Content marketing should be the core of your industrial marketing strategy.
Content is the latest evolution of marketing. It is at the heart of what we do to be found and to establish connections.
Content describes all of the efforts which are necessary to succeed online – search optimization, blogging, social media, etc.
The term is descriptive because what is written in all of your online marketing media are indexed (read) by the major search engines; Google, Bing and Yahoo. The payoff, the rationale, for pursuing all of these media are better positions at relevant searches for your product or service. Carefully targeting all of your content to chosen search terms will increase your chances of success.
Your definition of success is the most important step in this process. By narrowing the focus of your content marketing you provide a voice to your overall effort. The people who use what you make are looking for specific information. A clear voice should be found and heard.
The Content Marketing Institute provides more detail as to the purpose and strategy of content marketing:
Content marketing’s purpose is to attract and retain customers by consistently creating and curating relevant and valuable content with the intention of changing or enhancing consumer behavior. It is an ongoing process that is best integrated into your overall marketing strategy, and it focuses on owning media, not renting it.
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.
Reading any of your online marketing media should lead to additional information which engages the visitor. Twitter may bring someone directly to your website. A search on Google may lead to a specific blog post, introducing your firm to a potential buyer who didn’t know you exist. The entire effort is targeted to attracting your ideal buyer to engage with your sales department.
Marketing success is qualified prospects identifying themselves and willingly entering your sales process. Determine your target buyer, create information they will find and then tell them what they need to know in order to qualify for your sales process. Welcome to content marketing, the core of the modern industrial marketing plan.
Photo credit: crafty bean
