Content marketing is embraced by more brands today as a standard pillar in their marketing arsenal.
But just what is content marketing? Is it the same as social media? What does it look like? How long has it been around? What kind of value does it deliver?
What is it?
A helpful way to understand the difference between content marketing and traditional marketing is as follows. Traditional marketing tells you how great something is, while content marketing shows you.
What form does it take?
Content can be developed in a wide variety of formats and channels. It can be a blog, a video, a whitepaper, an infographic, a podcast, a magazine, as well as many other things. Whatever form the content comes in, the information helps you learn something, or understand something more thoroughly than you did previously, without a conspicuous sales or promotional pitch.
While versions of content marketing have been around since the 19th century, the term itself has only become a part of marketing vernacular in recent years. And it’s playing an increasingly larger role in marketing budgets today.
What objectives does it achieve?
It still aims to reach the same goals that traditional marketing programs do. Brand awareness, lead generation, customer conversion and retention are all part of the mix. In fact, it’s probably one of the most powerful ways to support traditional channels such as print, TV, or direct mail, as well as other online marketing efforts. And even though content marketing strategies and tactics are typically deployed online, it is applicable to any industry, not just those that are technology-oriented.
How can I learn more?
To learn more, download our free “Understanding Content Marketing” eBook. It’s a practical primer on what content marketing is, how to get started, how to measure impact, and how your brand can reap the benefits.
