Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content, for example, blogs, case studies, videos, etc, - to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action. It’s important to note that content marketing is not the same as advertising. With content marketing, instead of paying to promote your products or services, you create informative or entertaining content that your target audience will want to consume. Then, you distribute that content through various channels, hoping that it will reach your target audience and encourage them to take the desired action.
Why Would I Use Content Marketing?
There are many reasons why you might use content marketing as part of your marketing strategy. Here are just a few:
- To build brand awareness
- To generate leads
- To improve customer relationships
- To drive sales
- To build thought leadership
- To create a community around your brand
- To increase web traffic
- To improve search engine optimization (SEO)
There are many examples of how content marketing can be used by e-commerce businesses to attract attention to their products and services. As an ecommerce business owner, you could produce high-quality, informative content that educates your target audience about your product or service, write compelling product descriptions and blog posts that highlight the unique features and benefits of your offering, and share customer testimonials and success stories to show how your product or service has helped others. By creating and sharing high-quality content, you can build trust and credibility with your target audience. Additionally, content marketing can help you drive traffic to your online store and generate sales.
Content Marketing Examples: What Types of Content Can I Create?
The possibilities are endless, but here are some common types of content that businesses create and distribute. Most effective content marketing examples are:
- Blog posts
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Infographics
- eBooks
- Whitepapers
- Case studies
- How-to guides
How to create quality blog posts
The best way to create quality blog posts will vary depending on your specific audience and goals. However, some general tips to keep in mind when creating quality blog content include:
1. Write for your audience, not for yourself
When creating blog content, it’s important to keep your target audience in mind and write accordingly. Write about topics that will interest and engage your readers, and avoid talking about yourself or your company too much.
2. Keep it well-written and well-researched
No one wants to read a poorly written or poorly researched blog post. Make sure your content is well-written and free of errors, and that you back up any claims or statements with reputable sources.
3. Make it visually appealing
In addition to being well-written, your blog content should also be visually appealing. Use images, infographics, and other visuals to break up your text and make your content more engaging.
4. Promote your content
Once you’ve created quality blog content, don’t just sit back and wait for people to find it. Promote your content through social media, email marketing, and other channels to help it reach a wider audience.
How to create quality videos
Much like creating quality blog content, creating quality videos for your content marketing strategy requires knowing your audience and what type of content they’re looking for. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating videos for your content marketing strategy:
1. Keep it short and sweet
No one wants to watch a long, drawn-out video. Keep your videos short and to the point, and focus on delivering your message in an engaging way.
2. Use visuals to tell your story
Your videos should be visually appealing, so use images, graphics, and other visuals to help tell your story.
3. Use a professional voiceover
If you’re not comfortable being on camera, consider using a professional voiceover to deliver your message. This will help your video sound more polished and professional.
4. Promote your videos
As with any other type of content, be sure to promote your videos through social media, email marketing, and other channels to help them reach a wider audience.
How to create a high-quality podcasts
There are a few key things you need to do in order to create a quality podcast as part of your content marketing strategy.
1. Plan and prepare your podcast
This means having a clear understanding of what you want to achieve with your podcast and what topics you want to cover.
2. Invest in good-quality audio equipment
This will ensure that your podcast sounds professional and is of high quality.
3. Promote your podcast
Make sure that your target audience is aware of your podcast and knows how to access it.
4. Interact with your audience
Engage with your listeners and encourage them to interact with you. This will help to build a strong relationship with your audience and keep them coming back for more.
How to create effective infographics
The best way to create quality infographics will vary depending on your brand, industry, and target audience. However, there are some general tips that you can follow to ensure that your infographics are high-quality and effective:
1. Keep it simple
When it comes to creating infographics, less is often more. Try to avoid overcrowding your design with too much information or too many visuals, as this can make your infographic appear overwhelming and confusing. Instead, focus on including only the most essential information and using clean, simple visuals to illustrate your points.
2. Make it visually appealing
In addition to keeping your infographic simple, you should also make sure that it is visually appealing. Use colors and graphics that are consistent with your brand and that will capture your audience’s attention. Remember, people are more likely to engage with an infographic that is visually appealing and easy to understand.
3. Use data to support your claims
When creating an infographic, be sure to use data to support your claims. Including statistics, charts, and other data-driven visuals will help to add credibility to your infographic and make it more persuasive.
How to create eBooks that people will love
If you want to create an effective ebook as part of your content marketing strategy, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
1. Keep it short and sweet
No one wants to read an ebook that's longer than necessary. Make sure your ebook is concise and to the point, providing valuable information without being overly wordy.
2. Make it visually appealing
People are visual creatures, so make sure your ebook is designed in a way that's pleasing to the eye. Use attractive images and graphics, and break up the text so it's easy to scan.
3. Use an irresistible offer
In order to get people to actually download and read your ebook, you need to offer something irresistible in return. Whether it's a discount, a freebie, or exclusive access to valuable content, make sure your offer is something your target audience can't resist.
How to create an effective whitepaper
When creating a whitepaper as part of your content marketing strategy, you should keep the following in mind:
1. Keep it focused
Your whitepaper should be focused on a specific topic or problem. It should not try to cover too much ground.
2. Make it well-researched
A whitepaper should be well-researched and backed up by data and statistics.
3. Write it in a clear and concise manner
Your whitepaper should be easy to read and understand. Avoid using jargon or overly technical language.
4. Include a call to action
Your whitepaper should include a call to action, such as signing up for your email list or downloading a free e-book.
5. Promote it effectively
To get the most out of your whitepaper, you need to promote it effectively. This includes sharing it on social media, emailing it to your list, and adding it to your website.
How to write engaging case studies that will boost your authority
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the effectiveness of case studies as part of a content marketing strategy depends on the specific goals and objectives of the business in question. However, some tips on creating effective case studies that can help achieve content marketing objectives include:
1. Define what you want to achieve with your case studies
Before starting to write or commission case studies, it is important to first define what you want to achieve with them. This will help ensure that the case studies you create are aligned with your overall content marketing strategy and objectives.
2. Make sure your case studies are well-written and informative
To be effective, your case studies need to be well-written and informative. They should be able to clearly communicate the key points you want to make, and should be backed up with data and real-life examples.
3. Use case studies to tell a story
People are naturally drawn to stories, so a great way to make your case studies more effective is to use them to tell a story. This will help engage readers and make it more likely that they will remember the key points you are trying to communicate.
4. Use visuals to make your case studies more engaging
Including visuals in your case studies can make them more engaging and easier to understand. Try to use a mix of different types of visuals, such as charts, graphs, photos, and videos.
5. Promote your case studies
Once you have created your case studies, make sure to promote them through your various marketing channels. This will help ensure that they are seen by your target audience and that they have the opportunity to make an impact.
You can read some of our conversion rate optimization case studies to get some inspiration.
How to create effective how-to guides that your audience will enjoy
How-to guides are a great way to show your audience how to do something, and they can be a valuable part of your content marketing strategy. Here are some tips for creating effective how-to guides:
1. Keep it simple
Your how-to guide should be easy to follow and understand. Avoid using technical jargon or overly complicated instructions.
2. Be clear and concise
Be clear about what you want your reader to do, and why they should do it. Use short, concise sentences and bulleted lists to make your guide easy to scan.
3. Use visuals
Include step-by-step visuals, whenever possible, to help your reader follow your instructions.
4. Proofread and edit
Before you publish your how-to guide, be sure to proofread and edit it for clarity, grammar, and spelling.
Best Content Marketing Examples To Follow
If you're looking for some inspiration for your own content marketing, check out these great examples!
Goop.com - the best blog post content marketing example
Goop.com is one of the best examples of how e-commerce brands use blogging as part of their content marketing strategy. Goop has a massive blog section that drives traffic and sales by providing readers with useful information to improve their readers' lives and health. This content marketing example proves that you don't need paid advertising when you have quality content on your site that appeals to your audience.
Old Spice - the best video content marketing example
Video marketing campaigns by big brands have attracted audiences everywhere, but the best part is that they’ve done so by using video marketing tactics that appeal to their target audiences. Some of them are really creative with their video campaigns and have done a great job at driving engagement and conversions. For example, Old Spice.
Old Spice’s content marketing history started with “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign that achieved a lot of engagement and conversions. The campaign featured a man named Isaiah Mustafa who was the “Old Spice Guy”. The campaign was a series of YouTube videos that featured Mustafa in various situations and locations, all while delivering a message about the Old Spice product.
The campaign was incredibly successful, driving a huge amount of traffic to the Old Spice website and Youtube channel generating 75% of all conversations in the category and making the channel the #1 Most Viewed Sponsored YouTube Channel.
Old Spice posts fun and engaging content on a constant basis as video marketing became a key marketing strategy for the brand. Here are some of their top video:
This is an important step, but remember: not every metric will correlate directly to revenue. Some metrics, like lifts in brand favorability or consideration, don’t pay off immediately. They can take months or more to come to fruition, so be patient and make sure you’ve got in-depth tracking.
Sephora: #LIPSTORIES - the best podcast content marketing example
The #LIPSTORIES podcast is a partnership between Girlboss Radio and Sephora. It offers a unique perspective on beauty. The podcast celebrates the stories of real women and their unique relationships with self-image. It is a safe space for women to share their most personal moments and in turn, learn from one another. #LIPSTORIES is a must-listen for any woman who is looking for empowerment and inspiration.
Digit - the best infographics content marketing example
Digit is an app for automating your savings. Digit uses infographics in marketing to help its clients see how money affects their day-to-day lives. They want their clients to be able to understand how money works in the world, and how their own personal finances are a part of that. One example of an entertaining infographic from Digit is titled "The Cost of a Good Time" It breaks down the cost of having fun. While the infographic is certainly informative, it's also entertaining. The colorful design and clever use of music lyrics make it enjoyable to read, even for those who aren't particularly interested in the topic of finances. In general, Digit's infographics are well-designed and engaging, making them successful at both educating and entertaining their audience.
The Social Media Trends Report by HubSpot - the best eBook content marketing example
HubSpot uses ebooks to drive newsletter signups of potential users for their SaaS. For example, they created a social media trends report in partnership with Talkwalker that gives readers an overview of current social media trends and strategies to adapt your marketing strategy to the new reality. This report covered Tiktok and Metaverse which are super hot topics. As a result, they manage to drive a massive amount of subscribers and strengthen Hubspot'ss position as an industry leader.
Bitcoin - the best whitepaper content marketing example
Everybody knows what Bitcoin is. The whitepaper is important for several reasons. First, it provides a clear and concise explanation of what Bitcoin is and how it works. Second, it outlines the goals of Bitcoin and why it was created. Finally, the whitepaper is important because it is the document that started it all. Without the whitepaper, there would be no Bitcoin.
If you have a highly technical or scientific company, a whitepaper is a must-have to establish your authority in the niche and drive attention from customers and media.
Nielsen Norman Group - best case studies content marketing example
If you need inspiration for your case study, check out the Nielsen Norman Group website. This is a found UX research and design company that you can learn a lot from. They mastered the art of creating case studies to drive quality traffic and establish industry authority. Their case studies are straightforward, professional, and very interesting. This is something you should aim for in your content marketing startegy.
Afrocenchix - the best how-to guide content marketing example
Afrocenchix's hair care guide is a great example of effective content marketing that is useful, interesting, and SEO optimized. it ranks high on Google and generates about 600 visitors monthly... for FREE!
What Are the Benefits of Content Marketing?
Content marketing can offer many benefits to businesses, including the following:
1. Increased web traffic
By creating and distributing high-quality content, you can attract more visitors to your website.
2. Improved SEO
Good content can help you rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which can lead to more web traffic.
3. Greater brand awareness
If your content is distributed widely and seen by many people, it can help raise awareness of your brand.
3. More leads
By including calls to action (CTAs) in your content, you can encourage your readers to take the next step in the sales process, such as subscribing to your email list or filling out a contact form.
4. Improved customer relationships
By providing valuable, relevant content, you can build trust and credibility with your target audience, which can lead to improved customer relationships.
5. Increased sales
Ultimately, content marketing can lead to more sales, either directly or indirectly.
What Are the Risks of Content Marketing?
There are a few potential risks to consider before embarking on a content marketing strategy, including the following:
1. It can be time-consuming and expensive
Creating high-quality content takes time and effort, and it may also require the help of outside experts, such as designers, writers, and videographers.
2. It may not produce results immediately
Content marketing is a long-term strategy, so don’t expect to see results overnight. It can take months or even years to see a return on your investment.
3. You may not reach your target audience
Even if you create great content, there’s no guarantee that it will reach your target audience. It’s important to have a distribution plan in place to ensure that your content gets in front of the right people.
4. Your competition may be doing it already
If your competitors are already using content marketing, you may have a hard time catching up.
How Do I Get Started with Content Marketing?
If you’re interested in using content marketing as part of your marketing strategy, there are a few steps you can take to get started:
1. Define your target audience
The first step is to identify your target audience. Who are you trying to reach with your content? What are their needs and wants? What type of content will they find valuable?
2. Set your goals
What do you hope to achieve with your content marketing? Do you want to increase brand awareness? Generate leads? Improve customer relationships? Drive sales?
3. Create a content calendar
Once you know what type of content you want to create and when you want to publish it, you can start creating a content calendar. This will help you stay organized and on track.
4. Produce high-quality content
This is perhaps the most important step. If you want your content marketing strategy to be successful, you need to create content that is truly valuable and relevant to your target audience.
5. Distribute your content
Once you’ve created your content, it’s time to get it out there. There are many different ways to distribute content, including social media, email marketing, and paid advertising.
6. Analyze your results
Finally, it’s important to track your results and analyze your performance. This will help you fine-tune your content marketing strategy and ensure that you’re getting the most out of your efforts.
If you are looking for more content marketing examples or need help with your content marketing, get in touch with us today!