Everyone loves free stuff. Imagine heading to the supermarket and then realize that someone else is going to pay for everything. I bet you’d feel relieved and grateful, especially if you’re asked for barely anything in return.

That’s one of the mechanisms that makes content marketing so powerful and effective. 

In this short-form guide, we will discuss what makes content marketing so important and relevant for implementing your overall marketing strategy.

Some content marketing stats

l Almost half of 18- to -49-year-old users get their news and information online, and those numbers are growing;

l According to Hubspot research, 79% of online shoppers spend at least 50% of their shopping time researching content about the products they are considering buying;

l A recent study proved that 80% of people appreciate learning about a brand through custom content marketing;

l 68% of users spend time reading about brands that interest them;

Content marketing results

Content marketing is so versatile that some even dare to say it behaves like water. When you use it on one channel, you can achieve a specific marketing goal. You can get something completely different, even just by publishing your content on a particular page or channel.

While this might sound too generic, we have listed some of the most common marketing goals that content marketing can help you achieve:

  1. Higher conversion rate
  2. Longer time spent on site
  3. Thought leadership and brand awareness
  4. SEO ranking
  5. New leads and client retention

Let’s discover together what each of these marketing goals means when paired with a content marketing strategy.

  1. Higher conversion rate

You spend money and time attracting visitors to your website. You may think this is enough, but traffic doesn’t pay the bills at the end of the month. That’s why converting your users to customers is just as important, if not even more critical, than pushing them to visit your website through ads.

Not all users have a strong purchase intent when they visit your website. Some might be looking around for information, and that’s when you can target them with content. In your content, you can explain how using your products or services could benefit them and solve their needs. If your content is persuasive enough, you will notice a higher number of users taking action on your website, be it contacting you, joining a training, downloading an e-book, or making a purchase.

  1. Longer time spent on site

Time spent on site is usually one of the so-called “vanity metrics.” They make you feel good, but they’re rarely relevant in terms of overall user conversion. However, if most of your users leave your site within less than a few seconds, it goes without saying that you have a big problem.

This issue might be caused by a series of grammar mistakes in your Web copy, low-quality pictures, or overly-complicated user experience. Or all of them combined. 

Luckily, you can use content marketing to improve your site performance. You can add links to your most performing content directly on the homepage. You can also start promoting a landing page where you talk about one of your most recent whitepapers, e-books, or downloadable guides. 

Content marketing is like putting makeup on your website’s face. It can help cover a few pimples, but it can’t be a substitute for proper skincare, aka a decent user experience on your website.

  1. Thought leadership and brand awareness

You are reading this article because you are looking for information about content marketing. Easy, right? And yet, if you are satisfied with the content you can find on our blog, you might come up for more. You might even think that we are very knowledgeable about the matter. 

Content marketing can help you to achieve the same result, regardless of the topic or target audience. Through in-depth educational content, you can make your users think of you as experts in a particular field. The more they trust your knowledge, the more likely they will decide to buy from you or work with you. 

  1. SEO ranking

Content marketing paired with SEO is like ketchup on a plate of french fries. Sure, french fries alone, they are delicious. But try to add ketchup (or mayo) on top of them, and you’ll notice the difference.

While you can optimize your website by following the SEO best practices, you should also consider your users’ needs. Adding the right keywords and links will ensure that your content ranks higher on the SERPs. However, the magic happens only when your users click on those links and spend enough time on your website, making even perhaps a purchase or requesting a consultation. 

The best match is when the SEO technical optimization meets the quality of a content marketing article. This way, you can please both Google and your users. 

  1. New leads and client retention

Content marketing allows you to create content that can cover all topics, either strictly related or slightly related to your offerings. For example, you might be selling earphones. You can create content describing how to choose the best pair of earphones, but you can even go beyond that. You can create content targeting sports enthusiasts, nine-to-five workers, gamers, and the like. You can create content that best matches the needs and passions of your target audience. 

Your users will not only feel understood. They might end up on your website even when they are not yet searching for keywords related to your products. Maybe they’re only looking for tips on how to increase their productivity at work. And that’s where you will share some useful suggestions and a few reasons why your earphones can boost their productivity. 

Conclusion

You can think of content marketing as your best ally to achieve your marketing goals. It will be relatively easy for you to adapt existing content for new or updated business strategies. 

If you want to get started with content marketing, contact us now!

Stay tuned for more useful guides and informative content!