I said in the second paragraph that content marketing is effective because it delivers the most relevant results by satisfying a natural human need to communicate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Therefore, before moving on to our topic, I think it is necessary to briefly clarify the complexity of the communication process and its vital importance in our lives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Understanding the importance of communication, you will certainly understand, later in this article, what content marketing is, the power that a professional content marketing strategy develops and the huge potential to achieve performances hardly matched by any other digital marketing service.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
So, first about communication<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Why is communication important?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Communication is one of the most complex and\r\nimportant elements that define us as humans. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n All of our performances, starting with the discovery of fire\r\nand the wheel, to the exploration of space, have been made possible by this\r\nexceptional ability to communicate.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Of course, communication is not a quality that we,\r\nhumans possess exclusively. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We, however, distance ourselves from the entire living kingdom by\r\ncomplexity of the communication process we have developed.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Intrinsically, the communicative process encompasses an ecosystem\r\nof forms, of which we mention the major ones, namely:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Promotion – the role of communication in business<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In the early days, communication facilitated the initiation, maintenance\r\nand development of human relationships, a process that has remained just as effective and\r\ntoday, hundreds of thousands of years later. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n All communication was the basis of the earliest forms of trade, starting with archaic barter and culminating today in transaction processes of extraordinary complexity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We both know, however, that any transaction is possible through\r\npresence of two factors: supply and demand.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The existence of these two factors, in turn, is conditioned\r\nby the presence of a third, derived from them, namely promotion<\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Promotion has always been an essential element in\r\ntrading processes. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Where thousands of years ago, promotion was a simplistic process of communicating the offer, limited to the characteristics and peculiarities of the product, today, promotion processes are highly complex.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Today, as then, communication has remained the main facilitator of promotion processes. Information has remained the most valuable asset, regardless of the product or service being marketed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Given the enormous importance of communication\r\nin our lives, and how this process supports the initiatives of\r\ninfluence our needs and desires, we understand why marketing\r\ncontent marketing is so effective.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n}\r\n Of course, in the marketing sphere, it is absurd to say that only content marketing promotion enjoys the privilege of using the advantages of communication. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This exists in all forms of marketing and\r\ncan offer huge benefits, if the rules are followed and it is\r\nused to its true potential.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n However, the factor that differentiates content marketing promotion from other promotion services is located in the very essence of what content marketing is, more precisely in the strategy that this service proposes, namely: stimulating the need for consumption by creating and distributing content to the target audience.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n From there, we come to the official definition of what content marketing is, offered by the Content Marketing Institute<\/a><\/strong>, which says we are dealing with:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “A strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience, with the ultimate goal of driving profitable action.”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n More broadly, content marketing is a marketing strategy used to attract, engage and maintain the interest of an audience by creating, disseminating and sharing articles, videos, podcasts and other relevant media tools.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A definition for content marketing refers to the process of planning, creating, distributing, sharing and publishing content, through channels such as social media, blogs, websites, podcasts, apps, press releases, print publications and more. The goal is to reach target audiences and increase brand awareness, drive sales, and increase customer engagement and loyalty.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This promotional approach encourages brand awareness and keeps your business in the forefront when it’s time to sell products or services.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If we want to look at what content marketing is, we can’t just stick to publishing content and material periodically in the hope that the audience will find it and read it. It’s about intentionally tailoring your pages, videos, e-books and posts for your target audience so that they are tempted to interact with your brand and seek more information.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Today, your content strategy needs to reach your audience in a natural way. Most often, narratives, stories, honest and heartfelt accounts are successful. By doing so, the content you offer to your audience will be more authentic, engaging and tailored to the demands of the market.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There are other relevant content marketing examples, such as newsletters, social media posts and live broadcasts of events. All of these forms of content marketing are designed to provide useful and relevant information that delights users and attracts them to your brand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The history of content marketing<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some experts say content marketing still dates back to\r\nsince the time of the cave paintings our ancestors made on the walls of\r\ncave walls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some experts claim that it really did appear with the first printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n What we do know, however, is that the first campaigns that today align with what Content Marketing means, officially recognized, appeared in the late 19th century. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Famous example of\r\ncontent marketing promotion<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The first officially recognised content marketing campaigns featured “Doktor Oetker”<\/strong>, “John Deere”<\/strong> and “Michelin”<\/strong>. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here are the 3 clearest proofs that when you understand content marketing very well, the results are enormous:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Doktor Oetker<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1891, August Oetker began printing recipes for\r\non the back of baking powder packets “Doktor Oetker’s Backpulver”<\/em>\r\nthat he sold. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1911, he began publishing a magazine of cake networks, which, even today, sells more than 19,000,000 copies globally each year. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n John Deere<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1895, John Deere, a farm machinery company, launched “The Furrow” magazine,<\/em> with useful advice for farmers on how to increase their productivity and profit from their farming operations.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The magazine is still published today in 12 languages and is sold\r\nsold annually in over 1.5 million copies in more than 40 countries.\r\n\r\n\r\n Michelin<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In 1900, the famous Michelin tire company launched the “Michelin Guide”, a 300+ page guide with useful tips on car maintenance, potential tourist locations, restaurants, maps and other advice for those who wanted to visit France.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Michelin Guide still exists today. Moreover, thanks to the advice given about the best restaurants, today, the Michelin Star is the most coveted distinction recognizing the quality of a restaurant.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n These are the oldest and most famous content marketing promotion campaigns known in the industry. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Today, Red Bull is one of the most iconic examples of a company that has figured out what content marketing means and is generating billions of dollars in revenue by following content marketing strategies. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n How it works\r\ncontent marketing work?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Unlike other marketing services, content marketing rejects intrusive promotional strategies.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Instead of aggressively displaying products or services to the target audience, content marketing delivers quality information to the audience. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In this way, the essence of what content marketing is all about is the natural closeness between the brand and potential customers, providing the brand with a set of extremely important benefits in addition to sales, such as:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Important\r\nof content marketing<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In addition to the benefits that content marketing offers, this service is becoming increasingly important in the new digital paradigm.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Also read:<\/strong> SEO Advertorials: help publish paid articles for SEO?<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When it comes to the Internet, surely we can both agree\r\nthat information is an essential piece of this ecosystem.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Google, Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Tik Tok, Netflix and Spotify are just a few – perhaps the most relevant – of the examples at hand that have proven they know what content marketing is and its importance in generating sales and other marketing objectives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here we go! Only a few of these companies create\r\nand promote their own content.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Except for the Netflix platform, which offers a mix of content,\r\nall of the other companies mentioned above use the User Generated\r\nContent” strategy to meet business objectives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Of course, all of these companies run complex content marketing strategies in parallel, on the other publishing platforms they own, where they use their authority to publish guides, courses and other materials on how to use their platforms in the most effective way. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And since I brought up strategies, I think it’s\r\nthe right time to talk about the content promotion strategy of\r\nmarketing content. <\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But before we go any further, we need to clarify one aspect in order to fully understand what content marketing means, namely:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Content strategy vs. content marketing strategy<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There is often confusion between a\r\ncontent marketing strategy and a content strategy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although, at first glance, they appear to be one and the same, in fact, there is a complementary relationship between them, with content marketing strategy being the “why” of content strategy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Let me explain.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The content strategy<\/strong> is the overall plan\r\nfor the use of content, in all its forms, in every aspect of a\r\nbusiness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To understand this better, imagine content strategy as the blueprint of a house; the “on paper” planning of how content will be used to meet business objectives. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A good content strategy addresses – but is not limited to –\r\nthe following questions:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n On the other hand, content marketing strategy<\/a> <\/strong>represents a so-called “soft-sales” approach to attracting and retaining customers for your business by creating and distributing quality content. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Practically, it’s a combination of sales techniques and organic marketing – or Inbound Marketing, which I’ll talk about a little later in this article.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The essence of a content marketing strategy is to disguise sales efforts very well behind the content delivered, so that the target audience does not consciously notice the sales process, but feels that they are informed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A content marketing promotion strategy can take the form of blog articles, case studies, PR, Social Media Marketing, Inbound Marketing, Pay-Per-Click Marketing, SEO and other marketing services, depending on the business objectives.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Now that we’ve got that cleared up, here’s what’s next\r\nwe’ll talk about content marketing strategy.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We have explained in the previous paragraphs, roughly, what a content marketing strategy is. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Even so, in order to better commit the information to memory, I return with a clearer definition, and say that:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n “Content marketing strategy is a process of carefully planning the steps necessary to attract an audience relevant to your field of activity in order to meet your business goals by creating, publishing and distributing quality content.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n How do we define\r\nquality content?<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It’s a question that many people ask when\r\nwhen planning a content marketing strategy. From\r\nTherefore, I think it is important to clarify this aspect. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n So, by quality content, we mean content that is:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 1.<\/strong> Informative<\/strong> <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You must answer the questions that potential customers ask you. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2. Easy to consume<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The information should be easy to understand. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Of course, you could say that in technical or scientific niches, content is defined by a high level of complexity, but you have to keep in mind that if the audience in that niche understands the information and consumes it in an easy way, success is guaranteed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 3. Unique<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Being animals defined by imagination and benefiting from a consistent level of imaginative wit, no one appreciates plagiarized content, and those who avoid a negative reaction to it often choose to stay away from the plagiarist.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 4. Valuable<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Continuity created must bring something extra to people, to\r\nsolve a problem in an efficient way, by providing new information,\r\nthat competitors haven’t offered.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 5.<\/strong> Custom<\/strong> <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Customization of content defines the unique quality of the information you provide, but denotes, in equal measure, your personality. That’s why personalized content contributes a great deal to defining an original brand image. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n Summarizing, a content marketing strategy involves the following steps:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 1. Setting objectives and KPIs (Key Performance Metrics)<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here we find goals such as: brand visibility, positioning as an authority on the niche, Optimizing SEO<\/a><\/strong> or increasing sales. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In terms of KPIs, these are the concrete goals you set, such as: if my goal is to increase traffic to the company’s website, the KPI is to increase traffic to the website, measured in Google Analytics. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If you want to set your marketing goals “Like a Boss”, download our template for setting your SMART goals correctly<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 2. Setting the target audience<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Locating the target audience for the campaign is one\r\nof the most important steps in the strategy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Achieving a clear “Buyer Persona” will influence other steps in the strategy, such as the type of content used, distribution channels, content timing and even the marketing funnel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 3.<\/strong> Conduct a content audit on business platforms<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A content audit involves analyzing content that already exists on company-owned platforms to locate any missing elements, to locate content that is already performing well, to improve poor content or to get valuable ideas for the campaign.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 4.<\/strong> Competition analysis<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Competitor analysis also involves analysis of\r\ncontent analysis, but this time of your competitors, to see what\r\nwhat’s working well for them, what you could create in addition, but also how you can improve\r\nthe content they already create. <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This last tactic, to improve your competitors’ content, is called “Curated Content”; we will talk more about it in the next articles I will publish on the re7consulting agency blog.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n 5.<\/strong> Choosing the types of content to be used<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There are a lot of content types, from which you can\r\nchoose the most effective ones. Among the available content types, we mention\r\n– but not limited to:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Keep in mind!<\/strong> Choosing the most effective content types for your content marketing campaign will be based on your objectives, audience and distribution channels.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"what](\"https:\/\/re7consulting.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/ce-inseamna-marketing-prin-continut-tipuri-de-comunicare-1024x472.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\nWhat is content marketing?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"DOKTOR](\"https:\/\/re7consulting.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/DOKTOR-OETKER-content-marketing-1024x472.jpg\")
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What is a content marketing strategy?<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"quality](\"https:\/\/re7consulting.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/continut-de-calitate-ce-inseamna-marketing-prin-continut-1024x472.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\nSteps of a content marketing strategy<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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![\"Content](\"https:\/\/re7consulting.ro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Content-Marketing-Buyer-Journey-1-1024x563.png\")
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