The smell of roasted turkey, sweet potatoes with marshmallows and savory gravy has all our tummies rumbling this week as one of the most beloved American holidays is right around the corner. Ah Thanksgiving… that incredible day that leaves you in a tryptophan stupor, your pants feeling a little too snug and your bed sounding incredible at around 7 pm.
In just two days, as you take a moment to think about all you are thankful for, as a marketer, spend a few precious minutes thinking about how the concept of content marketing has forever improved your role as a marketer and the potential success of your company. Not yet riding the content marketing bandwagon? Then here are three reasons to wish for a content marketing strategy when you pull the wish bone this Thanksgiving.
It Works
There is a reason 93 percent of B2B marketers already use content marketing, up from 91 percent in 2012, according to Content Marketing Institute’s “2014 B2B Content Marketing Trends” study. It’s because it’s a winning recipe for success. Think of how many times in the past an exorbitantly-priced advertisement has run in a magazine relevant to your customer base, only to attract zero leads for your sales team. Or what about that billboard you spent months designing to reside over Hollywood Blvd? Have you ever heard from a new prospect that the flashy ad actually brought him or her to your business? Most likely, you have not, because consumers have become increasingly desensitized to traditional marketing tactics.
Content marketing works because it’s an organic way of selling your company. Instead of being so conspicuous about your core competencies—as was the case with traditional advertising—this type of strategy allows you to tell your company’s story through words and content creation. Story-telling endears prospects to your brand and, in so doing, results in a higher likelihood that they will engage with your company.
It’s the New SEO
While in the past buying your spot on page one of Google or keyword stuffing your blog pieces were sure-fire ways to hold that coveted spot on Google, today search engines are all about original, high-quality content. And shameful, blatant advertising does not count. As was made clear in Google’s recent algorithm change, Hummingbird, search results are less about which website pages have optimized successful for one or two keywords; they are more about websites that answer questions and directly speak to customers.
For example, while in the past a company that sold refurbished electronic equipment might have ranked highly if the phrase “refurbished electronic equipment” was splattered across its site, today the website that answers questions such as “Why is refurbished electronic equipment a benefit to me?” and “Where can I buy refurbished electronic equipment” will rank higher. The best way to answer these types of queries is through a robust blogging or social media platform, two key ingredients of a content marketing strategy.
It’s Boss-Approved
Let’s be honest. You may have the best idea since the invention of the smartphone, but if you don’t have your boss’s buy-in, your concept will never get off the ground. Here’s why bosses like content marketing: the statistics already prove that it works for their competitors. Let’s take a look at some of the most impressive figures, as revealed in an infographic created by INKLYO:
- Nine out of 10 CMOs believe that custom content has a positive effect on their audiences and strengthens their bond with customers.
- 81 percent of companies rate their business blog as “useful,” “important,” and “critical.”
- 84 percent of CMOs agree that content marketing represents the future of marketing.
Outbound marketing is increasingly becoming futile meaning more and more marketers are making room in their budgets for inbound marketing. From creating blogs to launching social media accounts to creating infographics, marketers are employing a variety of content marketing strategies to better touch their audiences. Once your boss realizes that all of your competitors are already out there demonstrating their thought leadership and strengthening their brand awareness, it will be a no-brainer to get in the content marketing ring.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? And, from our company to yours, wishing you and your loved ones very Happy Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter and joy!
Edited by
Brooke Neuman
