Content Marketing Series: Why Good Content is the Best Inbound Marketing Strategy

Content Marketing. Is your website as
entertaining as a one-man band?

When most people think of online marketing they immediately turn to online banner ads, paid search advertising, email marketing or maybe even search engine optimization.

More and more, however, the most significant source of valuable online visibility and inbound website traffic originates from great content. 

The debate is long-standing at this point; some live by the standard of "content is king", while many others believe that simply building website traffic en masse will result in success. But where we may once have been able to float by without any sort of "valuable" content, the nature of the web and the average user's expectations are evolving.

People expect to be entertained or informed on the web, no matter what they are doing. There's just too much good stuff out there.

So, unless a user is specifically looking for something and are ready to buy, if you haven't put thought, effort and resources behind consistently building good content, chances are your website and web presence are falling short of these expectations. In fact, even when a user is looking to buy, it's more likely that the company with interesting content will get the nod over your website.

In the Content Marketing Blog Series, I hope to outline all of the ways companies can plan, build, and distribute great content for sustainable online results.

What do I mean when I talk about great content and content marketing? Well, great content can be just about anything that holds some value to your online audience. Videos, articles, blogs, downloadable guides, white papers, interactive tools, charts, infographics; the list goes on.

But  first, why do you need Content Marketing?

Add great content and
encourage sharing

1. Let's start with what we've already discussed: users love great, entertaining or otherwise informative or valuable content online. A website should do more than just drive sales and have an "about us" page. It should give users something of value and provide a memorable experience. Without interesting or entertaining content, your website is forgettable.
2. Great content builds sharing. With good content, your paid advertising becomes less essential, and your inbound marketing portfolio becomes much more diversified and reliable. This happens because  of sharing. Resonant content is content that your audience wants to share with others, thereby building rich, qualified organic traffic. Content also gives your audience something to talk about, thus developing a deeper brand awareness online for your audience niche.
3. Valuable content builds return traffic. A forgettable website is just that - forgettable - which means the likelihood of users returning is low. If your website can drive return visitation, you are bringing qualified users back to your website, presumably for free, likely resulting in sales or follow up actions.
4. Search engines love content. It's no secret that Google and company love deep, rich, and frequently updated content, which is why a content marketing strategy can have positive impact on your search engine results.
5. Engaging content means a more powerful brand impact. Visitors that view your content will be more likely to spend valuable time with your brand, resulting in stronger, more positive brand experience. This could result in a higher brand favorability and memorability, even outside of the web.
6. Great content can position your brand as a leader. If your competitors aren't already incorporating content marketing into their online strategies, your efforts can help establish your brand as the online thought leader in your category. This type of credibility increases the position of your company in users' minds, resulting in more leads and sales due to credibility.
7. Content drives sales. In addition to everything else, great content can boost sales, leads and actions by helping to inform your audience on important related materials. By giving users valuable information you are more likely to capture email addresses, encourage downloads and drive prolonged interest, especially for longer consideration sets.
8. Give your brand some creative freedom. Many times companies view their website as a space to explain who they are and what they do in the driest way possible. New content strategies provide creative freedom to break down those walls and give your brand some new avenues to build your brand.

It's easy to get visitors into your site - all you need are some paid search ads or banners, and a media budget. But great content and a content marketing strategy will build low-cost, long-term traffic that will result in greater sales/leads and a more positive website brand experience. 

In part two, we'll discuss the different types of content, and how to select the right ones for your brand.

Deco Dig Weekend Link-Fest! March Madness Edition

Welcome back to your favorite part of the weekend, the Deco Dig Weekend Link-Fest Extravaganza!

Join these folks for the Link-Fest Extravaganza!

We have an extra-awesome version of the fest this week, since we haven't done one in a while, which means you should probably carve out a couple of hours to soak in the knowledge that is about to be bestowed upon your head.

With that, let's get the links crankin'.

1. 20 Ideas for Social Media Content that Engages (jeffbullas.com)

Looking for ways to improve engagement and interaction with your brand's content? Check out this list of ideas. Now you have no excuses.

2. Why Your Computer is Becoming More Like Your Phone (cnn.com)

And the march towards computing singularization continues...

3. Spotify Launches an iPad App for Social Media Storytelling (mashable.com)

I love Spotify, so anything that makes it even more engaging and accessible sounds good to me.

The other thing to think about here is how great progressive programs are integrating social media into their usability. It's not just about adding "like" buttons, it's about fundamentally changing the system, or developing brand new features that doesn't add obstacles for social sharing, but instead makes sharing easier by integrating social capabilities into how the programs are used. Spotify has done this from the beginning, with automatic Facebook updates and shared playlists, and they continue to push the social music envelope with this app.

4. Windows on the iPad, and Speedy (nytimes.com)

Very cool new app that brings Windows programs such as Powerpoint and Adobe Reader to the iPad at astonishingly fast speeds. See, I knew Windows and Apple could one day set aside their differences and hold hands.

5. Google Glasses: Frightening or Fantastic? (npr.org)

We were promised hoverboards. I don't want to ask again.

I haven't yet decided if this is frightening or fantastic, as the title of the piece asks. What I do know, however, is that it is cool.

But seriously, if we can develop these Google Glasses, where is this?

6. TED 2012: New Browser Add-On Visualizes Who is Tracking You Online (wired.com)

I've discussed online privacy before. You know where I stand.

With that said, there is a pretty cool new tool, called Collusion. It's a Firefox add-on that shows you a neat little visual map of who is tracking you and how everything is connected. I'm more interested in whether they can make one of these to show audience demographic and behavioral information for better online ad targeting. But hey, that's just me.

7. Google+ Trending Down? Data Suggests Users Only Visit the Site Three Times a Month (theverge.com)

Is anyone surprised? Let's face it, anyone that has entered the Google+ world knows that it's just lacking a certain "je ne sais quoi".

I still there there is a place for it, I just don't think anyone knows quite where that place is. Will Google+ ever get its foothold? Who knows, but it's not looking good right now.

8. Need Ideas for Your Business Blog? Here Are 50 (entrepreneur.com)

50 ideas! That's a lot. Where does "Link-Fest" fall?

Seriously, if you can't think of something to write about for your blog, again, you really have no excuses.

9. 10 Strategies for Non-Profits on Pinterest (mashable.com)

Darn, I thought I could make it through an entire Link-Fest post with only one link to Mashable. Oh well.

Anyway, according to everything I'm hearing, Pinterest is going to take over the world. I, for one, welcome our recipe and knick-knack oriented overlords.

Luckily, now non-profits can now enter the Pinterest frat. That's a relief.


Fun-time Link-Fest link of the week!

10. What Do You Think of Ted Williams Now? (Esquire.com)

In case you needed some baseball-related material to remind you that the baseball season is right around the corner, here's a fantastic piece about The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived. I'm a biased Red Sox fan, but this article is really good; it humanizes a baseball legend, making him at times seem more like your curmudgeonly grandpa than one of the best players of all time. Still, we understand the idiosyncrasies of a sometimes misunderstood, eccentric baseball legend. Plus, baseball!

And that's our link-fest for this week. Until next time, Cheers!