Content marketing is a strategy that focuses on the creation and sharing of blogs, newsletters, videos, podcasts and other content that is useful to a business’s target audience. Business websites, social media platforms and email are often used to share this content, either directly or through embedded links.

When done correctly, content marketing can drive results that will ultimately boost a business’s sales and revenue. Here’s what you need to know when creating your content marketing strategy and how it fits into your business’s larger marketing goals.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a type of online marketing that uses written text along with video and audio media to capture the interest of a target audience. To do this, the content needs to be relevant and also offer something of value to readers, viewers and listeners. Content marketing can help a business develop and support its brand, demonstrate its expertise in the industry and keep its name in front of potential customers.

Benefits of content marketing

A business may want to consider including content marketing in its overall marketing strategy as a way to help:

• Increase brand awareness.
• Improve rank on search engine results pages.
• Drive more visitors to its website.
• Build stronger customer loyalty.
• Add contacts to its database.
• Generate new sales leads.
• Increase sales and revenue, indirectly.

Types of content marketing

Written, visual and audio materials are all generally used in a business’s marketing efforts. What makes the materials used in content marketing different from other forms of marketing is that they don’t directly promote products or services, but instead focus on providing something useful to the target audience.

Blog articles

Articles are a staple of many content marketing plans. In addition to being available on a business’s website, articles can be highlighted and shared through social media posts and emails. Choosing topics that relate to your business can help to highlight your expertise in the industry, improve rank in search engine results and differentiate you from the competition.

Newsletters

Newsletters are a strong digital marketing method that’s often coordinated with email marketing. Email campaigns can be developed with the sole purpose of sharing a business’s newsletters. Social media platforms are popular ways to highlight your newsletter and share links to it. Newsletters can also be used to grow your contact database through sign-up forms offered on your website.

Social media posts

Posts on social media platforms can be used to highlight your industry expertise through relevant quotes and thoughtful comments and observations. Sharing behind-the-scenes photos of your business and employees can help demonstrate your culture and give your audience a better understanding of your unique business. Posts can also be a way to share links to new blogs, newsletters, videos and other types of content marketing.