content marketing (or content marketing, in French) has become essential for all companies wishing to establish an online presence.
Much more than a simple tactic designed to strengthen your marketing strategy, this approach is now ultra-complete and integrates many tools.
Whether you need generate more traffic to a site or your social networks, to improve your conversion rate, or to establish your reputation as an expert in your sector, content marketing lends itself to all situations.
Content marketing, what is it?
Content Marketing consists in producing and publishing, in a perfectly targeted and very regular manner, content with high added value for your audience. Newsletters, blog articles, social media posts, videos, podcasts, white papers… all digital media likely to be appreciated by your target audience have their role to play.
The content created must, by definition, be customer-centric. The objective is to offer the latter concrete and coherent answers to the questions he asks himself, to inform him about subjects that fascinate him, or even to offer him a moment of fun or escape.
The intrinsic difference between content marketing and other categories of communication is here: the brand creates commitment by taking the step of going to his audience, of giving him something. As opposed to traditional advertising, it is not about trying to convince that your product or service is superior. Rather, the goal is to establish a sincere connection with your audience.
Brands that decide to use content marketing must not only stick to a sustained content creation schedule, but also, and above all, offer the “right” content. And it can’t be improvised!
It is for this reason that many brands choose Studio Eskimoz to develop and execute an effective content marketing strategy.
Content marketing, brand content, inbound marketing… How to find your way around?
For the uninitiated, it can be difficult to know exactly what these innumerable expressions used alternately in English and in French correspond to, and which all deal with the internet marketing ! Thus, we often confuse content marketing (or, remember, content marketing) with inbound marketing.
If content marketing is produce qualitative content for a targeted audience, inbound marketing, on the other hand, relates more specifically to efforts made to generate traffic, qualify leads, and convert visitors. We can therefore consider content marketing as a strategy that is part of a more global inbound marketing approach. It can be combined with other strategies.
Among these other strategies, that of brand content (or branded content) is also easily confused with content marketing. It is based on the dissemination of editorial content (texts, videos, etc.), but it is at the level of the content of the content itself that the difference manifests itself.
Unlike content marketing, which works to meet the needs of your audience, brand content revolves around your brand. It is rather a question of highlighting it through a skilful mastery of storytellingfor a result closer to traditional advertising.
Content marketing: a multitude of media
The materials specific to content marketing are multiple and diversified, allowing each company to find appropriate means of expression.
Blog posts
The blog is a space that lends itself particularly well to the publication of textual content with high added value. The latter are also marvelous in terms of SEO. And effective SEO results in optimal traffic, often synonymous with conversion.
Remember to analyze your personae as necessary in order to offer them information that meets their expectations. Feel free to build your blog in a way that encourages users to continue visiting and reading more articles, including through links and a “you may also like” block.
The better your audience will benefit from your universe, the more they will feel close to you, and the better your chances of seeing your clientele grow.
Videos
Videos are widely used in content marketing as well as in brand marketing, and not without reason! This format is, to date, the one that Internet users prefer, especially on social networks. Tutorials, inspiring, funny videos, reports, behind the scenes, or even unboxings… the possibilities are numerous.
With technologies readily available to everyone today, you’ll be able to deliver enough production value for most platforms at a lower cost. With a slightly higher budget, you can also try your hand at animation or motion design.
Images
Internet without images would be very monotonous and most Internet users let themselves be intrigued by an image long before they start reading a text or watching a video. On social media, quality images can practically stand on their own.
For your visuals to create maximum engagement, focus on quality and be sure to establish a graphic charter that will provide all the necessary consistency. Photos, infographics, mini comics… let your inspiration express itself.
audio
Whether you host a podcast regularly or want to publish an interview with high added value, audio does have its place in content marketing strategies. Such a format offers excellent potential to target your audience and stand out from your competitors.
e-books
E-books represent the ideal opportunity to offer content with very high added value, absolutely unique, and based on expertise that your company is the only one to possess. Do not hesitate to publish manuals or other writings that will enhance your skills to better boost your visibility.
Whether you choose to use it alone or integrate it into an even more complete inbound marketing strategy, content marketing is unparalleled in reinforcing the effectiveness of your sales funnel. Create the surprise to better engage your audience and offer them an experience that will make you stand out to see your list of prospects grow.