Internet Marketing Digital_marketing_for_dummies | Page 84

Knowing the Dynamics of Content Marketing
At its core, the Internet is a place where people gather to discover, interact with, and share
content. Whether that content is a funny cat video that gives you a much-needed laugh, an
inspiring podcast about a single mom surviving cancer, or an article teaching you how to
fix a leaky faucet, content is what people crave.
Engaging with valuable content is a natural, or “native,” experience on the Internet. People
are drawn to content that teaches them something, inspires them, or makes them laugh or
cry, and people share and talk about content that has provided them some form of value.
With the low-cost (or no cost) of publishing platforms such as WordPress, YouTube, and
iTunes, even the smallest of brands can produce content for the web. This ease of
publishing, however, is a double-edged sword because the constantly changing nature of
the Internet requires the rapid production of content. Although your brand stands to reap
the enormous rewards associated with content publishing, doing so without a plan can lead
to frustration.
People have a nearly insatiable demand for content on the Internet. According to the most
conservative estimates, every minute more than 1,000 blog posts are produced and 72
hours of new video are uploaded to YouTube. This glut of content underscores the
importance of proceeding with content marketing only after you have made a plan,
because you must create quality content to cut through the noise. And quality demands a
plan. Without a plan, your content assets still have a chance to go viral, but that’s more than
likely to be the result of dumb luck. A plan helps to ensure the success of your digital
marketing campaign.
Marketers often confuse the term blogging with content marketing. Although
blogging is a powerful and versatile content marketing channel, it’s only one part of a
well-balanced content strategy. If you’re among the many marketers who blog with no
clear direction, you should commit a few hours to designing a content plan before
writing another blog post. Well-executed content marketing includes planning what
content you will produce, for what audience, and for what purpose. Many companies
and personal brands that are frustrated with digital marketing can trace that frustration
back to the time-consuming act of creating content with no clear audience or
objective. You’ll find the entire process much easier and much more lucrative when
you have a good sense of your direction.