For decades, the phrase “Content is King” has been common in newsrooms. Our founder, Tracie Welch Brenton, was the Circulation Sales and Marketing Director for the Houston Business Journal for many years. During this time, she noticed that the term, while integral to newsrooms, was even more prevalent in the shift to the digital age.
Digital marketing now surpasses ads on TV and print. In 2019 the Washington Post reported that digital ads overtook traditional advertisements by $20 billion. With this shift comes the demand for the production of 3-4 times more content to feed these digital channels.
A single organization now requires enough content to distribute unique and engaging ads on their website blogs, social media channels, and email marketing, giving consumers something to click on 24/7.
Why Content is Still King
In 1996, Bill Gates predicted the internet would be where the content would dominate with real money, just like in broadcasting. Content is essential for every marketing campaign, but the delivery and experience of content have changed forever with the availability of various channels.
Content is helpful for all levels of a company
You can find high-quality content in many areas of a company, from sales and business development to customer service and the executive level. The executives may want to publish thought leadership content with blogs and podcasts to showcase the company’s unique proposition to the world.
Sales and business development representatives can use sales enablement content, such as case studies and e-books, to help customers move through sales. With so much content to peruse, customers can receive answers to their questions and learn more about the company, saving time and money for your employees.
Content marketing is more relevant than traditional advertising
Following the rise of content marketing, traditional advertising formats such as print advertising and broadcast advertising have become less popular. In August 2021, traditional advertising only made up 1.2% of the average marketing budget compared to digital marketing at 15.8%.
Customers expect companies to share content across multiple platforms and formats, from blog posts to podcasts to videos. Their high-quality, relevant content expectations drive companies to find innovative ways to connect with consumers.
Customers expect real-time marketing
Many companies have to stay relevant to their audiences by responding to breaking news, making real-time marketing more critical than ever. Customer service is essential for content marketing to keep in touch with customers and update them in real-time.
A focused content strategy to respond to events requires coordination with multiple departments, including the legal department.
How the Digital Age Changed Content Marketing for Customers
A company should make sure its audience gets to know them. These stories can be told through website copy, blog posts, and e-books. Although written content is still relevant, social media, podcasts, videos, and even virtual reality can help reach out to the target audience.
Social media is vital for your marketing
Marketing through social media is more than just writing catchy captions and curating photos of your company’s social media pages. Every social media network has a different audience they serve.
Most American users between 18 and 29 use Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. Meanwhile, Facebook and YouTube are the most popular social media platforms for adults aged 65 and older. Content across social media channels can simultaneously offer relevant content and entertain them depending on the audience’s demographics.
Easy to distribute content across multiple channels
Successful marketing means using one piece of quality content and distributing it across different media channels. A content strategy can start with a blog post announcing a product launch, and then you can repost it through your social media accounts and emails.
Instagram posts and stories can share more details about the launch. An email marketing campaign can personalize the launch for people on your list and include links to your blog post.
The Importance of Content for Your Target Audience
Making content relevant to the target audience is the goal of content creation. Here are some tips for maintaining consistency and excellent quality in the content.
Your content must address the audience’s needs
A company can investigate the behavior and demographics of its audience to understand their needs. Find out the number of active users, visits, and age groups. Your target audience may not be as engaged on Facebook as on Instagram. Focus on the media channels where your audience is most likely to interact with your offer.
The audience must relate to your content
Customer personas can drive your content strategy once you know more about your target audience. These personas can help you create targeted content that meets your customer’s needs to boost engagement.
When you provide consumers with the information and content they’re seeking, you increase trust and build relationships to achieve your long-term business growth objectives.
How Marketing Logix Can Work for You
Marketing Logix can help you create a content strategy for your company. We understand how to create relevant content to reach your audience and help your business grow. Contact us today to find out how you can start creating targeted content for your company.