You already know that, rather than “pitching” products or services, content marketing provides valuable information to prospects and customers (for a refresher, see It’s Not Your Father’s Marketing), who in turn reward brands with their business and loyalty. As one of the most practical, effective, and useful marketing strategies, content marketing deserves your attention. If you’ve been hesitant to invest in this strategy because you think it’s a fad, you’re busy with other marketing efforts, or you think content marketing is too complex or expensive, read on for five business benefits you may be missing.
Stay a While
At the risk of over simplifying, quality content translates into quality time. In other words, the more valuable content you have, they more time visitors will stay on your website, to stick around and get to know you. Besides the obvious reasons of keeping visitors on your site in order to inform, delight, and educate them so they will do business with you, engagement plays a big role in search engine rankings. Google favors websites that people spend a lot of time on by rewarding them with higher search engine rankings. You can further drive increased traffic to your site by sharing your content marketing, like blog posts, infographics, memes, etc. across your social media platforms. This increased exposure leads to more users who not only see and read your material but also share your content, thereby greatly increasing your number of followers.
Search Engine Smarty-Pants
In addition to engagement, having more quality content can result in higher search engine visibility. For example, think of content marketing like fishing in the sense that the more hooks you have in the water, the better chance you have to catch a fish. Every new page published is another hook in the water, which is another opportunity for customers to find your bait and “bite.” As you add more quality content to your site, more pages are indexed in search engines, which improves visibility and increases website traffic. What’s more, search engines – specifically Google – reward sites that add new content on a regular basis.
You Obviously Know Your Stuff
Although this benefit is difficult to track, regularly posting quality content can increase your perceived expertise and authority. Updated, relevant information shows visitors that your company is knowledgeable and trustworthy, while establishing you as an expert in your field. Your content marketing strategy can include sharing industry news, providing solutions to common problems and shedding light on new trends, just to name a few. Through all of these, you build an audience that trusts you and your opinion and most importantly, your product or service. Plus, nothing communicates the tone, voice or personality of your business like content marketing. Blogs, for instance, provide an invaluable opportunity to talk about issues that interest your prospects, as well as sharing what you and your employees are passionate about.
An Eye on the Prize
To build on the previous point, consumers are more likely to buy – and buy again – from brands they know and trust. According to Hubspot, overall ROI is more likely to increase for companies who blog; in fact, businesses who prioritize blogging experience a 13-times increase in ROI, year after year. Research shows that the more pages a site has, the more leads it gets. Simply put, more quality content means more form submissions, more email opt-ins, more quote requests, and ultimately, more sales.
Literally any business – dog grooming, widget manufacturing, ghost writing, knitting, tax preparation – can benefit from a thoughtful content marketing strategy. And because its cost-effective and offers compounding returns, there’s no excuse to delay or hesitate. The sooner you start investing in content marketing, the sooner you’ll enjoy the results. Whether your goal is increased traffic, higher conversion rates, or improved customer relationships, content marketing can get you there, and CH Consulting Group can help. We’ve gleaned valuable insight through our years of industry experience, and we’re eager to show you all of the benefits content marketing can provide. Email me today to learn more!
Read more:
Content Marketing is Not Your Father’s Marketing
How Well Do You Know Your Target Market?
Are you Overlooking the Importance of Marketing Basics?
