Why it pays to invest in content marketing

Content marketing is the process of designing and distributing content, with the intent of attracting and retaining your customers. In turn, this helps you increase revenue and grow your business. Content marketing can take many different forms, from images and copy, through to blog posts and videos – it really depends on your audience, your resources and your business objectives.

So why should you invest in content marketing? It ultimately comes down to the basic marketing funnel of awareness, consideration, conversion and loyalty.

Here’s my top 4 reasons on why you should invest in content marketing:

1. Create awareness of your business and attract potential customers

Any content marketing plan needs to start with awareness, afterall if a potential customer doesn’t know you exist, they certainly won’t be doing business with you! Use content marketing to make your business more discoverable.

So how do you create content for people that don’t know you exist?

Firstly you need to get into the head of your customer, and put them in the centre of your content marketing strategy. Create an anecdotal avatar of your ideal customer. What problem do they have? How does your product or service solve that problem? How is the solution of value to them?

Secondly, most people use Google as a way to find the information they’re seeking. So again, think about what your customers will be typing into google when they’re wanting to find your product or service. If they don’t know you exist, they certainly won’t be typing in your business name.

Thirdly, create your content so that it touches on the problem you’re solving and why this solution is so valuable.

2. Engage with your audience

Ok, so think of your business for a moment as an apple. Everyone knows what an apple is, but why should they choose your apple over someone else’s? Is it because it’s red and crunchy? Is it the juiciest apple? Do you continually tell people how great your apple is? Remember, just because a potential customer knows about your business doesn’t mean they will choose to do business with you. You need to consistently engage them with great content – this helps to build their consideration factor and keeps your business front of mind. But don’t leave it to just one form of content. If you’re trying to sell your key product or service consider how you are selling this product or service on your website. Can you also write about it in a blog post? Then share that blog post on your social media and through your e-newsletters. Even consider creating a video and post it to YouTube (the world’s second largest search engine!). Don’t assume that just because it’s on your website that people will find out about it. People are being bombarded day in day out with information – you need to find ways to use your content to cut through all the other noise.

3. Convert your potential customers into transacting customers

So no that a potential customer is aware of you, and they’ve read a little more about your products and / or services, how are you going to give them that final nudge and hand over their hard earned cash? Can you offer a discounted trial? Can you offer a free consultation? Can you highlight the key benefits of your brand over a competitors? Once again, get into the head of your customers and think about what roadblocks they might be facing that’s stopping them from taking that final step. How can you move them along the sales pipeline?

4. Build loyalty and advocacy amongst your existing customers

This is one of the most all-important steps. Whilst the ultimate goal of content marketing is to increase sales and grow your business, remember that you don’t have a business if you don’t have customers, and the easiest customers to get are the returning customers. Keeping your customers happy and engaged helps to build loyalty and advocacy and let’s face it, who doesn’t love positive word of mouth marketing!?

In this instance, blog posts are not your answer (blog posts are great for attraction and awareness). What you need to consider is your post sales correspondence. How are you communicating with people once they’ve made a sale? Do they receive a newsletter? Do you provide a help line or support service? The aim here is to make sure you’re reminding your past and current customers about the value you provide.

So there you have it, the top 4 reasons to invest in content marketing to increase revenue and grow your business. If this has got you thinking of some ideas or ways to better engage customers, that’s terrific! If you’d like to chat further about developing a content marketing strategy to grow awareness, consideration, conversion and loyalty in your business, then let’s chat.

I also offer a range of Marketing Health Checks which assess the content of your digital and print marketing collateral. Check them out here.