Content is one of the most effective and profitable marketing approaches available to us today.

You may be familiar with the saying “content is king” which was quite popular a few years ago.
The saying may be tired, but it rings true as ever.

In this post, we’ll explore what the word “content” encompasses, why it is a great marketing tool, and how it can benefit your business.

Why content?

Content is a profitable marketing strategy because it can be produced for literally zero cost.  If you are a solopreneur or small business owner, you can produce written words, podcasts, photos, and videos for nothing more than your own time. Data friends: what is the ROI on $0? ?

Well crafted, high-quality information holds the potential for unlimited recirculation. Information that solves problems provides value. When a viewer receives value from the information that you have provided, they are likely to share that information, to pass that value on to their circles. Widespread circulation can lead to increased awareness of you or your brand, traffic to your website, and strong credibility garnered by social proof.

The benefits of content

When it is high-quality and value adding, the benefits are many.
This type of content will position you or your brand as a leader and expert in your space. Well crafted and valuable information will showcase your knowledge and expertise in your business’ field.

As we touched on a moment ago, it will raise awareness for your brand due to the social media shareability. It will improve your organic website traffic and SEO via other websites linking to the information on your website. (backlinks) It can also lead to press coverage, and interview opportunities, the list goes on.

What is content?

What comes to mind when you hear the word “content?” Many may think of the traditional blog post. However, it is important to realize that in today’s market, it comes in many shapes and sizes.

Let’s quickly define it for marketing purposes.

Content is any original piece of information, whether written, visual, video, or audio, that one produces and deploys anywhere on the internet.

Bearing that definition, what then meets this classification? That last tweet that you posted, your Instagram posts, your Facebook status updates, even your Snapchat and Instagram stories. It’s all content.

What does this mean for me?

Now that we’ve defined what content actually is, what does this mean for your marketing strategy?

In the current market, we have the opportunity to produce content across a variety of mediums. Each of these mediums presents unique benefits. Images are ideal for Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Podcasts are growing in popularity as they are extremely efficient to consume since they require the least amount of attention from any medium. Video, especially with subtitles, commands attention and can communicate concepts quickly. Long-form writing will boost SEO and can attract potential customers who are searching for solutions. That’s not to mention Instagram and Snapchat stories, which provide an incredible conversational, one-to-one channel for connecting with customers and clients.

In short

In today’s market, everyone is on a level playing field. The small business owner and the Fortune-500 company can both deploy the same tactics to reach the same customers, all for the same cost. Content is the vehicle that makes this possible. This is a unique scenario in the history of commerce. That’s pretty exciting. Large marketing budgets are no longer required to get your message out and raise awareness for your brand. It only requires dedication, persistence, and time.