By Jeanne Grunert |
Content marketing is an attraction marketing approach that appeals to many businesses but especially service-focused businesses. It’s a technique that uses ideas, shared freely across multiple platforms, to softly and gently build the case that you the author of the materials are the best expert in the field. Content is shared through blogging, article marketing, eBooks and books, social media, podcasts, videos, and other media. When used with a sound SEO (search engine optimization) strategy, content marketing can help you attract new site visitors and create an effective online brand image for you, your services and your company. It’s very valuable for businesses such as personal consulting, coaching, and high-touch, personalized services. Some examples of businesses who might benefit from content marketing are nutritionists, fashion consultants, massage therapists, retail businesses, home decorators, freelance writers, artists and many others. Each of these types of businesses can benefit from this form of internet marketing.
Many people confuse content marketing with sales and advertising writing. There’s a big difference. Sales and advertising writing is usually focused on closing the sale. It’s clearly meant to sell you something, to educate, entice and engage you in the sales process so that you make a buying decision and close the sale. Content marketing and article marketing is quite different. While you may end up buying something, the content marketer provides information freely and without a hard-sell message. The goal is to share information and thus create the impression, merited by the validity and depth of the information shared, that the person or company behind the content marketing or article marketing strategy is an expert and thus someone to trust with your business.
Anyone using SEO writing to build brand image online must be careful about the tone, style and subject matter included in their content marketing strategy. You have to know and understand your company or personal brand persona before posting. Who are you, but more importantly, what do you offer customers? What benefit do you give them? Are you warm and nurturing or brisk and professional? There’s no one right or wrong brand persona except the one that fits or doesn’t fit you and your company. Right is what fits. Wrong strikes a false note and doesn’t fit.
When you consistently put forth solid content that educations, inspires and motivates, and content that is built around your core value proposition and brand image, you will gradually and gently attract just the right business to your doorstep. Using SEO writing, article marketing, blogging and content strategies with paid SEO pay per click keyword marketing and well-optimized SEO landing pages and web pages helps customers find you. Once they find you, your content marketing strategies build rapport. People get to know you first, then get to like you through your writing. After a while, they trust the person behind the posts. It’s the know-like-trust factor that leads to increased sales.
Content marketing is not a quick fix solution. If you’re in a position where you must make sales now and make them fast or you’re going to miss a mortgage payment. it’s not the best strategy for you. On the other hand, if what you sell is expertise and knowledge, content marketing may feel more ‘right’ for you.
