What is Content Marketing - Types & Examples

A quick guide to content marketing in 2023.

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a term that refers to a marketing approach to content creation based on the idea that one should provide content that is valuable, relevant, and consistent in order to attract, maintain, and convert their target audience. The point is to establish real relationships with your consumers, increase brand awareness, and convert more leads in a way that allows your brand to shine. Hubspot created a video explaining this concept more in-depth and even has a free downloadable workbook you can use for your business:

Why is Content Marketing Important?

From a business standpoint, content marketing is good for your bottom line. When performed correctly, it leads to increased sales, reduced costs, brand awareness, and customer loyalty. To understand this, let's first consider the buying cycle:

1. Awareness: The first stage in the buying cycle is when a customer becomes aware of a problem that they need a solution for.

2. Research: After a customer becomes aware that they have a problem, they begin to look for a solution. For example, let's say you want to film while you are fly fishing, but you can not set up a tripod, because you are moving along the river, and you can not hold both your camera and your rod at the same time. So, you find yourself experiencing a problem, so you then begin to research a solution that fits your needs.

3. Consideration: Continuing with our fly fishing example, you discover that there are camera harnesses that strap to your chest, but there are so many options to choose from. How can you decide which is best? You are at the consideration stage, where you are now comparing different products from different sellers to find the best bang for your buck.

4. Buy: Eventually, you make your decision and purchase a product.

How to use Content Marketing

Your business can start using content marketing to cater to your target audience at each of the stages in the buying cycle. However, to be effective, you will need to deliver the right content at the right time:

1. Awareness Stage: At this stage in the buying cycle, your content should focus on the pain point your audience is experiencing. Share educational advice that will help them find a solution. You can do this through videos, blog posts, guides etc.

2. Research Stage: To focus more on this stage, your content should include helpful information. Your goal is to educate your consumer about your product or service and showcase how it will solve their problem.

3. Consideration Stage: Similarly to the research stage you want to educate your customer, but you also need to highlight your points of differentiation from other products. This is the time for your unique brand to shine, let them know why they should pick you above everyone else.

4. Buying Stage: Once we get to this stage our customer is ready to make a decision. They will choose the brand that they know they like and will meet their needs.

Definitions:

Buying Cycle

The process a customer goes through when buying a product or service

Target audience

A particular group of individuals at which a movie, advertisement, social media post, marketing campaign etc. is aimed

Bottom Line

the final total number of profits a business has after all expenses are deducted from revenues

How to Start Content Marketing

There are many ways you can use content marketing, but it is a good idea to start with your data to determine what will be best for your business.

Types of Content Marketing

After you do this, you can begin to determine what kinds of content marketing will be best for your business to focus on. Here are some examples of the different types:

• Video Content: Due to the fact that customers who are shopping online can't physically interact with products before they buy them, videos are becoming more crucial to boosting sales. That is why we have seen a rise in product-related content creation over the last year.

• Articles/Blog Posts: These are great because they not only drive traffic to your site but also allow you to include other forms of content within them as well like infographics. On top of this creating blog posts is a great way to practice your SEO skills.

• Podcasts: Often forgotten about, podcasts are listened to by around 82 million people across the United States alone. So, if it is relevant to your business, it is definitely something you can consider starting.

• Books: Don't let this option intimidate you. Although this can take time, there are now tons of self-publishing tools out there to help you write and publish your own book.

There are tons of other types of content marketing out there as well like apps, presentations etc. but the idea remains the same. Decide your goals, your audience, and how you will define success, and then go from there. If you need help or have any additional questions feel free to contact me at simplyaskloren@gmail.com