How Content Marketing fits into the Bigger Picture

How Content Marketing fits into the Bigger Picture

Contents p1 Introduction 1 2 3 What was Content Marketing? How Content Fits into the Buyer s Journey p2 p5 Implementing Content Marketing in Marketing Automation p7 Conclusion p10

Introduction i The slow and inevitable death of link-based SEO has led to the meteoric rise of content marketing for the purpose of raising brand awareness, attracting high quality leads, and creating new customers out of well-placed clicks. Content marketing on its own, however, does not guarantee campaign success, no matter how much of a trend it may currently appear to be. In the past, it required a team of marketers, content creators and/ or curators, and a chiselled social media campaign in order to even wink at success. However, marketing automation is now here to give content marketing the chance it so aptly deserves. The purpose of this ebook is to: explain content marketing as it was intended to be examine Content Marketing 2.0 show how content marketing serves the automated marketing process show where to implement content marketing in marketing automation process #1

1 What was Content Marketing?

What was Content Marketing? 1 Two years ago, digital marketing companies (and the do-it-yourselfers running their online businesses) were given a rude SEO awakening when Google decided to do away with linkbased SEO to score a higher SERP ranking, and introduce the Google Hummingbird update. Why Hummingbird? The premise around Google Hummingbird was that since internet users were more frequently using search phrases (conversational search) rather than simple keyword searches, Google would encourage the use of high quality online content in exchange for better rankings and more SERP exposure since it was this content (and not keyword-smattered short-form articles) that satisfied their searches and gave users a pleasant experience after their clicks. Creating high quality content and hoping The great change in the Hummingbird update was that it would now mean Google searchers would be served up high quality answers to their search queries. In order to take advantage of this more search-savvy audience, all that marketers needed to do was supply them with targeted, high quality content. Then they would wait and hope. Digital marketing campaigns driven by content marketing take on a process that looks more or less like this: Content is created (articles, infographics, videos, ebooks, games, etc.) Content is promoted and distributed (most likely via ad platforms, email, websites, and social media) to target audience with a call-to-action for further engagement Audience response/content performance is measured while sales team waits for calls and emails #3

What was Content Marketing? 1 The Content Marketing Model Successful content marketing of this kind would mean searchers would sign up for more information from company websites and, upon submitting their details (because they wanted the content, not a call-back), sales people would be able to build a database of potential customers and then begin to feed them through a sales pipeline. Whether or not this audience qualified as customers was based purely on their interest in the content. The purpose of content Digital marketers using content marketing create content that is intended to deliver knowledge to potential customers, for the purpose of building trust in their brand. Users consume content in order to have their curiosity satisfied, to become more knowledgeable, to be entertained, or to have an emotional experience. Will content change the behaviour of the user (ie: convince them to buy in to a product or service) or are marketers simply providing users with answers to their burning questions? In order to truly take advantage of content marketing to drive leads, marketers need to enlist content within the cogs of a marketing automation machine. Here s why #4

2 How Content Fits into the Buyer s Journey

How Content Fits into the Buyer s Journey 2 When potential customers are searching for a product, solution or service, their buying journey can be described as follows: Content marketing can be used to nurture potential customers along the buying cycle, and by feeding them the right content at the right intervals in the buying cycle, the more opportunities you ll create for your potential customers to get to know your products, services and solutions. Using content to guide potential customers: Awareness of need The potential customer is guided to think differently by being made aware that they need a product, service or solution. Content marketing helps them to identify their needs by explaining how your offerings could be of use to address their pain points: help their business to grow, attract new customers, make their lives easier, etc. Research Once potential customers are aware of their need(s), they will research the product, service or solution that could solve their pain point. When you correctly position your content to meet their search criteria at this stage, you have the perfect opportunity to grab your potential customer s attention by answering their search criteria. This will build trust and solidify your reputation as a good service provider. Comparison If your potential customer is comparing products, services and solutions, now is the time to build your case for your solution as the best one on the market. Your content should highlight the benefits and offer case studies for how a particular solution has solved the pain points of others in the market. If your content convinces the potential customer to become a paying customer, it s at this point that you will request direct contact with them. Point of purchase The point of purchase is the phase during which the customer will have direct contact with you or someone from your business. This is the point to which all your valuable content marketing has guided your leads/customers. #6

3 Implementing Content Marketing in Marketing Automation

Implementing Content Marketing in Marketing Automation 3 Marketing automation refers to a process that systematically automates a marketer s tasks making their jobs easier and less repetitive. Those tasks could include: compiling a database to target with a marketing campaign creating workflows to achieve marketing goals compiling a personalised message to tell potential customers that you have what they want/need distributing information (in the form of content) to that audience when their actions indicate their readiness to receive it ie: according to the workflow measuring audience response integrating potential customer data encouraging communication with the target audience nurturing potential leads Marketing automation simplifies the marketer s repetitive process of delivering one-on-one targeted messages to potential customers, by using trigger actions to deliver these messages. How does marketing automation work? The diagram on the next page shows how a marketing automation workflow functions to nurture potential customers through the buying cycle Content grabs the attention of users, draws leads, brings prospects on-board and ultimately confirms sales. Good quality content that makes a difference in people s thinking educates, entertains, or helps them will develop trust and significantly influence a brand s reputation. This extends beyond the sales cycle and creates brand advocates, who not only result in repeat sales for the company, but convince others to also buy into their products, services, and brand as a whole. #8

Implementing Content Marketing in Marketing Automation 3 Data as the cherry on the content marketing cake When content marketing is served through a marketing automation system, not only does it encourage engagement and facilitate lead nurturing, but it also provides a wealth of data that can help marketers to more effectively target their audience in future campaigns. Content marketing isn t just about the content that gets sent out, but also about the data that comes back, which can increase content s value 10-fold. #9

Conclusion

Conclusion The role of content marketing has evolved from a manually uploaded and distributed series of knowledge articles (ebooks, infographics, videos, etc.) to content pieces that are strategically and purposefully distributed to potential customers via an automated marketing system. Each piece of content is developed for a specific stage in the customer buying cycle so as to meet potential customers needs for information and solutions, and ultimately nurture their journey towards the goal i.e. buying what you re offering. In a nutshell, that s how content marketing serves the marketing automation lead nurturing process. If you re stuck or need more information Contact us for more information #11