Is Content Marketing Really A New Concept?

by Susan Carol

Digital content is where the action is—illuminated with the recent news of Amazon’s purchase of The Washington Post. Because so many consumers obtain news and information through Internet channels, print publications of all types are losing value and a popular buzzword in my field is “Content Marketing.”  Is this really something new or just a buzzword.  What’s new is that people trying to introduce new ideas, products, brands and services are pressed to create content for many digital channels on an almost 24-hour cycle if they are seeking social media engagement and Search Engine Optimization benefits.

But, what is not new is the need for valuable content and that is what we professionals in public relations have always been seeking to do—identify stories that will resonate with a particular audience and write or produce these stories in the format that fits the channels’ needs.  In social media, one of the goals  is to establish relationships—or it should be—and these will happen if the content shared is actually helpful to your targeted audience and written in a social media style.

Here are our seven tips for content marketing that may help you become the content king or queen on your subject matter:

• Identify your niche – Take your focus a step further than just your industry. What is a trend or budding industry focus that your company services or contributes really well? Be sure to define the space you’re working in and have a clear focus, ensuring that all of your content helps drive your organization’s goals and objectives.

• Create a schedule – Without a schedule, creating consistent quality content becomes a chore. The more seriously you take it from the very beginning, the better the process will be. Make a point to stick to your schedule and it’ll become routine as it embeds more deeply in your daily routine.

• Listen, speak, create, post, amplify. Creating good content doesn’t always mean you just post what you think the world wants to hear. Let your audience drive your content. What are they talking about, interested in, and sharing most often? Join the conversation. It makes content creation a little more natural.

• Teach readers how to do something – If you know how to do something your readers would appreciate knowing how to do, it should be pretty easy to transfer your knowledge to paper … or your computer screen. Remember — blogs are conversational by nature. Just write it out like you’d speak it if you were telling a lead, customer, or colleague. In fact, we can teach you exactly how to write stellar how-to posts in this … how-to post! How meta.

• Network – Connect with others that will spread the word with their networks. It’s important that as you create your content you are reaching out to others that have interest in what you’re writing about. Remember, the more you help others, the more willing they are to help you.

• Invest in technology – Right now you have access to a variety of software that streamlines some of the complex tasks of content creation. Places like Salesforce and BI Intelligence can be very helpful resources for generating the information you need.

• Explore the option of working with an agency to help you with content creation and research. This can be a great option if your time is limited.

Did we leave something out? Comment below to give us feedback and share your thoughts with us.