Content Marketing: Five Of Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does content marketing entail?
Every article you read on digital marketing will stress the importance of valuable and consistent content, but what does it entail exactly? Figuring out just how much content needs to be written is tricky enough. To get you nodding understandingly, we´ve put together some of the most commonly asked questions posed to us by brands seeking some clarification.
1. What are the advantages of looking outside the company for content creation?
It benefits in the same way as getting a tradesman in to decorate your living room, as opposed to doing it yourself. Whilst you´d no doubt manage to get the wallpaper on the walls, it might not have people marvelling at it in the same way as you would if you let an expert pour time into it. Bringing in freelancers can not only help your content flourish, it can introduce fresh and off-the-wall ideas that will make your brand stand out.
2. How long should I commit to content marketing to allow it to really take affect?
It comes down to how in tune with your audience you envisage your brand becoming. It takes time to build trust with readers; with so much reading material at their disposal, you often have to prove to them you´re worthy of their time. This is why some brands commit years to a content push.
3. How can I ensure lots of people are going to be exposed to the content?
The answer, like so many things, is networking. Ideally, that will involve mutual sharing of connections, meaning two professionals connect and are able to benefit one another. The old adage of “It´s not what you know, it´s who you know” carries some credence. Team it up with unique and valuable content and you´re on your way to becoming a thought leader in the field, with a whole bunch of new faces taking an interest in your brand.
4. Hold up, what´s a “thought leader”?
A thought leader is an individual or firm that is viewed as a respected voice in a specialised field and whose expertise is sought and often rewarded. Thought leaders and success tend to go hand-in-hand.
5. How will content creation keep up with the times, though?
Consumers are more knowledgeable than ever, and with it comes greater expectancy. Content will become even more interactive, with more expansive storytelling. There will also be a greater merging between digital and social media, and traditional media. The lines between informative and entertaining will become blurred to the point where people are sharing content without any thought as to how it will benefit the brand – only their network.