Every time I read a tweet, an article from a prestigious business publication, or an insightful email from someone in a senior level position I nodded my head and agreed that content marketing is the future and as marketing professionals we need to become wizards (7th year Hogwarts status) at content marketing to help our clients’ businesses succeed… Yet the question looms, “what exactly is content marketing?”
A quick Google search reveals Wikipedia's definition of content marketing, “Marketing with high-quality, engaging content that drives brand affinity and sales.” Holy Moly! Content marketing is the panacea to every client's needs and it's simple: content simply needs to be created, promoted and BOOM, brand equity and sales will come! Well not quite....my search for a better definition continued. After a few more wrong turns, I finally found some great content on content marketing at Content Marketing Institute. Their somewhat sales-y content marketing or bust definition sums up the all-mighty marketing technique.
“Basically,
content marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and prospects
without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your
products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more
intelligent. The essence of this content strategy is the belief that if we, as
businesses, deliver consistent, ongoing valuable information to buyers, they
ultimately reward us with their business and loyalty.”
So in short, and as the elementary infographic above suggests, consumers like brands and products, but they are becoming averse to traditional marketing communication tactics. As such, brands are now creating, engaging, relevant, exciting, informative and valuable content that consumers like, resulting in increased brand interaction, affinity, chatter and propensity to buy and recommend. Goodbye push, hello pull!
Up next in the series: A look at a few brands that have mastered content marketing.
So in short, and as the elementary infographic above suggests, consumers like brands and products, but they are becoming averse to traditional marketing communication tactics. As such, brands are now creating, engaging, relevant, exciting, informative and valuable content that consumers like, resulting in increased brand interaction, affinity, chatter and propensity to buy and recommend. Goodbye push, hello pull!
Up next in the series: A look at a few brands that have mastered content marketing.
--Mickey Citarella
Assistant Account Manager
(Definitely not an Art Director or Studio Artist)
