Content Marketing: What is it actually?
What role does content play in the commercial success of your organization? An important question, because many companies do not have the huge budgets needed for successful advertising. For many companies, the answer is: “a subordinate role,” simply because they do not really know what content marketing is and what it delivers. We answer that first question; “What is Content Marketing?” in this article.
The Rise of Content Marketing
Content marketing sounds like a buzzword to many people, but as early as 1931 tractor manufacturer John Deere created its own customer magazine to bind farmers to the brand. Content marketing has never disappeared since then but was overshadowed for a while by the enormous reach and effect of (TV) commercials and advertisements. This enormous reach is diminishing and more and more people are physically and emotionally shutting themselves off from traditional advertising messages. Traditional TV is being replaced by on-demand services and media consumption via, for example, smartphones is increasing. It is therefore up to companies not to come up with more and more messages, but with messages that the target audience wants to hear; valuable and relevant content. Content Marketing therefore takes a central role in the Online Marketing strategy.
Content Marketing Definition
“A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable and relevant content with the ultimate goal of attracting or retaining a clearly defined target audience.”
Content Marketing as a Building Block for Positioning
Many companies struggle to clearly communicate their true unique selling points, and their positioning is indistinguishable from their main competitor. Even when companies know the basis of their unique selling points, they are rarely able to convey this well. That is why they often still use vague terms like customer focus, relieving worries, and innovation. Content Marketing uses, for example, articles, videos, newsletters, and white papers to build a relationship with the target audience. A relationship based on knowledge, experience, and trust, with a message that aligns with their positioning.
Content Marketing Example: American Express
The Open Forum platform of American Express is a good example of contemporary Content Marketing. On the platform, American Express helps small business owners with high-quality content to simply become more successful. With videos and articles discussing hiring the right people or new sales channels, the company truly adds value for its customers. What does American Express gain from this? First of all, the company builds loyalty and trust, and secondly, it occasionally draws attention to its own offerings.
The Use of Content Marketing
The use of content marketing is still increasing. Companies are spending relatively less money on advertising space and more on good content. But although good content marketing naturally depends on the quality of the content, it does not end there. Content that is seen by no one is of limited value, and the next step is building your own audience, for example through a newsletter or an active social media policy.
Are you already working with content marketing or are you not yet convinced? We would love to hear your experiences and opinions on this topic; maybe we can learn from each other! Get in touch via LinkedIn, Twitter or our contact page. Want to stay informed about new articles and the latest developments? Then sign up for our newsletter!
De Merkelijkheid supports various companies in their content marketing, both in strategy and creation. Curious about your first step? We’d be happy to tell you more.
