What is content marketing and the 6 steps of the plan [includes PDF]
Posted: Thu Dec 12, 2024 4:02 am
Download the free PDF! Follow these 6 basic steps to create a unique, precise and effective content marketing plan for sales.
Table of contents
Content marketing is a powerful and bc data singapore package effective way to reach your customers. When working within the Inbound methodology , it works as a very effective attraction and conversion tool.
What is Content Marketing?
Contrary to popular belief, “content marketing” is not a new term or a marketing cliché. Content marketing has been around for over 100 years in magazines and/or newspapers.
However, today, far from using it as part of another advertising strategy, brands have dedicated themselves to producing increasingly specialized content to reach a specific audience in a consistent way without losing the focus of marketing.
Content marketing makes a product successful
This article, for example, is a piece of content encompassed in a broader strategic framework, which allows us to know which of our audiences are interested in implementing a content marketing strategy in order to then deliver other, more sensitive content that helps them consider us as the alternative to effectively implement this strategy in their businesses.
[Free PDF: Download the template to create your own content strategy]
New Call-to-action
What is the difference between advertising and content marketing?
I must clarify that I am not against conventional advertising. There is nothing wrong with doing PR or using traditional marketing tactics . In fact, we have done Allbound strategies combining traditional tactics (Outbound) with Inbound methods.
Outbound marketing: traditional forms of marketing such as television, radio, media advertising, print advertising, telemarketing, cold calling, etc.
Inbound marketing: a strategy based on attracting customers with quality content that generates value at each stage of the purchasing cycle, without bothering or interrupting, with the goal of converting leads into customers.
Allbound marketing: combines the best practices of inbound and outbound, applying the most impactful tactics in each phase of a global strategy.
But today, consumers are in complete control of what, how and when they consume information, and are hardly influenced by advertising.
What is the traditional marketing model?
So how do we win the attention of the connected consumer? This brings up a bigger question:
Why should we do content marketing?
As we said, users are more connected than ever. It is in the online world that they make queries in search engines to find answers to their needs. "How to increase sales for my business", "How to create a content grid", "How to generate more leads in the digital world" and so on.
Your competition is probably already doing it, so you won't be able to capture the attention of that potential consumer or retain the one you already have by waiting...
What to do then?
Marketing Benefits. US Market Analysis
So, formulate a content marketing strategy that includes the quality content pieces that your audience needs and that helps them in their daily lives.
And as they find it valuable and begin to trust you, they'll give you permission to get context about their purchasing intentions.
How should we build a business?
Therefore, if you want to see yourself as a company that goes out to rescue and retain its audience , you should focus on seeing yourself more as a media company that creates its own audience and, at the same time, offers a product or service.
What I'm talking about is how to offer value beyond just selling a product or service.
I know. It sounds good, but it requires effort... Sure, but it's probably more efficient than investing a lot of money in advertising and getting a minimal ROI. In fact, many companies can't afford that luxury.
How to start creating a content marketing strategy?
Before we dive into the content plan and get a glimpse of the effectiveness of the content plan, you must surely be asking yourself: Will this give me results in the business? Will I really get more leads? Will I generate more sales?
Ok. Let's imagine that you sell country houses, so you place an ad to promote your new real estate project on Facebook and also buy advertising space in other media (billboards, newspapers, magazines, etc.).
So, as soon as you get a prospect (name and email) asking for more information through Facebook, the next thing you do is try to sell, sell AND sell until you exhaust that prospect.
At Impulse, we think differently: “ Stop selling and start helping .”
And when you use content marketing within the Inbound Marketing methodology to sell, when a prospect arrives whose first and last name you barely know, the first thing you should do is offer value through content that solves their pain or needs.
The idea is that it is the prospect himself who, through interactions with the content, lets you know that the time has come to approach him with a sales call.
Inbound Marketing Funnel
Still having doubts? Here is a brand that has successfully adopted this methodology in its content marketing strategy: Discover Paul Bocuse's success story here .
As you are realizing, in content marketing the audience comes before the product or service.
You can just imagine the sales success you'll have if you first build a loyal audience that loves what you do and trusts you, they'll basically buy anything you put in front of them.
Ok, now that you want to start implementing a content marketing strategy, let's see what are the phases of a content marketing plan according to Joe Pulizzi , considered the father of content marketing, you must implement to be successful.
These are the same rules we apply to all our clients at Impulse, although we also add our own methodology for content marketing .
How to do content marketing? These are the 6 essential steps for a content plan
Step 1: Identify your ideal client’s “core pain or passion” and a skill you have authority over
If you don't know what drives your customers, you need to find out. Contrary to what many companies think, when I ask them who their ideal customers are, they usually answer:
“People between 24 and 35 years old from the A/B segment who are looking for healthy eating options”
You need to go deeper than that. You need to uncover the insights that are keeping your customer up at night.
Once you find it, you need to define the area of intersection between what your client needs and what you can offer them.
The ideal intersection is given by the content that reinforces your unique value proposition.
Learn about one of our success stories where a content marketing strategy was successfully implemented and managed to differentiate itself from the competition. Find out about Oncosalud's strategy here .
5 steps to create the BUYER Persona
Step 2: Find out which content has little or no competition on the Internet and which reinforces your greatest ability
Take all the content your competitors produce, such as blog posts, Facebook posts, magazine publications, etc. and put it on the table to audit it. What you will find is that, most likely, 99.9% of them do the same thing on all channels or, even worse, the same thing as everyone else on the Internet.
Your job is to find the niche where your stories make a difference . Why? With so much information fighting for people's attention, you need to think differently if you want to get noticed.
For example, we use Buzzsumo.com, a tool where you enter a topic (for example, how to make money blogging) into the search box, and then click the "Go" button.
On the left side, the most shared articles are listed, and on the right, the popularity on social networks. From here you can get many ideas to see if the topic you propose is popular and which ones are getting all the attention.
Buzzumo and Content Analysis
Another very useful tool is Semrush, which offers you many possibilities of content topics that people are searching for online, as well as keywords related to the topic you want to cover. This way, you will be sure to take into account what people are searching for as a tactic to increase your blog traffic.
Step 3: Build a solid foundation, focus on helping, helping, helping
Do you want to start earning the trust of your consumers?
All you have to do is take care of people. This is the most disruptive thing for brands, because many only think about the short term, selling and sending thousands of emails with the same offer over and over again . The result? It can cost them their reputation and trust.
What kind of content should you create to gain people's trust? In my experience, it should be as human, personal and relevant as possible, while also not misleading people.
These are the first 3 steps you need to take. It sounds simple, but in reality many companies, or their marketing agencies, do not pay attention to these first phases, and when they have a great idea or a story, the first thing they do is publish it on social media.
So they forget the basics: Does it solve a real need for our buyer persona? Is it something that others are talking about? Do I have the opportunity to differentiate myself and showcase my skills?
On the other hand, remember that it's not about going out every now and then with a content campaign. On the contrary, if you're going to start, you have to be consistent . Or do you think that a long-term relationship is built by producing sporadic conversations?
Table of contents
Content marketing is a powerful and bc data singapore package effective way to reach your customers. When working within the Inbound methodology , it works as a very effective attraction and conversion tool.
What is Content Marketing?
Contrary to popular belief, “content marketing” is not a new term or a marketing cliché. Content marketing has been around for over 100 years in magazines and/or newspapers.
However, today, far from using it as part of another advertising strategy, brands have dedicated themselves to producing increasingly specialized content to reach a specific audience in a consistent way without losing the focus of marketing.
Content marketing makes a product successful
This article, for example, is a piece of content encompassed in a broader strategic framework, which allows us to know which of our audiences are interested in implementing a content marketing strategy in order to then deliver other, more sensitive content that helps them consider us as the alternative to effectively implement this strategy in their businesses.
[Free PDF: Download the template to create your own content strategy]
New Call-to-action
What is the difference between advertising and content marketing?
I must clarify that I am not against conventional advertising. There is nothing wrong with doing PR or using traditional marketing tactics . In fact, we have done Allbound strategies combining traditional tactics (Outbound) with Inbound methods.
Outbound marketing: traditional forms of marketing such as television, radio, media advertising, print advertising, telemarketing, cold calling, etc.
Inbound marketing: a strategy based on attracting customers with quality content that generates value at each stage of the purchasing cycle, without bothering or interrupting, with the goal of converting leads into customers.
Allbound marketing: combines the best practices of inbound and outbound, applying the most impactful tactics in each phase of a global strategy.
But today, consumers are in complete control of what, how and when they consume information, and are hardly influenced by advertising.
What is the traditional marketing model?
So how do we win the attention of the connected consumer? This brings up a bigger question:
Why should we do content marketing?
As we said, users are more connected than ever. It is in the online world that they make queries in search engines to find answers to their needs. "How to increase sales for my business", "How to create a content grid", "How to generate more leads in the digital world" and so on.
Your competition is probably already doing it, so you won't be able to capture the attention of that potential consumer or retain the one you already have by waiting...
What to do then?
Marketing Benefits. US Market Analysis
So, formulate a content marketing strategy that includes the quality content pieces that your audience needs and that helps them in their daily lives.
And as they find it valuable and begin to trust you, they'll give you permission to get context about their purchasing intentions.
How should we build a business?
Therefore, if you want to see yourself as a company that goes out to rescue and retain its audience , you should focus on seeing yourself more as a media company that creates its own audience and, at the same time, offers a product or service.
What I'm talking about is how to offer value beyond just selling a product or service.
I know. It sounds good, but it requires effort... Sure, but it's probably more efficient than investing a lot of money in advertising and getting a minimal ROI. In fact, many companies can't afford that luxury.
How to start creating a content marketing strategy?
Before we dive into the content plan and get a glimpse of the effectiveness of the content plan, you must surely be asking yourself: Will this give me results in the business? Will I really get more leads? Will I generate more sales?
Ok. Let's imagine that you sell country houses, so you place an ad to promote your new real estate project on Facebook and also buy advertising space in other media (billboards, newspapers, magazines, etc.).
So, as soon as you get a prospect (name and email) asking for more information through Facebook, the next thing you do is try to sell, sell AND sell until you exhaust that prospect.
At Impulse, we think differently: “ Stop selling and start helping .”
And when you use content marketing within the Inbound Marketing methodology to sell, when a prospect arrives whose first and last name you barely know, the first thing you should do is offer value through content that solves their pain or needs.
The idea is that it is the prospect himself who, through interactions with the content, lets you know that the time has come to approach him with a sales call.
Inbound Marketing Funnel
Still having doubts? Here is a brand that has successfully adopted this methodology in its content marketing strategy: Discover Paul Bocuse's success story here .
As you are realizing, in content marketing the audience comes before the product or service.
You can just imagine the sales success you'll have if you first build a loyal audience that loves what you do and trusts you, they'll basically buy anything you put in front of them.
Ok, now that you want to start implementing a content marketing strategy, let's see what are the phases of a content marketing plan according to Joe Pulizzi , considered the father of content marketing, you must implement to be successful.
These are the same rules we apply to all our clients at Impulse, although we also add our own methodology for content marketing .
How to do content marketing? These are the 6 essential steps for a content plan
Step 1: Identify your ideal client’s “core pain or passion” and a skill you have authority over
If you don't know what drives your customers, you need to find out. Contrary to what many companies think, when I ask them who their ideal customers are, they usually answer:
“People between 24 and 35 years old from the A/B segment who are looking for healthy eating options”
You need to go deeper than that. You need to uncover the insights that are keeping your customer up at night.
Once you find it, you need to define the area of intersection between what your client needs and what you can offer them.
The ideal intersection is given by the content that reinforces your unique value proposition.
Learn about one of our success stories where a content marketing strategy was successfully implemented and managed to differentiate itself from the competition. Find out about Oncosalud's strategy here .
5 steps to create the BUYER Persona
Step 2: Find out which content has little or no competition on the Internet and which reinforces your greatest ability
Take all the content your competitors produce, such as blog posts, Facebook posts, magazine publications, etc. and put it on the table to audit it. What you will find is that, most likely, 99.9% of them do the same thing on all channels or, even worse, the same thing as everyone else on the Internet.
Your job is to find the niche where your stories make a difference . Why? With so much information fighting for people's attention, you need to think differently if you want to get noticed.
For example, we use Buzzsumo.com, a tool where you enter a topic (for example, how to make money blogging) into the search box, and then click the "Go" button.
On the left side, the most shared articles are listed, and on the right, the popularity on social networks. From here you can get many ideas to see if the topic you propose is popular and which ones are getting all the attention.
Buzzumo and Content Analysis
Another very useful tool is Semrush, which offers you many possibilities of content topics that people are searching for online, as well as keywords related to the topic you want to cover. This way, you will be sure to take into account what people are searching for as a tactic to increase your blog traffic.
Step 3: Build a solid foundation, focus on helping, helping, helping
Do you want to start earning the trust of your consumers?
All you have to do is take care of people. This is the most disruptive thing for brands, because many only think about the short term, selling and sending thousands of emails with the same offer over and over again . The result? It can cost them their reputation and trust.
What kind of content should you create to gain people's trust? In my experience, it should be as human, personal and relevant as possible, while also not misleading people.
These are the first 3 steps you need to take. It sounds simple, but in reality many companies, or their marketing agencies, do not pay attention to these first phases, and when they have a great idea or a story, the first thing they do is publish it on social media.
So they forget the basics: Does it solve a real need for our buyer persona? Is it something that others are talking about? Do I have the opportunity to differentiate myself and showcase my skills?
On the other hand, remember that it's not about going out every now and then with a content campaign. On the contrary, if you're going to start, you have to be consistent . Or do you think that a long-term relationship is built by producing sporadic conversations?