Why is content marketing important?

Why is content marketing important? 

When brands produce great content, customers—and potential buyers—keep coming back for more. This helps capture the attention of your target audience for longer, and it reinforces positive experiences with your brand. As a result your audience is more likely to think of and trust your brand when they’re looking to make a purchase. 

Content marketing is also a cost-effective strategy. In fact, Forbes reports that content marketing campaigns cost 62% less to launch and maintain compared to other types of campaigns. 

How content marketing works

Not everyone who reads your content is in the same place. Some people are customers, some are debating whether to invest in your product, and some have never even heard of your brand before. To get the most out of your marketing efforts, you should deliver custom content for each stage of the sales cycle: awareness, consideration, and decision-making. Depending on where customers are in the sales cycle, different types of marketing content can help move them to the next phase. 

Here’s how it works: 

Awareness

During this stage, customers know the problem they want to solve and are researching solutions. They may not be aware that your product exists yet. This is when you want to grab the customer's attention so they consider your product.

For example, search engine optimization (SEO) content can direct potential customers to your website who haven’t heard of your product before.

Consideration

This is when customers weigh your product against other available options. Your goal during this phase is to convince potential buyers that your product is the best option. 

For example, customer case studies and testimonials can help buyers see the benefits of your product in action, and move them closer to a decision. 

Decision

During this stage, customers decide whether to purchase your product. Your goal now is to convince them to commit. 

For example, content that promotes free trial options can help convince potential customers to commit and make a purchase. 

Types of content marketing

The word “content” can mean many things, including articles, podcasts, and everything in between. Each type of content marketing has its own unique benefits and use cases, which we dive into below: 

Social media content

We live in a social media world, and modern brands need to keep up. Social media content is tailor-made to generate engagement on different social media platforms and apps, like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tiktok, and more. By creating social media posts, you encourage customers (both potential and current) to interact with your brand, share with their friends, and consume helpful content. Over time, social media marketing builds brand awareness and trust among your target audience. 

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SEO content

SEO, or “search engine optimization” content is tailored to answer common questions your audience is searching for on Google. When a potential customer has a question, your goal is to serve them helpful content that answers that question—while also providing an entrypoint to your brand and generating organic traffic. 

For example, imagine your company sells exercise equipment. Through keyword research, your SEO team has determined that many people are searching for “best yoga mat” on Google. You create a blog outlining the pros and cons of different yoga mat options, and potential customers find this article through search. They get the information they need and they’re introduced to your brand—it’s a win-win. 

Emails

Email marketing is a tried-and-true content marketing strategy. Once you collect leads, emails help you continuously engage these prospective customers and build stronger relationships with your email list over time. 

For example, you could send an email series to leads who haven’t purchased your product yet, introducing them to the many benefits your company offers. This technique is often called a “nurture campaign” and is meant to provide helpful information that builds trust in your brand. 

Videos

Not everyone wants to read content. Videos are a great way to capture the attention of visual learners or people who want information that’s bite-sized and easy to consume. Video content can also be a beautiful, long-form way to engage your audience, like this short film from Patagonia. 

Once you create a video, you can easily repurpose it by slicing it into shorter segments for social media channels. 

Ebooks and whitepapers

Ebooks and whitepapers are long-form, written content pieces that provide helpful information about a specific topic. An ebook usually includes a visual design component, while a whitepaper is more in-depth and text-heavy. They’re often gated, meaning people have to submit their contact information to receive a copy—thus generating leads for your business. Ebooks and whitepapers are often used to capture potential customers in the “awareness” stage of the sales cycle. 

Case studies

Case studies are another type of long-form content. They typically focus on a current (often well-known) customer, and the benefits they’ve received from using your product. Since case studies are more benefit- and product-focused, they’re often used during the “consideration” phase of the sales cycle. 

User generated content

From TikTok trends to influencer #OOTD posts, user-generated content (UGC) is the new word-of-mouth. This type of online content is original and brand-specific, created by consumers rather than brands. Unboxing videos, makeup reviews, branded hashtags, and photo tags are all examples of how brands can take advantage of user-generated content. 

Because anyone can create user-generated content, adding this tactic to your digital marketing strategy can enhance your brand’s authenticity.

Podcasts

Podcasts give your audience a way to engage with your brand when they’re away from their computer—like when they’re driving in the car, going for a walk, or commuting to work. The goal of this long-form, audio-only medium is to provide helpful information your audience can use in their daily life, thus building trust in your brand. For example, the brand Sephora’s podcast “#LIPSTORIES” includes famous guests and chats about self-image and self-confidence. 

Infographics

Infographics are designed images that display information in a short-form and engaging way. They often show things like statistics, how-to’s, or other helpful content. Infographics are very versatile—you can use them across different platforms like blogs, social media, and web landing pages. 

Ebooks and whitepapers are long-form, written content pieces that provide helpful information about a specific topic. An ebook usually includes a visual design component, while a whitepaper is more in-depth and text-heavy. They’re often gated, meaning people have to submit their contact information to receive a copy—thus generating leads for your business. Ebooks and whitepapers are often used to capture potential customers in the “awareness” stage of the sales cycle. 

Case studies

Case studies are another type of long-form content. They typically focus on a current (often well-known) customer, and the benefits they’ve received from using your product. Since case studies are more benefit- and product-focused, they’re often used during the “consideration” phase of the sales cycle. 

User generated content

From TikTok trends to influencer #OOTD posts, user-generated content (UGC) is the new word-of-mouth. This type of online content is original and brand-specific, created by consumers rather than brands. Unboxing videos, makeup reviews, branded hashtags, and photo tags are all examples of how brands can take advantage of user-generated content. 

Because anyone can create user-generated content, adding this tactic to your digital marketing strategy can enhance your brand’s authenticity.

Podcasts

Podcasts give your audience a way to engage with your brand when they’re away from their computer—like when they’re driving in the car, going for a walk, or commuting to work. The goal of this long-form, audio-only medium is to provide helpful information your audience can use in their daily life, thus building trust in your brand. For example, the brand Sephora’s podcast “#LIPSTORIES” includes famous guests and chats about self-image and self-confidence. 

Infographics

Infographics are designed images that display information in a short-form and engaging way. They often show things like statistics, how-to’s, or other helpful content. Infographics are very versatile—you can use them across different platforms like blogs, social media, and web landing pages.