What is content marketing? It’s a popular phrase thrown around too casually in the internet world, on flashy blogs and by consultants. Simply defined, content marketing is the careful planning, creation and implementation of great content used strategically to achieve certain marketing metrics or goals. It starts with writing, structured words, copy, whatever you want to call it. Add a splash of branding, strategy and marketability, and voila! You’ve got content marketing.
Well, it’s not quite that simple.
Content marketing takes many shapes
Blog posts, social media posts, media kits, brochures, letters, enewsletters, slogans, articles and website copy could all fall within the content marketing category. While you may immediately think just of writing and words, the strategy and positioning behind each of these pieces is what matters.
Content marketing relies on great writing and, therefore, great writers. You don’t really want your best friend’s 14-year-old son—or someone in a distant country—updating your business’ website content, do you? Your brand should tell a story. Rely on professional writers to build your company’s content marketing strategy. It really will make a difference.
Content marketing is not journalism. It’s not just straight marketing, either. Great writing is something you can believe in. Storytelling can define your company, brand or small business. It’s what differentiates you from your competitors. It’s how you gain customers, build your reputation and drive revenue. Content marketing takes regular sales and marketing and elevates it to a new level. Content marketing asks how you can educate and inform the reader or audience. How can you start building a two-way relationship with clients or customers, instead of just talking at them?
Content marketing is not just SEO. While it drives search engine optimization, they aren’t the same. There’s a technical component to SEO that goes beyond good content (want to learn more about title tags, sitemaps, and rel canonical strategies. Let’s chat).
The Found Gen can help you get started. Our team of content experts will elevate your company’s content—site, blog, brochure, you name it—to new heights.