An Introduction to Content Marketing

Paul Dobinson | November 12, 2014

Marketing used to be much simpler. There were print publications, posters, newspapers, TV or radio (if your budget allowed), mailshots and, well, that was pretty much it. Over time, it has grown to include more and more media channels, creating a mix that can be overwhelming, at times, for the advertiser.

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The digital marketing sphere includes banner ads, websites, online articles, social media, blogs, email, advertorials and more, and the list continues to grow. Web users are becoming increasingly web savvy, leading to an increased need for thoughtful, engaging tactics.

According to the 2012 Edelman Trust Barometer 63% of consumers need to hear company claims 3 to 5 times before they’ll actually believe them!

In today’s advanced day and age, it’s easy for users to avoid your message. Mobile browsing has overtaken magazines in waiting rooms and favourite television shows are frequently downloaded, allowing users to skip through commercials or avoid them altogether. Many businesses are experiencing a decline in online advertising Return On Investment as the popularity of banner ads on the Web decreases and people click less on them unless they have a clear call to action.

Instead, the informed buyer is now doing their own research. Rapidly consuming digital content, they are carrying out research online, finding content from local resource sites and search engines like Google and Bing. As such, it’s important to ensure that your details are in front of them when they are looking for you, across multiple channels.

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More and more, as marketers and business owners, we need the target audience’s permission to engage with them – and content marketing (link to in-depth explanation) is a great way to do this. Creating high quality, relevant and valuable content aimed at your customers, and publishing it far and wide, ensures that your message is waiting to be seen. Additionally, capturing the interest of your audience allows you to personalize and tailor future messages. Many publishing and analytics tools (link to one?) allow you to further refine where and when you publish content, increasing your marketing efficiency.

Content marketing allows you to:

Be seen – your customers will read your material because it is relevant and they are ready for it
Build trust – you will be seen as an expert in your field
Be smart – out-manoeuvre without outspending your competition

Want to learn more? Call a Yabsta Digital representative today. We can put you on the map!

Images courtesy of http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/

Category: Copywriting, Digital Culture, Marketing Budget