These three examples mentioned above can help you understand what content marketing is, since they are forms of content created by brands to entertain and answer questions and needs of their customers. And it is very likely that when you consume one of these pieces of content, such as a recipe with Nestlé products, you will think about buying those specific products mentioned, right?
This is the intention of content marketing, the strategy behind what south africa mobile phone number list we call Inbound Marketing , or attraction marketing: to delight and attract customers with quality content, tailored to them and delivered directly to them . Unlike advertising, the goal of content marketing is to create relevance for your network and, in the case of digital marketing, to generate qualified leads.
Before we continue with this content, take a look at some data taken from the research “ The Ultimate List of Marketing Statistics for 2021 ” to begin to understand what content marketing is and its importance for your business:
1 – 70% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing. ( HubSpot , 2020)
2 – 78% of companies have a team of one to three content specialists. ( SEMrush , 2019)
3 – Marketers today create content for multiple audience segments – marketing to three audience segments is most common. ( HubSpot , 2020)
4 – Nearly 40% of marketers say content marketing is a very important part of their overall marketing strategy. ( HubSpot , 2020)
5 – “Content Marketing Strategy” is the most searched query related to content marketing. ( SEMrush , 2019)
6 – 77% of businesses say they have a content marketing strategy. ( SEMrush , 2019)
7 – 94% of marketers use social media for content distribution. ( SEMrush , 2019)
(Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics )
But how to do Content Marketing?
Do you understand what content marketing is and its importance for your digital strategy? Then, the first step to doing content marketing involves a lot of planning. Start by defining your Brand Persona, which is the personification of your brand, and Buyer Persona, the personification of your ideal customer.
It is important to start here, because it is from these definitions that you will know what sets you apart from your competitors, what the essence of your brand is and what the personality behind it is, who it talks to, what it has to say and how (tone of voice).
With these answers about your brand, you can move forward: outline your goals, such as brand recognition or increased sales, for example. Structure content pillars, categories and subcategories; the content that you work on will help you achieve your goals.
For example, if your brand is based on financial education, what topics related to financial education do you consider useful to your audience? What categories do you talk about and add value to?
Make a list: investments, economy, financial education for beginners, courses, book tips. And within each of these subjects or categories, what would be the subcategories? Books on financial education, tips on how to save money at the end of the month, and so on.
When planning your content, know how to target it to each stage of the sales funnel: top of the funnel (discovery and interest), middle of the funnel (consideration and intent), and bottom of the funnel (evaluation and purchase). This way, you deliver the right message at the right time.
Content Marketing Examples
You can create content in a variety of formats: blog, e-book, email, infographic, social media, podcast, video. See some examples here:
In 2015, Google created the “ Think With Google ” blog with content about the marketing industry, sharing ideas, insights, trends and data.
In 2017, the beauty brand O Boticário created the Desejos de Make channel on YouTube to deliver “the hottest makeup secrets of the moment”, with the participation of beauty influencers.
Launched in 2020, Heineken Green Cast is Heineken 's first podcast that talks about music and features festival creators as guests sharing backstage curiosities.
In 2021, the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo entered Minecraft: Education Edition! . In other words, it was the first museum to enter an online game, combining art, education and games, reproducing the museum space and works from the collection.
Editorial Calendar
You already have your goals, a list of the main topics and inspiration from examples of what big brands have already done, now it's time to define your channels and frequency.
To do this, find out where your audience is in the digital universe. Do they use Facebook , Instagram , Spotify , YouTube , Pinterest ? There are several channels available to deliver your message, so choose the one that best fits your scenario.
Regardless of whether your brand offers content such as blog posts, podcasts or YouTube videos , organizing the frequency of production and publication will facilitate your creative process. Research topics that connect, important dates, current affairs: everything that can enrich your speech.