There is no denying that content marketing became a worldwide known trend over the last decades. That is not only because it is clean, clear and easy to use, but it also has amazing results as all the big companies have shown us.
Some of them turned to online marketing sooner rather than later. Others just went with the flow.
But how and, most importantly, why do the results of content marketing make such a big fuss in the online community? We wondered about that and during our search for the answer we stumbled upon these amazing stories from big companies.
Strategy is everything in the online system
Before you start blogging, you need to know who you’re writing for and if there is potential growth with your target audience. For example, if you own a corner supermarket, it is obvious that content marketing is not your answer and you need to turn to more traditional forms of advertising.
But if you own a tech company or a PR company, you can start brainstorming about your target public TODAY!
Take a page from Procter and Gamble. Throughout the years, they built a strong customer base by distributing a wide range of products, from batteries to deodorants or washing powder.
Having gained the trust of their audience, they started a blog designed especially for pet lovers, called Petside. By using this blog, they promoted training and behavior advice, pet products news and adoption resources.
“But we’re not all Procter and Gamble”, you might say. That’s true but the results of content marketing will not delay to appear if you have a well-known reputation. Being an established company will help you use online advertising to get your business to its fullest potential when it comes to publicity and recognition.
Plan ahead, like way ahead
…just until you reach the end.
It is very important to have a clear image about exactly what you want to do because otherwise you risk to lose yourself on the way. Then, you’ll just start going down and taking your business with you.
Just imagine everything. Even the black marker you’ll write your strategy with.
The first step is finding a big idea that will fit the domain of activity your business is specialized in.
Every big company succeeded with a big idea. Let’s take KRAFT for example. It is one of the first leaders in content marketing. And that’s because they saw potential where no one was looking.
Starting kraftfoods.com was the decision that changed the course of the company. By the time they were writing about recipes and the food industry, most of their competitors didn’t have a website to begin with. Not to mention that the term “content marketing” wasn’t even a thing.
Another example of the effective results of content marketing is Colgate. Colgate started an online platform based on Oral and Dental Health Resource center. It has videos, interactive guides and over 400 articles. If you think about it, they were very smart people.
They used their knowledge in the field to give people valuable information about their products and how to use them.
[bctt tweet=”Now, everyone of us has a Colgate toothbrush.”]
Bottom line, even a small but professional company can use its experience and expertise to create blogs and eBooks in an organised and effective way that reaches a target audience.
Step 3: Blitzkrieg!
Please, don’t pull out a knife. We’re talking about an online context here. This means figuring out exactly what your public needs and then giving it to them by using a very effective surprise element.
It’s all about Supply & Demand.
Most tech companies adopted this strategy, starting with Intel and IBM. Of course, it’s amazing to buy a new computer, but wouldn’t it be more fun to actually know what it does and how many things you can use it for?
This is the question which the people at Intel asked themselves. The result was IQ, a blog where employees use their knowledge to help the general public.
Don’t worry, you won’t find the next Relativity Theory in there, but they turned an ordinary blog into an awesome marketing tool by giving something useful in exchange.
Marriott did the exact same thing. Launching a new global platform, the hotel company intends to publish relevant entertaining content for its clients and for the general public that is interested in tourism.
Of course, being Marriott they want to become the best. The thing is, they might actually pull it off.
Let’s think about it for a second. Is there anyone who’s not thinking about travelling to a beautiful country at least 365 times a year?
[bctt tweet=”If you do decide to pack your bags and go, you need to do some research first.”]
You know Marriott hotels are the best, you look up their blog on Google and that is how they gain another visitor. Now ask yourself, how many people are out there, thinking just like you?
Analyzing the results of content marketing
When the war is over and you’ve played all your cards, it’s time to analyse the results. What you did good and what you did wrong. Did you meet the Supply & Demand or did you fail?
And here comes our last story: Udemy.
Udemy is a teaching platform. It has courses about everything. From Java Programming to Yoga. It is a big success story because it came at the right time, at the right place. Some of its courses are free. Some are not. But that doesn’t stop millions of students to log in everyday.
Udemy is the perfect example of how content can be recycled. You write something really good, you put it out there and then you wait. When the right time comes, you could reuse the information.
But big brands like Udemy had to make the decision weather or not to outsource content creation. Let’s find out how they got the best answer.
[bctt tweet=”Content is yours to recycle.”]
Think about it just like Oscar Wilde did, “with age comes wisdom”.
Words to live by.
In the end, whether or not you want to go into online marketing is entirely up to you. But like with anything out there, we know it’s better to have someone to work with. This is why we here at Squirrly offer support for content marketing. We also take all the needs of our customers into account.
And don’t worry about failing. It only makes us stronger. It’s just like one of my favourite movie characters once said:
“The act of losing can elicit great wisdom. Not least of which is how much more enjoyable it is to win. It’s inevitable to lose now and again. The trick is not to make a habit of it.”
