Top 7 Reasons Why Brands Should Embrace Content Marketing in 2017

Content marketing is a huge component to your inbound marketing strategy. From your social media posts, email content, blog articles to your videos, images, and audios, content marketing is significant to connecting with your audience online.

You see, many consumers are using the Internet to search, socialize, and shop than ever before. Effectively engaging and building relationships with your market involves sharing value-rich content that positions you as an expert and offers solutions to their problems. You’ll methodically attract high-quality visitors and leads to your business by executing a strong content strategy.

In fact, here are 7 top reasons why brands should embrace content marketing sooner than later!

#1 More Consumers Are Using Ad Block Technology

The usage of ad block technology continues to rise with currently 26% of desktop users and 15% mobile consumers. Soon, traditional digital advertising channels will have limited effectiveness in reaching their desired audience. However, content marketing is customer-approved. By providing value that offers solutions, information, and education, consumers will naturally gravitate to your brand, eager to learn more.

#2 Bolsters Thought-Leadership

Your business blog is the perfect platform to showcase your expertise on industry related topics. Improving thought-leadership adds credibility to your brand and shows authority. Honing your blogging strategy builds the know, like and trust factor with your audience…a key ingredient to getting people to do business with you.

#3 Increases Brand Awareness

One of the major advantages to a consistent content marketing strategy is that it brings awareness and exposure to your brand. Actually, a whopping 71% of business bloggers say their blog increased visibility in their industries.

Additionally, social media users are leveraging search to discover and connect with new brands.

By optimizing your social posts (i.e. hashtags and keywords) and implementing best SEO practices in your website content, you’ll improve search results so you show up when your audience is looking for you!

#4 Drives Tremendous Traffic to Your Website

A top goal most companies have for their digital marketing is driving ongoing traffic to their websites. We can agree that your website is where all the magic happens. Visitors learn more about who you are, leads are captured, products are sold, and relationships are being developed. All of your content efforts typically direct back to your website or landing pages.

And that’s why content marketing is so successful. It sends targeted, quality users to your webpages that are already interested in your brand. Whether coming from your email marketing campaign, social media posts, search engines through keywords, or YouTube channel, these visitors have a hint of what you do…they’re just coming to find out more.

#5 Capture Qualified Leads

Growing your email list is the lifeblood of your business. Leads that are properly cultivated through your email marketing convert into sales. By delighting subscribers with remarkable content, you turn customers into loyal, raving fans of your brand.

But…it all starts with capturing the lead. The beauty about content marketing is that it includes tools like landing pages, webforms, and content lead offers (i.e. ebooks, templates, checklists) that are geared towards growing your email list. When optimized correctly, you can convert your website into a lead generating machine.

#6 Improves Your Bottom-Line

Simply put, executing a working content marketing plan that supports your goals drives revenue for your business. In fact, we’ve gathered several compelling stats proving the effectiveness content marketing has on boosting your bottom-line:

70% of customers say that blogs influence what they buy (Source: Business2Community)
Email marketing works 40 times better at getting customers than Facebook and Twitter and compared to social media (Source: McKinsey)
Email marketing also has a 3800% ROI and $38 for every $1 spent (Source: Campaign Monitor)
Social media now plays almost as large a role in purchasing decisions as does TV (Source: Business2Community)
64% of users are more likely to buy a product online after watching a video (Source: Hubspot)

#7 Build Authentic Relationships

Content has a beautiful way of connecting your audience to your brand to create authentic, transparent experiences that fosters trust. Content marketing grows your followers, invites people into your world, and highlights your brand personality. It makes you incredibly relatable as followers get a real glimpse of who you are.

For example, live-streaming video apps like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories allows viewers to engage with you in real-time. Since people are spending 3 times longer watching live social videos than prerecorded ones, using this tool in your content strategy gets you in front of your audience and opens the door for you to stay in tune with what your market wants.

Your blog, as mentioned, is an excellent platform to inform and educate your audience in between sales and appointments to add value to their lives. Social media keeps your followers encouraged and engaged since they prefer to communicate with brands this way.

Content marketing tactics keep you current and connected with today’s consumer.

Conclusion

Embracing content marketing is vital in 2017. Content gives your prospects and customers multiple ways to authentically connect and engage with you online. It’s the best way to solidify your credibility while providing your audience with useful information that adds value.

Oh, and you’ll also successfully expand your reach and grow your sales. It’s simply a win-win!