Online content marketing is a fairly recent marketing trend whereby companies or brands offer relevant and valuable online content to their target audiences. They do that to attract, acquire and engage new customers.

Every business is in the content business. Whatever your industry sector is, you are a specialist in your area. Every company is (supposed to be) an expert in its own area, in the knowledge, technology or science that drive the products or services it sells. Sharing that knowledge can enhance your company’s credibility and expert status in that domain.

At the same time, your target audience is hungry for information. Every buying cycle usually starts with an information phase. Customers won’t buy products or services if they don’t have a minimum level of understanding about them.

Content marketing is a marketing technique that brings the two together: use your content to market your offering in a way that is meaningful, useful and engaging for your customers. Provide your target audiences with pieces of content that are informative and valuable. However, be careful adding your promotional messages or placing your products into the content. Keep it as neutral as possible. Content marketing works best when it goes light on the promotion and branding side but instead focuses on the value of the content.

Content marketing can come in many different forms and flavours: press releases, blog posts, Slideshare presentations or even social media messages such as tweets, Facebook or LinkedIn posts. Video, however, is the most powerful medium, as it appeals to a combination of human senses: motion, sight and sound. Therefore, video content marketing is a very engaging way to effectively spread your message.

When perceived as being valuable, your content will be shared and generate additional visibility outside your own website. Make sure your video is embeddable by other websites. When your content is relevant and engaging enough, it will be shared and spread to other channels, such as blogs, YouTube and social media.

Short, neutral films are ideal for publishing your content. Make them simple and compelling. Avoid the sales talk. Focus on the value of your content for your customers and prospects.

So where’s the ROI? Research shows that content marketing that engages, informs and educates, drives high value leads with a higher sales conversion rate. In other words, content marketing can turn uneducated target audiences into well-informed buyers…

Written by Timo on Thursday 30 June 2011 in category Blog with the tags viral video, video marketing, content marketing and animation . This message has has no comments.