Why You Should Invest in Content Marketing
Whether you’re already involved in content marketing for your brand, or you’re just starting out, it’s important that you understand the weight content can carry for your business. Many people will assume that having a content marketing strategy simply means publishing a blog every now and again with something interesting. While this is definitely part of it, content marketing goes much further than that.
A content strategy requires careful thought, planning and execution; all aspects that are time-consuming and needing ample resources to carry out effectively. It’s likely that you’ve been put off investing in it for these very reasons, especially if you’re a small team or just starting out as a brand. However, we believe that content marketing should underpin the rest of your digital strategy; after all, content is something that’s used everywhere for pretty much everything. Content can also influence many other marketing strategies and help to drive better results. Still not sure? Let us give you a few reasons why you should consider investing in a content marketing strategy.
Content marketing complements all other marketing strategies
As mentioned, content strategies have the ability to reinforce and support other areas of your marketing efforts. Whether you’re running a PPC campaign, implementing SEO or creating social media ads, having a content strategy can tie them all in together and give you more opportunities for creativity and originality.
54% of surveyed UK marketers have a documented content strategy, while 93% of marketers agree that creativity and skill when it comes to content creation is very valuable.
The content in your emails can contribute to a higher click-through rate, while web content fuels conversions and rankings. When you put it like that, suddenly content marketing becomes inescapable.
Content can inspire trust and loyalty
Many customers will read content about a brand before engaging with it; often to find out more information, or to make sure it’s what they’re looking for. User-generated content can reassure customers that they’re going to get what they pay for; through authoritative branded content, industry experts writing guest posts about you or even guest posting on other respected websites in your industry.
These content marketing strategies can paint a trustworthy picture of your brand and set you apart from competitors, so it’s important that you’re putting out the right content with the right message. 20% of marketers struggle to deliver content consistently, citing the need for investing in extra resource to help fill the gaps.
You can measure its success
It doesn’t matter what marketing strategy you’re deploying; the bottom line is that you want to see results. While it’s easy to measure PPC campaigns or track keywords, you shouldn’t neglect tracking your content marketing efforts.
You can measure results within your content strategy by identifying KPIs such as reach, engagement and social sharing. 38% of surveyed UK marketers aren’t clear on what an effective or successful content marketing campaign looks like, which could have an impact on content strategies moving forward. After all, if you don’t know what works, it’s more difficult to drive further victories.
16% of marketing teams struggle to demonstrate how content marketing has increased audience engagement, with 13% not able to show how content has increased number of leads. Investing in content with a dedicated marketing agency means you have a helping hand in creating content that is both successful and measurable.
Content marketing is diverse
The majority of UK businesses’ content marketing is organised through a small team serving the entire organisation, which can put pressure on time and resource. Creating blogs is just the tip of the iceberg; email marketing, video marketing and infographics are all forms of content and can all impact your online presence.
Allowing your business to run around the clock, releasing relevant content in engaging formats can put you in a strong position for success.
Choosing to work with a digital agency that can enhance your existing efforts can make a world of difference, helping you to construct and implement content strategies that drive traffic and results for your brand in the long run.