What is Content Marketing
Content marketing is a digital content strategy that oversees the creation, management, and distribution of content in many forms including written, visual, audio, and video across platforms including social media channels, email, downloadable e-books, etc. Content marketing provides content that holds value for users— it is not straightforward sales, but a more nuanced way of gaining brand recognition by providing relevant information. This feature is coupled with consistency to create loyalty and establish authority in certain subject areas.
Why would a business bother to go through the work to create, manage and distribute content? The answer is simple: it’s a long game— content, over time, drives sales and conversions.
Content Marketing and SEO
Content marketing is related to Search Engine Optimization. A blog or other format of content that is consistent, meets user’s intent criteria, and leverages keywords well will rise to the top of the organic searches conducted online on Google, Bing, and any other search sites. Additionally, the more popular a blog or site, the more highly it may be ranked. This in the end is a source of free digital marketing that can reach vast audiences.
How Content Marketing Drives Sales
So there’s content being produced, distributed, and marketed, but how does all this translate into sales? There are several ways that content creates trust, authority, and a relationship that can ultimately lead to conversions.
Content Marketing and Brand Awareness
First, digital content marketing is intended to increase brand awareness. Customers can and do learn about brands through online searches, and through content-based advertisements on social media platforms. SEO is a more organic way to reach a demographic, but paid advertising, in its many forms, is also highly effective.
Content Marketing Leadership
Through frequent posts and distribution of content that users find valuable or entertaining, marketing shapes authority in specific subject matters. It helps individuals decide which brands they want to work with and with whom they want to spend their money. Content also offers a measurable way to gauge interest and discover which types of content are the most popular and the most likely to generate leads.
Content Marketing Engagement
Content marketing resources help create engagement with users. It usually takes time and resources— remember it’s about playing a long game— but building a following or community for the brand is well worth the investment.
Content Marketing Makes Sales
While it may take many months to make a conversion, content marketing keeps users and customers interested in your brand. Think of it as a conversation that keeps including the user, reminding them that your brand is available to answer questions and help along the way. Often, brand content marketing leads to sales through cultivated relationships. With many channels of marketing to leverage, it’s easier than ever to reach a target audience— although competition is thick. Another reason why hiring a content marketing service is a good idea to make your brand stand out.
What Does a Content Marketing Agency Do?
So how does a content marketing agency or content marketing company function? First, a marketing agency can help with the tasks that a shoe-string company doesn’t have the time or resources to do. An agency provides expertise on how to best get your brand out into the world with the maximum content marketing results. They can help design and oversee entire marketing campaigns. Keep in mind that agencies can also provide a new set of eyes and a fresh perspective to your brand’s existing marketing. Creativity is part of the package.
Content Marketing Tips
A content marketing agency will have the expertise and inside tips that can make all the difference in a successful versus disastrous marketing campaign. You can rely on their expertise and years of experience to provide a successful marketing investment.
Content Marketing Agency Costs
Using a content marketing agency is far less expensive than hiring for in-house marketing roles. The time necessary to train and bring up to speed teams can be burdensome. Hiring an agency eliminates this expense and allows you to put this money into marketing campaigns. Marketing software is also a money-saving tool that can automate some of the content distribution and maintenance. This may be something a content marketing company can provide or can offer guidance on.
Content Marketing Sales Help
Content marketing specialists can also help support sales teams by creating sales decks and other tools that will help in-house teams to finalize conversions. Marketing teams are by nature creative and can leverage design skills as well as written communication and audiovisual to help create material that can finalize sales once a client is in the sales funnel.
How to Pick the Right Content Marketing Agency
So now that you know all about how content marketing agencies can help your business with their marketing tools, tips, and experience, how do you pick the best one to work with your business? The following categories are a few areas to examine thoroughly before finalizing your decision. However, each business may vary in its needs and there may be other considerations as well.
Online Marketing- Content Marketing Trends and News
Check prospective marketing agency’s online presence. Make sure they have a well-functioning website and are doing a good job of their own marketing. Look on multiple platforms and see how well they cross-market their own brand. What is their online presence? Are they up to date on content marketing trends and news? Do you like their style? Do they inspire confidence and feel like they align with your brand?
Past Clients
Ask for client testimonials from an agency’s past clients. If possible, follow up with several former clients to learn more about how specifically the agency helped them with improving their content marketing.
SEO
Prospective agencies should have a good grasp of SEO and how to optimize content for SEO. Make sure the content marketing company you choose to partner with has a strong SEO presence itself. Don’t be afraid to ask to see metrics.
Content Reports
Any agency worth its salt should offer to provide you with detailed reports on campaigns and offer meetings to consult and show results on marketing campaigns. They should be able to provide software that can give you detailed feedback on your campaigns and show what is working and what’s not.
Sample Content
Don’t be shy; you can ask potential content marketing companies to do a sample post to make sure they understand your brand and audience sufficiently to consider a long-term partnership.
Parting Thoughts
Any decision on the best content marketing company should be made only after thorough research. It’s the business’s job to make sure that the partnership with a content marketing agency will be a good fit for the company’s values and long-term growth and success.
If you would like to learn more about working with Pixel506 as a Content Marketing partner, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Our experts offer business consulting and content development services for companies of all sizes. We’d be more than happy to discuss your needs and how we can help.
Key Takeaways
- Content marketing is a digital content strategy that oversees the creation, management, and distribution of content in many forms including written, visual, audio, and video across platforms including social media channels, email, downloadable e-books, websites, and more.
- There are several ways that content creates trust, authority, and a relationship that can ultimately lead to conversions.
- An agency provides expertise on how to best get your brand out into the world with the maximum content marketing results. They can help design and oversee entire marketing campaigns to gain maximum exposure and conversions.
- Businesses must do due-diligence and research prospective agencies to find a good professional fit between content marketing agency and strategy, and the organization’s values and goals.