If you want to stand out from the crowd, traditional marketing methods might not be enough, especially if you’re in a competitive industry. The rise of SEO and SEM has resulted in a shift towards a new, more effective sales strategy: Content Marketing.
By creating and sharing valuable and relevant content, businesses can connect with their audience, build trust, and ultimately drive engagement. When it comes to content marketing, there are benefits for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or new to the game, there are plenty of ways you can leverage content marketing as a powerful sales strategy.
So, let’s dive in and explore how content marketing can help you grow your business in today’s ultra-competitive digital landscape…
First, let’s define what content marketing is. Content marketing involves creating and sharing valuable and relevant content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. Content marketing can take many forms, including blog posts, social media updates, videos, whitepapers, and infographics. These pieces can be posted on your website, on social media, or distributed through e-mail based communications like e-newsletters. They’re designed to be engaging resources people can use and even share.
One of the key benefits of content marketing is that it helps businesses build trust and credibility with their audience, which can lead to increased brand recognition and loyalty. In fact, according to a study by the Content Marketing Institute, 96% of B2B buyers want to include content from industry thought leaders as part of their buying process… Which means you want your branded content in their hands!
Another benefit of content marketing is that it can help generate leads and drive sales. By creating content that addresses their target audience’s needs and pain points, businesses can attract qualified leads and move them down the sales funnel. In fact, according to Hubspot, companies that publish 16 or more blog posts per month generate 4.5 times more leads than those that publish 0-4 posts per month. Blogs are a perfect place to establish yourself as a thought leader within your industry.
Content marketing can also be a cost-effective sales strategy. While traditional advertising can be expensive, content marketing can be done with minimal cost. In fact, according to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates three times as many leads. When you combine traditional advertising with content marketing, you increase your reach and build brand loyalty.
Finally, content marketing can help businesses build a community around their brand. By creating content that engages their audience and encourages interaction, businesses can foster a sense of community and loyalty among their customers. This can lead to increased brand advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing, which can drive even more sales. Each piece you create should be highly sharable so your readers can do the work for you.
Curious about where you stack up compared to other businesses when it comes to Content Marketing? Consider these 10 Key Takeaways from the Content Marketing Institute’s 2022 report:
1. 47% of respondents said they expect their organization to hire or contract content producers in 2023.
2. 57% of content marketers plan to invest in social media buys this year, compared to 37% last year.
3. Social media/community building is the fifth highest area of B2B content marketing investment for 2023.
4. The percentage of marketers using one or more paid distribution channels decreased to 67%, compared with 81% the previous year.
5. 78% of content marketers said their organization will invest/continue to invest in video in 2023, up from 69% the previous year
6. 64% of the most successful content marketers have a documented content strategy.
7. 87% of successful content marketers say they’re providing customers with a consistent experience across their journey.
8. But only 27% said they have the right technology in place to manage content across the organization.
9. Marketers cited these as their top two current content marketing challenges: struggle with creating content for the buyer’s journey and aligning content efforts across sales and marketing.
10. When asked about their success, the top 3 answers given were: they produce better quality content, cover topics/stories their competitors don’t, and actively promote their content.
To read the full report, click here: https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/b2b-2023-research-final.pdf
As you can see, content marketing has emerged as an accessible but powerful sales strategy that can help businesses connect with their target audience, build trust and credibility, generate leads, and drive sales. By creating valuable and relevant content, businesses can attract qualified leads, position themselves as experts in their industry, and foster a sense of community and loyalty among their customers. So, if you’re not already using content marketing as part of your sales strategy, now is the time to start.
For help with building your content marketing via your website, social media, or digital communications – contact a Think Patented account executive, call
(937) 353-2299, or send us a message.
Sources:
https://www.ironpaper.com/webintel/articles/5-ways-content-can-aid-the-b2b-sales-process
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/articles/stats-invest-content-marketing/