According to research-based marketing firm Ascend2, content marketing is number 2 on the list of most effective tactics marketers plan to use in their digital marketing plans in 2018. With that stat in mind, it’s a good time to take a pause to define what content marketing is. Contrary to common belief, it has a role in both owned and paid media.
The Content Marketing Institute says, “Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience—and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.” Nowhere in that definition does it say content marketing is only the purview of owned channels. It can be used in your paid media as well. Consider the following:
Running paid ads based on a whitepaper or industry research you’ve released
Account-based marketing leveraging a wide array of content assets such as videos, infographics, blog posts and more
Tracking the content users engage with most on email to serve them related display ads
Why should you do this? Because content marketing helps build an engaged audience and it creates a potential pool of people for you to nurture down the purchase path with more great content and other tactics such as paid advertising or event marketing. This is an audience more willing to show brand loyalty, share their personal data with you for things like downloading an eBook and be receptive to being upsold.
Content marketing shouldn’t be viewed in a silo. It can help inform and add value to your other marketing activities, with the overall mission to drive outcomes for your business.
Want other tips for how to make the most of your digital marketing efforts this year? Download our free eBook 18 Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Marketing Investments in 2018.
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