6 CONTENT MARKETING SECRETS REVEALED!

CONTENT MARKETING WAS ONE OF THE BREAKOUT DIGITAL MARKETING STARS OF 2013. Today IT'S CLEAR THAT CONTENT MARKETING SHOULD BE A KEY PART OF YOUR BRAND'S DIGITAL STRATEGY GOING FORWARD.

But what does that really mean? At this point you're probably aware of the importance of content marketing (hint: it's really important), where it lives (hint: basically everywhere online), and what it does (hint: uses content to drive brand awareness, engagement and positioning), but there are certain secrets you may not know. Worry not, we've done the digging for you and uncovered six secrets about content marketing that you need to know.

it's not about the product, it's about the audience.

Content marketing means you have to do some content creation, or at least share relevant content. However, most think this simply means finding material directly related to your brand's products or services. E.g., you're a cupcake maker therefore all web content must be related to cupcakes!
The secret: It's all about your audience.
It is very likely that your audience cares about cupcakes about as much as they care about the paint on the wall - that is, not very. And why should they? Unless you are a cupcake maker or sever cupcake enthusiast, how often do you think about them? How often do they impact your life? The best approach to content is to first find out WHO your audience is (or audience segments) and then determine WHAT they care about. Then, craft or share content they will care about, preferably not related to cupcakes. For example, is your cupcake brand is a bit edgy and young? Find out what "the kids" are interested in these days and create a blog post about it, or continue to share content on your social channels that this audience would find valuable.

you can't automate your way to success.

Many digital marketers have settled into the comfortable "hands-off-the-wheel" approach to content marketing by automating tweets, posts and responses.
The secret: Automating your social or content marketing is doomed for failure.

A successful content marketing plan requires not just time and effort, but a long term plan, research, and a comprehensive strategy. Who is the audience? What type of content will work best? When should the content be distributed? Who is updating what? Build a set of guidelines and strategies, and make sure to revisit them every couple of months, review results, and refine your practices based on what's working or not working.The secret: Content marketing takes time and can be costly in the form of hours, but it simply cannot replace paid advertising (in most cases).Content marketing isn't just about being there, it's about bringing something to the table. Automation inherently fails to do this, and users will figure it out before too long. Instead of automating your content, set up a schedule for you or your team to check-in on your social channels at regular intervals during the day (unless you have a dedicated person, then they should just live in it). When checking in, make sure to post, share, and engage with communities. For blog posts it's certainly okay to have a queue of posts ready to go, especially if you've used an editorial calendar to build timely content, but make sure to work in more relevant content that is not scheduled.

you probably can't avoid paying for advertising.

Content marketing is becoming a major player in its importance and effectiveness for driving results, so many have taken to reducing or even eliminating ad budgets.

Content marketing doesn't happen in a vacuum. There is a hierarchy of value and intent throughout the digital experience, and content marketing fits within just one piece of it. Advertising sits in another, just as your website does. All of these channels and elements are necessary because they all serve different purposes. Although content marketing can result in leads or sales, its audience is at a different stage of the process. Advertising mostly reaches "top of funnel" users, introducing them to the brand or reminding them of your products and services. In many ways content marketing keeps them around and makes them loyal. Cutting off advertising would be cutting off a significant step in the customer acquisition process.  

you're in it for the long-haul.

Some marketers think that simply starting a blog or posting a few times on Facebook is enough to warrant "content marketer" status.
The secret: Content marketing isn't a short term solution, it's a long-term commitment.

it takes more time than you think...

A common misconception about content marketing is that it doesn't require the amount of time and effort as other channels.
The secret: Unfortunately jumping into Facebook once a week and sharing a news article doesn't qualify as content marketing. Content marketing needs concentrated time and effort to succeed.
Scouring for interesting content can be hard. Responding to community comments can be time consuming. Logging in and out of social channels might get tedious. Keeping track of blog posts, link sharing and user comments isn't easy.

...but it's not as hard as you think.

Content marketing takes a lot of time, can get frustrating, and doesn't have a simple path for success.
The secret: Content marketing isn't supposed to be hard!


Content marketing is just the thoughtful way that your brand creates, distributes, and shares interesting information to people. It's a conversation, and it shouldn't be laborious. In fact, it can be fun, and once it is, people will respond in kind. Nobody wants to engage a robot in conversation anyway, and they definitely don't care about talking to a "company".
The biggest secret: Be strategic in your approach and personable in execution; it's just content marketing, after all
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