I’ve lamented before that so many buzzwords in marketing are over-hyped or improperly used. Then you have words like “branding” that seem to have lost meaning through a maelstrom of overuse.
That’s not the case with content marketing, a phrase that’s worthy of hype, not to mention consideration by the leaders of growing businesses, trade associations and non-profits. Simply put, content marketing creates and distributes valuable, relevant information with the intent of attracting and helping a clearly-defined audience.
What I love about content marketing is that it’s USEFUL; the focus is on helping people do real things like find a senior-living facility for mom or get IT help. It’s a value-added approach that benefits everyone.
It differentiates, too. The low-cost bidder in whatever industry you are in probably isn’t pursuing content marketing. The most profitable player probably is.
Indeed, it’s a fantastic differentiator because it deepens your positioning while also tending to self-select the right people. That is, if people like your content, they’re more likely to be a good customer, and more quickly.
This is being helped along by search engines that actively reward good content. It also coincides with the regrettable demise of traditional media. At a time when there are fewer newspapers and magazines providing less advice to their readers, companies and organizations can fill the gap with helpful information and perspective.
