By Evan Vitale
We’ve all heard of and used the term “marketing,” but what about “content marketing?”
Content marketing is a growing trend, but it is also the least understood term when it comes to marketing. Instead of sales calls, advertisements and being pushy, content marketing is an indirect way of capturing a person’s attention and then persuading them to make a purchase.
The best example of content marketing is a blog.
A blog (exactly what you’re reading here) is a web page that offers free information, news or advice about a particular topic, service or product. Every business should have a blog page on their website and regularly post updates, pictures, videos, etc.
By keeping your prospects, customers and clients updated via your blog, this form of content marketing allows them to learn more about your business and makes them feel more comfortable about purchasing from you.
Other forms of content marketing include:
- Videos on YouTube and Vimeo – Here, you can offer short product demonstrations; mini seminars and more.
- Photos on Flickr and Instagram – Public pictures of your office, manufacturing facilities, products, staff, conferences you’ve attended and more.
- Articles – Write and publish “white” papers on your website. These are in-depth articles about a specific topic in your industry. Instead of it being an article about how great your company is, a “white” paper could be about how your product solved a problem.
Case Studies – Again, try not to make is as much about your company as it should be about your customer or a problem your product or services solved. Ideally, case studies begin with the problem and how your customer used your products or services to solve the problem.
These are all great examples of content marketing. Instead of being a loud sales pitch, they help to inform and educate your customer.