Whether it's B2C or B2B, content marketing, if done properly, can be a great way to get customers and keep existing customers loyal. But what is essential to understand is that after writing 3 blog articles and 4 Facebook posts - customers will not give up. Because it's not just about writing content online, it's about writing it with a purpose, based on a medium and long-term strategy, in line with the brand, measuring and evaluating the right performance indicators (KPIs). And not only that..
Why Content Marketing for Business?
The goal of content marketing is to attract new customers and retain existing ones by constantly creating valuable content for the target audience, which over time influences the behavior of the audience favorably for the respective brand. Since this behavior is constantly changing, content marketing activity must be constant and continuous, adapt and at the same time, build new directions, constantly educate the audience.
In the online environment, the user is increasingly eager for relevant content, which will provide him with the information he wants then, at the stage of the purchase process in which he is at the time of the search. The user also makes emotional decisions, taking into account how he felt after the online interactions he had with the brand from which he will eventually buy.
What does content marketing involve?
Content marketing involves writing content that builds a connection with the customer or potential customer, without actually trying to sell products or services. The content should be useful and interesting to the target audience, be educational, answer certain questions, show the company's expertise, build credibility, and position the brand in the public's mind as a source worth turning to when they need it.
What a potential customer wants from a brand is not specifically its products or services (which they most likely find in others), but rather the experience it gives them, what they feel when interacting with the brand through any form of content produced by that brand. So content is an excellent means by which you can improve or build great experiences for your audience that will attract and keep them. In addition, turn him into a brand advocate, who in turn will tell others about the extraordinary experience that the brand has provided (brand advocacy).
Gaining the trust of consumers
One of the challenges of the online environment, but also a problem faced by small and medium-sized businesses in particular, is gaining the trust of the public. This is also the first step towards transforming potential customers into customers, i.e. obtaining leads and sales from online activity. Credibility and trust in brands and products/services is achieved online precisely through content marketing, through continuous relationship with the audience, at each of the stages of the purchase process.
Conclusions
Through content marketing, you increase your online reputation, position yourself as an expert in your field, show that you know what you are talking about, that you help not only through quality products/services, but also by paying attention to the wishes of your audience and thus, gain much desired trust and, implicitly, results at the business level.