The True Value of Content Marketing

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Chapters

1

What is Content Marketing?

Content is the material that the web is composed of. It is the raw element with which pages, websites and the internet are built, the polished pearls that adorn them, as well as the medium through which connections and communication occur.

Content Marketing is about the most effective way to harness content’s ubiquity and its power.

At a structural level that means designing attractive sites built on solid foundations, which are easily accessible and well-signposted. In its refined, finished form that means crafting eye-catching, sought-after content. And, as a communication tool, that means using content to reach out, forging partnerships, spreading messages and listening to others.

“The creation, organisation and distribution of content to attract, acquire and engage a target audience, delivering a return on investment and enhancing an organisation’s brand.”

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Distribution

Distribution

Aesthetic

Structural

2

Why does Content matter?

The “Content is King” mantra was coined by Bill Gates way back in the internet’s infancy but it has never resonated as clearly as it does today. Anyone with a presence online – which means virtually every organisation, even those who prefer to stay offline – needs to understand the value and power of content. In its dual role as the raw material used to build websites and the finely crafted pieces which are shared across the internet, content can help realise an array of marketing objectives.

Social – Every day 27 million pieces of content are shared via social media. Creating the right kind of engaging, quality content can tap into a global network, enhancing the reach of your brand and joining the conversation online. Not only that, social media works as an amplifier for content’s role in search, with signals from the likes of Twitter and Facebook affecting the visibility of your site in search engine results.

“First and foremost we care about trying to get the stuff that people will really like – the good, the compelling content - in front of them.”Matt Cutts, Head of Google’s Webspam team and Search Quality, Dec 2011

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Content is king

Search – Search engines dominate the way we use the web. Every month more than 131 billion searches take place, with an estimated 91 per cent of adults using search engines. What’s more, search is getting better. Google and Bing especially are more sophisticated than ever at returning the right kind of results users want - and that means top-quality content. For a website to be visible, content is crucial.

91% of adults use search engines to find info on the web

2012 saw growth in social media use across the spectrum. 62% of companies said that social media had become more important as a source of leads in the past six months.62%

3

What forms does Content take?

Content can take a wide range of forms, each with its own style and appeal. At a micro level, individual pieces of content attract and engage web users. When pieces are combined, the effect can be dramatic.

“Blogging, tweeting and posting not only generate brand awareness and buzz, they also build links, which are like gold to Google’s ranking algorithm.”

Shane Snow, writing on Mashable, May 2011

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What determines high-quality Content?

Whatever form it takes, content must be of sufficient quality. Google’s guidelines on what consti-tutes quality – and, consequently, what will feature most prominently in its results – are focussed around compelling, engaging content. The ‘Panda’ updates the search giant rolled out in a series of adjustments to its algorithm are part of an ongoing drive across the search industry to return better results. Instead of a simplistic checklist or shortcuts to signpost the best sites, the search engines are focussed on qualitative signals.

Google Fellow Amit Singhal explained the concept behind the shift in search by posing the following questions, which he said reflected “Google’s mindset” when it came to search technology. The emphasis is on compelling, engaging content.

How does Google assess the quality of a page or an article?• Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it shallower in nature?• Does the site have duplicate, overlapping or redundant articles on the same or similar topics with slightly different keyword variations?• Does this article have spelling, stylistic or factual errors?• Are the topics driven by genuine interests of readers of the site, or does the site generate content by attempting to guess what might rank well in search engines?• Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research or original analysis?• Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?• Does this article provide a complete or comprehensive description of the topic?• Does this article contain insightful analysis or interesting information that is beyond obvious?• Would you expect to see this article in a printed magazine, encyclopaedia or book?• Are the articles short, unsubstantial, or otherwise lacking in helpful specifics?• How much quality control is done on content? • Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend, or recommend?

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5

What results can Content Marketing achieve?

Content Marketing is about using high-quality content to deliver tangible results and ROI. As a marketing tool, the potential impact is wide-ranging and significant.

Search Engine Visibility – There is no magic bullet for search engine optimisation (SEO) but content is central to a range of factors that determine performance. Well-written copy, which is information-rich and competes on the right keywords, can drive traffic to your site, making you more visible to your target audience. Good content is also more likely to be shared, liked and linked to – all of which has an impact on how well pages are ranked in search. Quality content creates a virtuous circle: more people can find and then share your site.

Engagement – Informative and compelling con-tent is something consumers engage with. Seven in ten people say that Content Marketing makes them feel closer to the sponsoring company, while 60 per cent say content helps them make better product decisions. Nor is this restricted to consumers. According to Roper Public Affairs, 80 per cent of busi-ness decision-makers prefer information in the form of articles over advertisements.

“If a website doesn’t have a lot of visible content above-the-fold or dedicates a large fraction of the site’s initial screen real estate to ads, that’s not a very good user experience. Such sites may not rank as highly going forward.”

Three-fifths of marketers plan to spend more money on content marketing in 2012.

BLOGGING

25%

CRITICAL

of users of users of users

IMPORTANT USEFUL

34% 22% 8 in 10 marketing professionals rate company blogs as “useful” or better

Matt Cutts, Head of Google’s Webspam team and Search Quality, Jan 2012

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Credibility & Trust – Sites which have good quality content inspire greater trust. Dr Jakob Nielsen, a leading expert in web usability, says sites have ten seconds to make the right impression. Poorly written, inaccurate or amateurish content is an immediate red flag. Long-term impressions also count. If you populate your site with the latest thought leadership, quality interviews and insightful analysis, it can mark your organisation out as an authority in its field, and a high-value brand. Content Marketing is a powerful tool for assisting reputation management, working across search and social to inform, edu-cate and engage your audience. A Nielsen Global Online Consumer Survey of over 25,000 consumers from 50 countries found that 70 per cent trusted online consumer opinions, rising to 90 per cent among people they know.

Customer Understanding – It’s not enough just to be heard – you also need to listen. So-cial media and search channels offer the chance to learn about your customers. That can come from the comments section on your blog, the reaction on Twitter to an opinion piece or identifying the key search phrases which lead most people to your site. You can also harness the wealth of statistical information that content yields through web and social traffic. If you mine the data effectively, you can learn what makes your audience tick and hone your marketing strategy. Content Marketing is not just about boosting traffic, it’s also about understanding who your customers are, what they are looking for and how you can meet that demand. Remember, 70 per cent of search traffic comes from the long tail and a niche can be a great place to be.

60

30

45 15

The average website visitor decides in fewer than 10 seconds whether they want to continue reading a web page

90 seconds 54%

44%

28%60 seconds

30 seconds

Content Influence onBrand Awareness

Brand Awareness – According to a MediaCom study, every additional 30 seconds spent engaged with content delivers an upturn in brand awareness, consideration and pur-chasing intent. Even with just 30 seconds of interaction, a 28% improvement in spontaneous brand awareness was recorded in comparison to no interaction.

Dw

ell T

ime

Increase in Brand Awareness

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Lead Generation & Conversion – Content Marketing is not just about the intangibles: it has a clear impact on the bottom line. Social media and search are a source of leads. Nearly three-quarters of marketers who have been using social media for around three years say that their social efforts have helped them close business deals. Six in ten social network users say they were at least “somewhat likely” to take action when a friend posted something about a product, service, company or brand on a social media site.

Amplify Existing Marketing Channels – Effective Content Marketing makes your existing marketing channels work better. Greater web visibility and brand awareness online can send more customers to your physical sites; an effective email marketing campaign can in-crease the traction and targeting of your telemarketing efforts. Just as search and social should work as complements rather than alternatives, so too offline and online efforts can forge part of a wider strategy.

SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, while outbound sourced leads have a 1.7% close rate.

SEO leads are eight times more likely to close into customers than outbound leads.

Leads from inbound links (referrals) are five times more likely to become customers than outbound leads.

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8

What is the right Content Strategy?

The truth is there is no ‘ideal’ default content strategy. The right approach will depend on your organisation and your objectives.

Are you a customer-facing company looking to increase traffic to your product pages? Are you a business-to-business site aiming to generate leads? Or are you are a charity looking to increase the reach of your existing offline message?

The right content strategy will provide the best fit for your objectives and your organisation. The next step is building a working brief: selecting a balanced blend of content types, establishing the right style, the appropriate tone and identifying the channels which will give you access to the audience you are targeting.

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9

Why use a Content Marketing Agency?

Content Marketing is growing as an industry and accounts for an increasing portion of marketing budgets, with three-fifths of marketers planning to spend more money on Content Marketing in 2012. Yet it is not without its challenges.

Developing and executing an effective content strategy requires expertise and experience, which is where a Content Marketing agency can help.

So what are the advantages of using an agency?

Editorial Expertise – The emphasis on the quality and diversity of content makes editorial expertise a fundamental principle of an effective content strategy. Low-cost writers from India and Eastern Europe are an option but the ‘pile it high and sell it cheap’ approach to content does not tend to produce compelling, engaging content. A full-service Content Marketing agency should have in-house editorial expertise, as well as the strategic, technical and PR skills to deliver sustainable results.

“Analysis of website figures shows a single spelling mistake can cut online sales in half.”

Biggest Content Marketing Challenge

Producing the kind of content that engages prospects/customers

Producing enough content

Budget to produce content

Lack of buy-in/vision from higher-ups inside your company

Producing a variety of content

Budget to license content

12%

18%

20%

41%

7% 1%

Internet entrepreneur Charles Dunscombe, as quoted by the BBC in 2011.

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Digital Media Law – A confident and capable agency will take care of any legal issues that crop up and assume liability. If you are publishing in the public domain, be prepared to deal with complaints and queries. An agency will know the rules on defamation and copyright, as well as the latest precedents when it comes to new media.

Holistic Approach – Content Marketing is about focussing on the individual compo-nents and their interaction as part of a broader picture when it comes to realising marketing objectives. Old-school SEO-agencies which focus exclusively on off-the-page ‘SEO tricks’ are becoming increasingly outdated. Google is taking steps to penalise this kind of myopic approach to content, which is the antithesis of an effective content strategy, with engineers working on the algorithm to penalise ‘SEO intensive’ practices.

Joined-Up Approach – As well as crafting a suitable content strategy, you need the technical integration, ongoing consultancy and support, plus the production capability to execute it effectively. At the same time, there should be an ongoing process of recalibra-tion and adjustment. Feedback and testing can help develop your content strategy, refining the way you produce and connect content in order to achieve the desired results. Content Marketing is about providing a combined, coherent – and ‘live’ – service which is more than the sum of its parts. Do it well and the different components can catalyse one another.

“The idea is basically to try to level the playing ground. So all those people doing, for lack of a better word, over-optimisation or overly SEO [will be penalised] - versus those making great content and a great site. We are trying to make GoogleBot smarter, make our relevance better.”

Google’s Matt Cutts speaking at SXSW during a panel discussion moderated by Search Engine land’s Danny Sullivan in March 2012

• Facebook & Twitter internet libel cases doubled in 2011

• Following an article in 2010 by the Daily Mail, which used tweets from civil servant Sarah Baskerville, the PCC ruled that Tweets were not private, even where employees state ‘views are my own’

• Flickr has blocked users of Pinterest from pinning photos without consent

• Social media, proprietary websites and communications in non-paid-for space are all now subject to Advertising Standards Authority regulation

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Content Diversity – A Content Marketing agency can provide a broad range of formats and media. It’s not necessary for every site to have every type possible, but a large palette means you can find the right blend. Working with the client, analysing analytics data and drawing on existing case studies, you can identify and connect the content types that will deliver the right results.

Dynamic & Flexible Approach – What makes for a good content strategy is not set in stone. Organisations, cultures and objectives change. So too does the way in which content works online and how it is delivered to users. Social media is the most obvious ‘game-changer’ of recent years, but the arrival of infographics, viral videos and the Panda update have all shaped how we find and share content. Whether change is occurring within an organisation, the online landscape or in consumer tastes, a dynamic, responsive approach is essential.

Bespoke Service – The right content strategy depends on the objectives, culture and background of each organisation. With a Content Marketing agency you can establish a tai-lored, ‘live’ service, which reflects your brand and your ambitions. Whether it’s augmenting an existing strategy or devising a new one, you can tune an agency to your needs. Build a rapport, establish your baselines for performance and you can reap the rewards of a collaborative, well developed and well executed content strategy.

Service Expectations – One of the risks of using a freelancer for your content is the lack of contingency and the typically narrow range of expertise. First, there is the question of what happens if they are on holiday, off sick or with another client? Second is their range. Can they produce the mixture of white papers, blog posts and email marketing services you want? What about servicing the different specialist areas of your product range or that one-off infographic you want to produce? Can they also provide valuable analytics information and on-going consultancy? An agency typically has the advantage when it comes to scale and service expectations.

In-House? – Bringing the Content Marketing process inside your organisation is a bold move. You need the skill set and experience to manage it, the capital to set it up, and the nouse and nerve to handle publishing content in the public domain. Whether it is learning how to sidestep social media pitfalls or knowing your way round the digital media law, there is plenty to deal with. Then there is the thorny political matter of who will be responsible for Content Marketing and which department will oversee it.

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12

Takeaways

What is Content Marketing? • “The creation, organisation and distribution of content to attract, acquire and engage a target audience, delivering a return on investment and enhancing an organisation’s brand.”

Why does Content matter? • Content is the raw material that the web is built with and the polished pieces that adorn it• Content provides the first impression for your brand online• Content is still King, powering social media & search

What forms does Content take? • Content comes in a range of forms, formats and styles that can work in conjunction or individually as part of a coherent content strategy:

Blogs I News Articles I Features I Round-Ups I Landing Pages I Static Content I White Papers I Infographics I Text I Video I Podcasts I Social Media I Interviews I Analysis I Insight I Reporting I Research I Reviews I Descriptions I Guides I Thought Leadership

What constitutes good quality Content? • Well written, engaging and professional material which people want to read & share• Unique, original content which has depth

What can Content Marketing achieve? • A wide variety of results which can be tailored to individual organisations and objectives, including:

SEO & better performance in SERPs I Customer engagement & interaction I Build credibility, authority & trust I Insight into your customers I Enhanced brand awareness & reach I Lead generation and conversion I More effective offline & online marketing

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Takeaways cont.

Please contact for case studies or more info

What is the right Content Strategy?• Content Strategy should be tailored to a given organisation and its culture, context and key objectives• Blend the right formats, style and media to achieve the right results• Research, monitor and react to the performance of your content

Why use a Content Marketing agency?• An agency can offer key benefits for any organisation:

Editorial expertise I Digital media law knowledge I Joined-up thinking I Holistic Approach I Content Diversity I Dynamic & Flexible Approach I Bespoke Service I Scale and Contingency

Nathaniel Bertram, Head of Content

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References

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