Call it whatever you like: custom or corporate publishing; branded or private media; or custom, corporate or branded content. Whatever the name is, the goal of content marketing remains the same: to create fresh, relevant articles and copies that will help individuals and companies engage and obtain a target audience. Ultimately, the intent is to get customers to act on what the website urges them to act on (e.g. sign up for a newsletter) so businesses can derive profit or gains from such action.
But like most marketing strategies, it is best achieved when it is delivered in an artful sense. A company's ideas, products or services must be communicated well, without seeming like are pitching a sale. More than the intention of selling, businesses should offer written material that sparks insight and makes the readers wiser as consumers, as individuals. Essentially, this strategy encourages businesses to provide consistent and reliable consumer information and in return, they entrust their business to you.
This concept has been tried and proven to be highly effective – reason why both small-scale businesses and major global companies incorporate this tactic in their daily business routines. Nowadays, consumers have become wise enough to scrutinize traditional media. Majority skip TVCs, glossy magazine ads, even banner ads or buttons, making traditional forms of advertising less relevant and less effective by the day. If that's the case, how do businesses thrive then?
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Many industry luminaries agree that if traditional media has become somewhat a thing of the past, content marketing is the present and the future. You see, in these times when we are barraged by information from companies of all sizes trying to win us over with their items and services, the latter is that refreshing break from a chock-full of spammy, non-valuable information. It lets companies do the pitch subtly and intelligently, while challenging consumers to think differently.
Studies show that 80 percent of company leaders make business decisions based on various well-written materials instead of advertisements. Out of this population, around 70 percent state that good content brings them closer to a company, and 60 percent swear that it helps them arrive at sound decisions.
With this strategy in place, customers actually (finally) anticipate information from your end,instead of automatically chucking it into the recycle bin or paper shredders upon receipt. If done efficiently, it creates a deep connection between you and your customers, thereby encouraging them to read the data you present. It allows you to formulate and send sales data that are desired and at times, even asked for by consumers. Because it offers value and relevance, versus simply making a sales pitch.
Now you would ask, is digital marketing ever possible without the lending hand of content marketing? Obviously not in this time.
