COVID-19 has forever changed our digital behavior. As a result of global lockdowns and social distancing, nearly every aspect of our lives shifted from happening in-person to online. And in regards to how this has changed the way people shop, the data shows that the trend will continue long after the pandemic ends. According to a MicKinsey survey, 65% of consumers across the globe have expressed a high intent to embrace their new digital buying behaviors going forward.
While most companies already have a digital strategy in place, many are using this remarkable point in time to alter their approach. Instead of simply running traditional marketing campaigns a few times throughout the year, experts suggest that brands will continue to rely more heavily on content marketing to support their long-term digital marketing strategy.
What’s the Difference Between Digital Marketing and Content Marketing?
Although content marketing can be a big component of your overall digital strategy, they are not the same. Digital marketing is the use of digital communication channels — such as search engines, websites and social media — to reach your target audience and generate leads for your business. Content marketing is the use of articles, infographics, whitepapers and other pieces of content to deliver helpful information to your audience. Topics can range from thought leadership to editorial to more product-focused, and can either be more regionally-focused, or used as a part of a more comprehensive global content marketing strategy. Content marketing and business development can work together, to drive sales. Content marketing can be used both online and offline to differentiate your marketing from that of the competition and deepen engagement with your audience.
How Does Content Marketing Support Digital Marketing?
Now that we’ve established the differences between digital marketing and content marketing, you may wonder how the two can work together to better achieve your business development goals. Here are some ways content marketing works to support your digital strategy.
Meet People at the Beginning of the Buying Journey
According to a 2019 study by Salesforce, 87% of consumers begin their journeys on digital channels. Since most people are beginning their customer journey online, the need for a web and content strategy to support these higher-level customers has never been greater. In the digital world, the awareness stage usually starts with a search engine. Incorporating content marketing and copywriting into your search engine marketing strategy is a great opportunity to get the attention of your target audience at the very onset of their buyer journey. Use carefully targeted paid advertising campaigns to answer their search queries with landing pages that drive them to your website content.
Lead Prospects Down the Marketing Funnel
Each stage of the customer journey requires distinct types of content that achieve different objectives. Your digital advertising will be an important part of capturing leads and moving them through the middle and lower stages of the funnel. However, content marketing can be a great tool to grow your business, since it will be what keeps them engaged with your brand. Use your blog and pillar pages on your website to nurture leads. Incorporate content that educates your audience on issues that your company can help them solve. When these leads are ready to convert, content that addresses their pain points — such as email challenges or whitepapers — should be offered in exchange for their email address or through registering on your website.
Create a Cohesive Strategy
Your content marketing strategy can support the digital advertising your team is already doing. As you think about new content to produce, do so with the intention of promoting it through paid distribution channels like pay-per-click campaigns, paid social and sponsored placements on influential websites in your industry. You can create nurture campaigns with whitepapers featuring expert content from thought leaders or promote your new e-book via LinkedIn. In all cases, the content you produce for these campaigns should be high quality and valuable to your audience in order to position your brand in the best light possible. Consider curating news showcasing industry trends with an in-depth analysis or creating a white paper discussing customer pain points. This content should be educational in nature and provide value to your prospects.
Connect With Consumers on a Personal Level
In the age of digital, it can be challenging to connect with consumers in a way that feels personal. As you form your content marketing strategy, think of it as an opportunity to build a relationship and foster trust with your audience rather than to generate leads quickly. Give your consumers a behind-the-scenes look at your brand and what it stands for. Tell your brand story with authentic content marketing tactics and make sure that your brand values, image and messaging are consistent across all channels.
Reach Your Consumers Across Channels With Relevant Information
Digital marketing is just one component of an integrated marketing strategy. Incorporate your content marketing into strategic offline marketing tactics to amplify the exposure of your brand. For example, themed conversations and speaking engagements (both in-person and virtual) can be a great way to assert your position as a thought leader in your industry while also giving you a platform to plug your brand and its solutions. A recording of that speech can then be uploaded to your website and promoted through your social media channels with a fun infographic that illustrates key takeaways.
Final Thoughts
Whether your goal is to boost awareness and generate leads or to nurture and convert prospective customers, digital content marketing can be a valuable tool to support your overall marketing efforts and your integrated marketing strategy.
Understandably you are likely wondering how you will be able to keep up with all of this content production. Content licensing may potentially be a good resource to help you in this endeavor. NYTLicensing curates relevant content, originally produced for The Times, to perfectly fit the editorial needs of your blog or other communication channels. These pieces can help you unpack complicated topics related to your business, and ultimately allow you to attract new audiences and drive brand loyalty.
