Why Invest in Content Marketing?

In today’s hyper-speed digital age, content marketing is crucial. Turns out we all spend way too much time scrolling. Some studies say it’s around 7 hours a day. That’s a lot of scrolling.  

So, how do we maximize this attention to grow our brands in an effective and impactful way? 

For me, I’ve always been a people-person. I love stories and I love connecting with authentic people. Guess what, authentic people run brands, and I’m not the only one who loves knowing good people with great stories. 

Content marketing is an opportunity for you to share your story, build authentic connections, and foster relationships. The good news, is that content isn’t just about the intangible people benefits, it has a few measurable impacts on your business, so here’s why I think it’s worth the investment: 

It's a traffic source that works round the clock. 

There’s a saying we’ve all heard some version of by now; Once you put something on the internet, it stays there forever. Content is a 24/7 workhorse that may age, but it never gets tired. Once it exists, it gives and gives and never takes.

Over the past two years, brands who have been reluctant to invest energy and resources into their content marketing have become more aware of the value they and their customers can gain from it.

With marketing trends in limbo, a recent survey notes that most markets have been blown away by their recent content marketing successes and they intend on investing more resources into it. 

It helps your audience build a personal connection with you and your brand. 

Think about your first dates. The good ones. Did you enjoy your experience? Did you make a meaningful connection? Did you want to see them again? That’s how compelling content marketing makes customers feel. 

People buy based on the connection they feel to a brand. Maybe that connection is through someone they love. Maybe it's a company whose mission and attitude is attractive to them. Or maybe they had a memorable experience, a story to tell because of it. You probably have a couple of those connections yourself.

Your content is an opportunity to create and curate a memorable experience for people to engage and connect with.

If people can get to know you and explore shared interests through your content, they’re more likely to come back for more. They’re more likely to brag about you to their friends. And they’re more likely to stay for the long haul.

Remember that survey I mentioned earlier? Those marketers said that their content’s success was because of how much value it gave to the consumer.

SEO is a long game. 

Think of SEO like a large shade tree to cool off under on a hot, dry summer day. The best time to plant it? 5 years ago. The second best time? Right now.

Hard-to-swallow pill of the day: Google Webmasters says it takes 6-12 months to see meaningful SEO change. I know, I know, that’s crazy if you feel like you’re behind now, but waiting will only set you back further.

Why does it take so long? It’s not just about magic keywords anymore. Google sees it as your reputation. It’s the value people see in your brand, measured by site interaction, screen time, relevant content, and more, on top of keywords and metadata. 

Growing that tree takes time and consistent effort, especially in a shifting economy. Starting now will help catapult your brand as soon as possible. That’s what consistent content marketing does, it makes brands more visible and creates more customers in the long term. 

It helps you test and observe what works best for your paid advertising efforts.

Content marketing gives you a direct connection to your customers, allowing you to observe and test messaging with them. If it lands, you can enhance and refine it to develop powerhouse ads that deliver interested customers to your content. 

I like to think of it like being the friend of someone who owns a boat. You get all the same perks but you don’t have to manage it or pay for the upkeep. If you nail your content marketing, you can get the perks of better ads without having to waste money figuring out how to talk to your audience. 

If you can test what your audience likes to hear, and what they value in your brand, you’ll find out what resonates with them, and you can figure out where they’re looking for it. If you can put in that effort, when you do pay for ads, you’ll be prepared. Your ads will show up in the right place, at the right time, with the right message for more of the right people. 

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Most businesses underutilize content marketing. You don’t have to be like most businesses. Think you could connect with more people with better content? Let’s make it a reality.