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The Content Marketing Buzz

Content marketing is one of those buzz words in the internet world, that in many instances, is not fully understood or implemented effectively. So just what is it exactly, where does it fit in with SEO and how can it help your bottom line?

What is content marketing?

This type of marketing involves creating high-quality, engaging content aimed at your target audience. The ultimate objective is to attract customers, show customers what you know, educate them on how you do business and build credibility with the end result a highly qualified prospect coming out the other end.

The defining terms here are ‘high-quality, engaging content’ and that is where most people get derailed. Content marketing, if performed correctly, is a powerful optimisation tool that can drive sales; done incorrectly, it will drive your business into the ground.

Unfortunately, many people who realise that content marketing can help with SEO, publish content that is far from engaging and informative. Instead, content that is stuffed with keywords and is of no real benefit to the user is published, clearly designed specifically to influence rankings.

Google has become aware of this problem and launched the Penguin Update designed to literally remove ‘spammy web pages’ and favour content that is of high quality and engaging.

The benefits of content marketing

There are 3 clear optimisation benefits to content marketing:

1. Traffic: Presenting content to your audience that is easily found, well written and answers people’s questions or provides them with a solution to their problem, will naturally attract visitors looking for answers. Good content will build up your site traffic.
2. Brand awareness: One of the best strategies to building more awareness of your brand, within the community, is to provide your target audience with engaging content. The quality and the relevance of your content is of paramount importance to building this relationship as your content is an ambassador for your brand.
3. Authority:  If you write engaging and high value content, people will naturally link to your site as a reference.  This will build up your backlinks profile and site authority. The more quality backlinks to your website, the better your domain authority and the greater your rankings.

Is content marketing for you?

There are however, instances when content marketing is not you. How do you know? Well if you answer ‘no’ to any of the following questions, then now is not the best time for you to invest in this form of marketing:

• Are you willing to commit to the long-tem? Content marketing is about building a relationship and trust with your audience.  If you want results immediately, then content marketing will unlikely fulfil that goal.  Be ready to commit to it for 9-12 months if not longer to see results.
• Are you prepared to devote sufficient time and resources? You must think deeply about your customers and what their problems are and write content to help them find solutions. If you do not have the resources (time or money), then this strategy is not a good fit for your business.
• Are you ready to embrace transparency and engage your audience? To build a relationship with consumers you must build an open relationship with them and be prepared to ‘bare your soul’, so to speak. If you cannot do this, then stick to ads.

Conclusion

Content marketing is one of the most powerful aspects of search engine optimisation and can exponentially increase your traffic and lead generation. You must however, invest your company in creating quality content that engages your audience and build a positive, on-going relationship with them. The days’ of poorly written content, stuffed with keywords are gone.  Create content that is useful and value-adding to readers and you will benefit through increased brand awareness, better rankings and more customers.

Have any further questions on content marketing? Call us on 02 8211 0668, email us at info@cornerstone-digital.com.au or get in touch via our online form.

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Michael Lam

Co-founder of Cornerstone and web junkie, Michael knows just how to diagnose your online problems and remedy the issue. An online enthusiast who believes in technology as an enabler of growth, Michael worries about all the details so you don't have to.