What is Content Marketing, Anyway?

So, What is Content Marketing, Anyway?

According to ContentMarketingInstitute.com, 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."

In a nutshell, it's writing and sharing great content, not hard selling your products or services. 

Differences Between Traditional Marketing and Content Marketing

Traditional marketing is like an old fashioned carnival barker:

"Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! We've got the most incredible show you'll ever see!" Once they've captured your entrance fee, the "World's Tallest Man" is maybe 6'4" and though you had to look closely, the bearded lady is actually wearing a wig. You leave feeling underwhelmed and probably taken advantage of. 

Content marketing is more like your best friend's new moisturizer. 

The change in your bestie's skin is impressive. When you study the product label, you find that it contains nothing but natural ingredients. You Google the company website and find an informative and interesting video about how their ingredients are sourced. You then decide to make an informed purchase and feel confident in your this company you've chosen to patronize.

See the difference?

Traditional marketing is almost solely focused on making a sale, even if that means exaggerating the benefits of a given product or service. 

Content Marketing Shifts the Focus from Selling to Providing Information

Content marketers are not trying to sell products or services. They are, instead, creating relationships, providing information, solving problems and building trust. 

They do this by consistently providing relevant and targeted content related to their niche that educates, informs and entertains their visitors. 

Content marketing plays the long game. While the carnival barker method may get you some initial sales, it probably won't build sustained business and relationships. 

The moisturizer method may initially take a longer time to make a sale, but that customer won't forget that you were honest and straightforward. They'll appreciate the additional information you provided to help them come to an informed decision. 

You're much more likely to earn that person's trust and long-term business. And they'll probably tell their friends and family about you, too.  

Down to the Nuts and Bolts. How Does Content Marketing Actually Work? 

Boiled down to basics, just write great content and share it across your social channels. Of course, it's not as easy as it sounds. 

A more precise explanation is that content marketing works by sharing your relevant and well-written content. There are many ways to do this.

Your blog is the all-important starting point. Videos are an incredibly effective tool.

Your social media channels, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are also vital places to showcase your content. 

One of the best things about content marketing is that one piece of content can be shared among all your social channels.

Break up a blog post into digestible pieces for Facebook and Twitter.

Create a video and share it to both your YouTube channel and on your website.

Take a photo that a guest shared (with permission) and post it to Instagram and as a Facebook post.

You can adapt most content to fit the various social channels. This helps to keep spreading the word, reaching more visitors and creating more organic "buzz" for your brand. 

Personally, I love content marketing. I have never been a fan of the hard sell (if I see a salesperson coming towards me, I walk in the other direction). I think content marketing is a far more honest and relatable way of promoting your business and your brand. I love the idea of connecting with your audience by being helpful and informative, instead of just pushing for the hard sell. 

Being authentic and building relationships takes more time and effort, but it also fosters serious brand loyalty, and that is an invaluable commodity. It can pay dividends for years, or even generations to come. 

Do you need help with your content marketing? I've been working with vacation rentals companies for 20 years and can help you to craft the perfect plan for your business! Get in touch today and we can be working tomorrow. 

Best regards, 

Alissa Isenhath VR Content Marketer www.AlissaIsenhath.com alissa.isenhath@gmail.com (912) 399-5295