They say Content is King, and they can’t be more right. It’s a basic necessity for modern companies. Heck, content marketing is the foundation of successful digital marketing campaigns, you can’t go without!
Behind every major brand is a range of relevant content, which ensures a connection between the organization and its target group.
69% of B2B marketers have a documented content strategy, and with the latest Google update (BERT) it is likely that with an SEO Specialist only, you will not make it to the top of Google Search results. SEO should still be the biggest pillar of your content marketing strategy, but there is more to it.
There are five main reasons why content marketing is an asset to any business, let me explain them here.
One of the main reasons why content marketing is so valuable is the number of conversions you get out of it. Take a look at the following statistics:
This all has to do with the connection you build with your visitors. In addition to building trust with them, you also give your leads valuable information that helps them make decisions in their purchasing process.
To optimize your content for conversions, it is important that you add clear calls to action (CTAs). CTAs tell readers what to do: they guide readers to the next step in the conversion process.
Whether a conversion is a sale, filling out a form, or contacting the sales team. It is important that you make clear with your content what you want the reader to do.
Content marketing not only increases the number of conversions but also improves your SEO at the same time.
Search engine optimization is an important player in improving your online visibility. If you want to improve this, optimized content is a minimum requirement. A good content stream of creation (video, pictures, audio, infographics, etc) is one of the most effective techniques to optimize your SEO.
Another interesting fact is that companies who consistently write blog posts have an average of 434% more pages indexed by search engines (compared to non-blogging companies).
The more content you can publish, the more pages search engines can offer to potential visitors. Don’t get me wrong, more content doesn’t mean more visitors, but it does give your brand a greater chance of being found for certain keywords.
People are now looking for information online more than ever. So take this opportunity with both hands and write blogs with keywords on which you want to be found. You can find free tools for keyword research here.
The more content on your website, the more click-through options you give your visitors to stay on your website. This can lead to a longer website visit, which in turn has a positive impact on your SEO. This is an important aspect for Google to rank higher in the search results page.
Content Marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and it brings in three times as many leads. Yes, you read that right! Creating a great content marketing strategy is therefore very affordable for smaller companies with a limited budget.
It is important to know that content marketing can be time-intensive and take a while before you reap the benefits, especially on the SEO part. However, the creation of high-quality content can also have an immediate impact. According to Social Media Examiner, more than 81% of marketers saw an increase in visitors by spending just 6 hours a week on social media content.
Creating content just to create is useless.
If you want value for your time and money, you have to provide content that matches the interests of your target audience and offer the right type of content. This is one of the reasons why long read articles score well in Google: it contains a lot of info for your reader.
If you’re still wondering why content marketing is so important, think about the possibilities to build a relationship with your customers.
Offering strong content doesn’t stop when a lead converts to a customer. Content that is valuable to your visitors will lead to brand loyalty. Give your visitors content of their interest and chances are they will come back to buy from you again.
With the last Google Update “BERT” the focus on long-tail keyword has grown, especially fully written and specific questions. How-to videos and other informative visual content helps your customer get their answers faster. The more valuable content you have to offer, the greater the chance that customers will return.
Content where you compare products or services always works. By helping visitors make smarter decisions, you build a relationship of trust. You show you have the knowledge and experience. You show that they came to the right place with their question. And when you have won their trust? Then chances are they buy from you or make a purchase in the near future.
There are three main parts of the marketing funnel to keep in mind when creating content for your content marketing stream:
At the top of the “funnel”, you have the prospects. These are people who discover that they have a problem and are therefore looking for possible solutions. During this phase, content can help inform them of the options available to solve their problem.
In the middle, you find the leads that further explore their options for products or solutions. During this phase, the aim is to teach your leads more about the different options they have so that they can narrow down their choices and get closer to a final purchase decision.
At the bottom, we find the leads that are ready to convert to customers. The content in this phase is intended as the last push to motivate the customer to make a well-considered purchase.
To clarify it a bit which content fits with which phase, take a look at the image below:
Before you start creating content, it is important that you know in which phase your target group is. Prospects need more general information to help them understand their problem.
Leads want more detailed information to help them better evaluate their problem. When these leads get to the bottom of the funnel, they want content that is specific to certain products or solutions so that they can make a final decision.
Content marketing has many advantages and is nowadays an integral part of a digital marketing strategy.
If you haven’t implemented content marketing into your strategy yet, I would be more than happy to help you devise a tailor-made strategy! Feel free to contact me for more information.
