We’ve all heard the adage “Content is King”. It is a truism that transcends traditional and digital marketing. 

On their blog “Work Life”, Atlassian  delivers valuable content and guidance for daily visitors. Some of the popular insight includes real life advice, guidance on team  building, and perspectives from leaders around the globe.

According to Semrush’s Organic Research tool, one of its best blog posts, How to Write Smart Goals, brings in roughly 60,000 organic visitors per month. This confirms content marketing drives traffic to your website. 

When creating your next marketing piece, try incorporating more content to better connect with customers.

But wait there’s more… 

Atlassian said, Work Life also has more than 50,000 email subscribers.

People buy solutions to their problems. If you create content that helps them in some way, they’ll be more likely to know, trust and buy from you. 

So why do many business founders and leaders ignore the power of content? Every piece does not go viral and get your trending on Twitter or TikTok. Content marketing is a strategy that demands a commitment of  time, energy, and resources. 

For others it is  a trade off – time versus money. 

The hard fact is if you’re not using content marketing today then your competitors are and they’re likely eating your lunch.

Do you want to build trust with potential clients and increase sales? Level up your content marketing game. I’ve found this single strategy helps clients increase brand awareness, drive more traffic to their website, and increase conversions.  

Why is content marketing important today?

The internet is flooded with scammers. Everyday we learn of new phishing emails, fake lotteries and hacked personal data. These headlines decrease trust and make prospects even more skeptical. 

When you create content that gives value to people, they’ll be more likely to learn more about your business and trust you as a result. Behind the scenes pictures, how-to videos and pro-tip sheets build authority and show your brand is the real deal. 

A lot of times new businesses want their idea to go viral. You can’t have a one person virus. Going viral is all about other people sharing your content. Emotions determine whether your audience will share your content or not. In fact, according to Fuel Design, 80% of buying decisions are emotional, and only 20% are logical.

Done correctly the ROI on content beats paid advertising and other traditional marketing efforts.   

Here are four reasons why content marketing is important today and tips on how you can implement it to boost know, like and trust.

1) Content marketing generates leads: Content marketing can help generate leads for your business. By creating content that solves a problem people encounter in their everyday lives, they’re more likely to learn more about your brand and trust you. As a result, they’ll be more likely to buy from you down the road.

2) Content marketing drives traffic to your website: By creating content that solves a problem people encounter in their everyday lives, it’s easier for them to learn about and trust your business by driving traffic to your website. This will help build awareness of your brand and increase sales in the future.

3) Content marketing builds trust with potential clients: If someone trusts you by learning more about your brand through content on your website, then they’re also going to trust you when they’re looking for someone to hire or do business with later on down the line. As a result, it’s easier for them to hire or do business with you if they know that they can trust you and your company as an entity now.

4) Content marketing boosts sales: As the lead up to a sale gets stronger, so does the likelihood of success when trying to complete it. If people are using content on your website you are increasing the chances of them choosing you for their buying decision. 

Stick with me here...

The most important reason why content marketing is important today is because it builds trust. When you create engaging content that helps people solve problems, they’ll be more likely to share that content with their friends.

Norm Bond

The power of content marketing

Content marketing is an important form of marketing because it’s a powerful way to reach and engage your audience. Millions of people get their news from social media feeds like Twitter, Reddit  and Facebook. In addition people learn how to do things by searching the internet. YouTube, Pinterest and TikTok are rich with educational content (beyond the dance moves and funny cats). 

Your target audience is on some social platform right now looking for answers, education or entertainment.  People are constantly sharing information and interacting with each other online. This makes social media such an important platform for brands to establish authority.

But here’s the problem…

With all this information being shared online, people have more access to data than ever before. This content overload means the attention span is shorter than ever. Combine this with the fact that most users are looking at content on their mobile device. 

How is it possible to stay at the forefront of conversations about your industry, product or service when users are drowning in a sea of digital communication? 

If you said “create relevant content” then move to the front of the line. One reason why content marketing is so effective is because it can be personalized. By understanding your audience and their problems you reach people at various stages of their buyer’s journey. Are they searching for information or ready to make a buying decision? 

Figure out the pain points. 

When the  problem becomes painful enough and they’re ready to buy – you now have a competitive advantage. They know who you are. They will have more trust in you. And they will be more likely to buy from you in the future. Thank you content.

NerdWallet is another brand that understands the power of content marketing. The site uses a content mix including reviews, tools and comparisons driven by keyword research. The data shows that NerdWallet has 5 million backlinks and 13.6 million organic monthly hits just from the United States.

Trust is critical to build relationships

The most important reason why content marketing is important today is because it builds trust. When you create engaging content that helps people solve problems, they’ll be more likely to share that content with their friends. The upside is when people share your content, their friends will also see it and hopefully become interested in your business too. 

The gold standard is reached when  people trust what you’re saying and sharing. This is your warm market. This is the traffic that will consider buying from you in the future. In the meantime drive them to your landing pages, app downloads, freemium offers and track your conversions. 

It is this engaging content packed with valuable information that makes your brand pop in today’s marketplace. 

Build your brand’s authority by reaching out to key influencers. Are there complementary relationships and cross marketing opportunities to exploit? Content marketing is absolutely crucial for fast growth, building trust and creating value for your audience.

Content marketing benefits for your audience

Content marketing benefits your audience by providing value and helping them solve problems. You’re saving them time and money. If your free content is this good, they know your paid content is even better. Don’t disappoint them.

Content marketing is also an excellent way to fill your sales pipeline. Create content for beginners, intermediate and advanced visitors based on your industry. Test your conversions and be ready to scale your efforts to attract the people that are buying what you’re selling. This means creating personalized content for the avatars and personas that match your target audience.  

Content marketing benefits your business by increasing brand awareness, driving leads and boosting sales.

In a marketplace that is flooded with content and information, it’s extremely important for companies to stand out. If you’re creating relevant content on a consistent basis then you will be found easier in the search results. 

People solve problems by research first. You want them to consistently encounter your brand. Provide checklists, tip-sheets, ebooks, videos and other content to educate them and move them closer to choosing your solution.

The sales leads your company generates through inbound queries will outperform your paid advertising. If they spend time reading your articles, liking your posts, and sharing your videos then you have a warm lead. These are the types of prospects that are most likely to become new business. They already know, like and trust you! 

Don’t ignore the power of content. 

If you are willing to invest your time and resources, the returns can be phenomenal. People who read content are more likely to trust it, which will help drive traffic back to your website, social media or landing pages. Keep in mind not everyone appreciates blogging, or wants to download special reports, or subscribe to your newsletter.  

Successful content marketers provide valuable information in formats that resonate with their entire audience. If you can show your prospects that you belong to the same ‘group’ as they are, you immediately establish a connecting link.

It is common psychology for people to do business with brands that they think understands them better. In short, companies they know, like and trust are more relatable. Use it to your advantage.

Ready to take your content marketing to the next level? If you need more guidance on how to move forward be sure to reach out.