Here’s a one question quiz for you:
What is content marketing?
a.) a blog article
b.) an episode of The Bachelor
c.) a Facebook post
d.) a YouTube video of dancing cats
e.) all of the above
If you answered “all of the above” you are one smart cookie! But even if you answered correctly, that doesn’t mean you really understand what content marketing is. I don’t blame you. It’s a confusing term because it really is all of the above. “Content” can be a well-written or poorly-written blog article. It can be an episode of The Bachelor or the evening news. It can be a an interesting article you click on Facebook to learn more about the latest diet fad or a photo of who got it right on the red carpet at the Golden Globes. It can be a five minute YouTube video of a dancing cat or a licensed contractor explaining how to unclog your garbage disposal.
“Content is what we read, listen to, and watch on the web. And TV. And cable. And radio. And Netflix. And our phones. And whatever Philip K. Dick-esque device Google will be implanting in our brains next year.” – copyblogger
The term “content marketing” is so all-encompassing that it’s hard to give it any kind of definition. It’s a fuzzy term, something that is used all the time but people don’t really know what it means.
You’ll hear, read, watch and use content marketing in a lot of different ways. But I think most internet marketing folk will agree that:
Good content marketing does these 5 things
- Solves a real problem
- Is interesting
- Offers a new approach or perspective
- Comes from a reputable and authoritative person
- Is easy to understand
It doesn’t matter what industry you are in, anyone can use content marketing for their business. Even the really strange or seemingly un-interesting industries. Really. Because remember, you just need to offer valuable content to your potential customers. Here’s a real example.
One of our clients is a New York podiatrist whose main focus lately has been bunions. Not something you hear or read about everyday or something you would necessarily read more about – unless you had bunions that were causing you pain. The blog title below is a prime example of great content marketing:
Athletes Should Take a Time Out for Bunion Surgery
- Does is solve a problem? Yes, if you’re an athlete who may or currently does suffer from bunions.
- Is it interesting? Sure. It’s a creative title, and if you’re an athlete your next question would probably be, “why should I take a time out for this?”
- Does it offer a new approach or perspective? Yep. It’s targeting athletes who may have foot pain caused by bunions and offering a new approach: bunion surgery.
- Does it come from a reputable and authoritative person? It does. Dr. Jeffery Adler is a podiatrist in New York specially certified in performing bunion surgery.
- Is it easy to understand? If you actually read this article, it’s laid out in a simple format. It explains how athletes get bunions, how bunion surgery can help, and other treatment options available.
So why did we take the last 200 words to analyze content about bunions? To give you one tangible example of valuable content marketing. In the internet marketing industry content commonly comes in other forms too such as an ebook, short video answering common questions your customers have, social media updates, your website, an email campaign, and of course, blog posts. Content marketing isn’t going anywhere. There’s just going to be more content to choose from. but we’re a long way from too much valuable content.
Are you currently doing any kind of content marketing for your business? If you’d like more information about starting an internet marketing campaign for your business or just need help creating valuable content, take a quick coffee break and give us a call. We’d love to hear your story.
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