Content marketing – it’s the content that counts
At some point there will come a moment when the term content marketing comes into the spotlight. An illuminated sign that cannot be overlooked is literally attached to it. Nevertheless, there is often uncertainty as to how it should be possible to entertain, inform and advise with content and also address the target group . True to the motto : Every product has a story and has to be really captivating with its content. With all the uncertainty, one thing is very clear: only with the right content will it be possible to inspire the target group of tomorrow, to offer added value and to position oneself profitably in the market in the long term .
Content marketing – the definition
Content marketing is a strategic orientation in marketing in which content is constantly created and distributed that is valuable and relevant for the target group. The aim is to instill trust in the target group, to establish a good bond with it, to strengthen the image and ultimately to achieve sales. Content marketing is very often used to achieve better rankings in search engines.
In content marketing, the focus is not on the classic promotion of a product or service, but on stories that the product or service tells. It’s about emotions, interactions and experiences, because with good content marketing strategies it is possible to present yourself as an expert in the field, to gain trust and to build long-term relationships. That is why there should be no limits to creativity in content marketing, dry information should be gripping and dreary numbers should be colorful. The formats used include: texts, images, videos, infographics, podcasts, studies or surveys, tutorials, advice pages, blog posts, eBooks.
Content Marketing Goals
In principle, content marketing can pursue different goals that should be defined right at the beginning of the content marketing strategy . While tactical goals are short term, strategic goals are long term. Many companies only achieve their long-term goals after months or years. Nevertheless, they should always be the focus, as in the end they have a decisive influence on success.
Nevertheless, both goals have one thing in common: In order to be able to determine the exact procedure, it must first be analyzed what exactly you want to achieve. So that the achievement of goals is also realistic and measurable in the end, the goals should be SMART.
- S – Specific: specific, not simply more success, but more sales , for example )
- M – Measurable: Choose measurable, clear key performance indicators that are quantifiable
- A – Attainable: achievable, goal must have a recognizable meaning
- R – Realistic: Realistic, goal must be achievable
- T – Timebound: Time- bound, specify the point in time at which the goal should be reached
Goals that meet these requirements and can be implemented with content marketing are, for example:
Specific, short-term goals can be:
- Increase in reach through social media content campaigns
- Spread of “social buzz” (rumors, viral news)
- Generation of co-occurrences and backlinks
- Acquisition of new customers
Specific, long-term goals can be:
- Building a community
- Building a brand
- Create and strengthen trust
- Development of your own communication channels
- Increase traffic
- Regular visitors / readers or regular customers
- Attract and retain influencers in the long term
- Returning, loyal customers
Content Marketing Strategy
Today’s prospects or customers want really high quality content, they want to be fascinated and addressed emotionally. This is exactly why a well-thought-out marketing content strategy is essential. Other important points are the time and money savings, as Lagerfeld once said: You have to throw the money out the window so that it can come back in at the front door. That is to say, creating content that does not fit the goals or the company is uneconomical. There is also the question of how success should be measurable if there are neither goals nor time frames.
However, in order to create a complete content marketing strategy, one should address the following questions.
Company, product and marketing strategy
Only those who know who they are and where they want to go can define clear steps. This also includes planning for the next few years. And at the top of the list should be what makes the company so unique, why should the customer choose it?
The target group
Only those who know their target group well can address them profitably. Not knowing your target group will take revenge at some point.
The brand story
What is the core of the company and how does it differ from the competition? Content marketing is about getting the right message and tone across. What impression should be conveyed and what does the presentation look like from the outside.
Content planning
Now it’s getting more concrete! Based on the personas, the purchase decision process and the interests of potential customers, topic clusters are created first, then exact content. Which content format is available? Which tools can be used for creation? And who will take care of what by when? All of these questions flow into a detailed editorial plan and thus form a timetable for your content production.
Content channels
The hard-earned content must now be spread effectively. Namely exactly where the target group is and is receptive to information. Which channels should be served? Could this distribution process be simplified with software tools?
Dialogue and Community
Of course, it makes sense that communication with the target group doesn’t turn out to be a dead end. To do this, the establishment and management of an active community must be carefully considered. The following questions are important as direction for this: which channels should be used, who is responsible for the dialogue, what are the do’s and don’ts in the community. Which tool can be used to control this exchange?
Content promotion
Sometimes a little push with a paid doctorate can also be good. But there are also questions that should be carefully considered: Which offers make sense, how high should the investment be, who takes care of this paid promotion / campaign , which keywords play a role? SEO content marketing should not be lost sight of here.
Content – what makes the difference
The hardest discipline in content marketing is the content itself. What should come as no surprise, in order to know exactly what the content should look like, it is important to take your own business apart. To disassemble it down to the basic structure. Only those who know themselves and know what they are doing and where their uniqueness, their unique selling proposition and their competencies lie can present themselves to their target group with pinpoint accuracy. Nevertheless, all advice and tips will only have a limited effect if you do not act according to the principle: If you love what you do, others will love it too.
But back to the content; this really has to be very good, otherwise it will not only not be read, but also not found.
Good content checklist:
- Define content: What should the message and the goal of the content be and which format best suits it? Should the content be educational, emotional or promotional?
- Do research: Is there a demand on this topic and is it up-to-date? Are all facts correct and well researched? Which of the previously published topics and formats were exciting for the target group ?
- Planning creation: What resources are available to me? Are the required equipment and the people involved available on the day of creation?
- Creating content: Was the common thread adhered to? Does the content pursue the previously defined goals? Does the content offer added value for the target group and is it entertaining?
- Call for action: Was a call-to-action implemented at the end?
- Optimize content: Can the content be consumed in a simple and easy-to-understand way? Is it easy to find and is it optimized for SEO?
- Publishing: Was the content published in the right place / on the right social network? Should the content also be advertised in order to get more coverage ?
- Measure success: Have all goals been achieved? Has the content been picked up by other sources? How many interactions did you have with the content?
- Keep up-to-date: Is the content regularly viewed and adapted to current trends and innovations? Was old content removed without a performance?
If all of these questions can be answered with yes, nothing stands in the way of successful content, provided that you pay attention to the most important point: storytelling!
