What is Content?

If we’re going to talk about Content Marketing then the best place to start is to ask, “What is Content?” Here’s a very broad general definition… It’s simply anything you upload to a website.

This could be the words on your webpage, words in your blog, your video on YouTube, an audio file, a slideshow you posted on Slideshare, a document you posted on Issuu, a tweet, a status update on LinkedIn or a photograph on Facebook.

These are all forms of content.

What is Content Marketing?

In a nutshell, Content Marketing is wherever you’re sharing your content to attract customers.

Why You Need Content Marketing?

Simply put, most of us are sick of being advertised at. It’s not nice to be the target audience or the target market. I don’t like being a target at all! Do you? In contrast, I do like to learn, find solutions for my challenges and to be entertained along the way. And, that’s why you need to be using content to market and promote your services.

One way to think about this is to consider your advertising as a mere part of the education process. And to think of Content Marketing as the longer process of educating, informing and influencing your customers before, during and after the sale. And best of all, build respect and relationship along the way.

Inside this context, unless we are providing the longer education frame it’s likely we’ll come across as pushy and self-serving. And, risk losing potential customers to other channels.

Consider, Content Marketing as your influence channel which includes the sales channel.