizable with different types of content (articles, offers, events), increase engagement.
- Disadvantages : opening rate sometimes low, require continuous management. And no, an animated gif isn't always the solution.
Podcasts
Podcasts are audio shows that you listen to online or download, covering a variety of topics.
- Benefits : perfect for reaching a nomadic audience (on the go, at sports, etc.), create a personal connection with voice, easy to consume anywhere, anytime.
- Disadvantages : require specific equipment and skills, difficult to measure the engagement of listeners.
Diversifying content types allows you to reach a wider audience and meet different needs.
How to set up a content strategy ?
Wanting to create content is a good initiative, but you still have to do it correctly to achieve your online goals without wasting your time and money.
What is a content strategy?
A content strategy, it's here roadmap which guides the creation and distribution of your content on the internet. It sets the course: what to publish, when, how and for whom. You speak with one voice, coherent and clear. Its goal ? Achieve your marketing objectives, such as attracting more qualified visitors to your site, building customer loyalty or strengthening your brand image.
Create your content strategy
Define your persona
Trying to talk to everyone means talking to no one. Define a niche, a target audience for which you want to send your content. This involves knowing different characteristics of your marketing persona.
Reach your target audience
Even the best content in the world is useless if it doesn't reach its target. Don't assume that everyone is everywhere: that's not true. It is essential to know the online behavior of your target: where does she spend the majority of her time? On which social media is she most present? This will give you a good idea of which platform to take advantage of first. One platform at a time!
Determine your favorite content
Do you want to reach your future readership the first time? Focus on content that resonates with him. White papers, checklists, webinars, newsletters, Instagram posts, etc., the choice is vast. Some users will only swear by two-hour podcasts while others will only consume very short videos (Reels). Still others will prefer to read long blog posts rather than having to listen to a 25-minute video.
Create an editorial calendar
The basis of an editorial strategy is planning things for the long term, not day by day. Thanks to a well-defined editorial schedule, you can:
- Anticipate the needs of your audience : By planning ahead, you have time to research and create relevant content that meets the expectations of your target audience.
- Keep a common thread consistent : your messages and style remain aligned with your long-term goals.
- Optimize your time : By avoiding last-minute content production, you manage your schedule more efficiently and allocate the necessary resources to each task.
- Avoid stress : haste, your worst enemy! With a publishing schedule, you have a solid plan.
- Measure your progress : the editorial calendar allows you to follow your progress month after month.
How to evaluate the effectiveness of your Content Marketing?
Planning and forecasting is good. But Evaluating is an integral part of content marketing. No one will be able to validate in advance what you have established about the habits of your target. No one can tell you that this or that content will go viral. No one will be able to predict the effectiveness of your strategy.
To measure the success of your content marketing, start by collecting and analyzing your data. To do this, use an analytical tool such as Google Analytics 4, install Google Search Console, look at the statistics of social platforms.
Then analyze the KPIs (Key Performance Indicator) : click rate (CTR), conversion rate, time spent on pages, number of views, number of likes, number of shares, etc. What worked? For what ? What went wrong? For what ? By having published a certain amount of content, you will be able to draw the right conclusions and adapt your content marketing strategy so that it is even more relevant for your target audience.
What you must remember
Why do content marketing? Because it’s the key to attracting and retaining your audience. By creating and sharing useful and relevant content, you provide value and create a natural connection with your customers, far from intrusive advertising. Content marketing boosts your online visibility, educates and engages your audience, improves your SEO and builds your brand authority. It also helps you generate and retain leads, while being more economical than traditional advertising. By diversifying content types and regularly measuring results, you maximize the impact of your strategy. Content marketing is a winning approach for your business. So, ready to get started? I promise, it’s worth it!
Statistical sources 2024: Clear Voice, Your Marketing People
Consultant in natural referencing (SEO) and digital strategies in Paris. I help businesses optimize their online visibility.
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