The other day I received an email that made me sad. Here is the gist of the comment that was sent to me:
“At times, I question my own choice of becoming a content marketing professional. Communication is really my passion, but in the world we are living now, I don’t know how to work with this passion. I don’t want to simply add to this pile of content we already have. Am I really making a difference? I’m sick of content marketing if it is just adding to the noise and I’m not making a difference for my customers and the world.”
Here is how I answered her email.
I can certainly understand your concern and frustration trying to do meaningful work in an environment of overwhelming competition and Content Shock. Let’s step back and examine what content marketing is all about.
Content in all its forms has become a more important part of the marketing mix since many traditional forms of promotion and advertising have become less relevant. So even in a crowded world, there is a role for content, and there always will be.
We engage in content marketing now primarily for four benefits:
- to serve our customers in a helpful, authentic, and perhaps entertaining way
- to achieve SEO benefits
- to establish leadership authority that helps us rise above the noise
- to build awareness for a product or service
Each of these goals has its own challenges and its own tactics.
In any event, “adding to the pile of content” is not an option. To achieve any of these goals we have to create content that effectively serves these goals in a unique and helpful way.
The level of quality demanded from this content depends on the strategy, the competition, and the information density in a niche. So content marketing can’t start with content, It has to start with analysis to assure that what you’re doing is indeed meaningful.
I wrote a blog post that lays out the content strategy for each of these four goals. I think this will help bring clarity to your efforts and perhaps encourage you to keep moving forward!
12 Possible Content Marketing Strategies
Content marketing is changing so fast. Even what might have worked a few years ago is probably obsolete now, but I do believe it is possible to approach a career in content marketing confidently.
Yes, it is hard work, but that’s why customers need your special help and direction. I can see why anybody could be getting sick of content marketing but your work is important. The value you can bring is to help customers go down the right path and create exactly the right type of content, with the best consistency to meet their goals.
Mark Schaefer is the executive director of Schaefer Marketing Solutions. He is the author of several best-selling digital marketing books and is an acclaimed keynote speaker, college educator, and business consultant. The Marketing Companion podcast is among the top business podcasts in the world. Contact Mark to have him speak to your company event or conference soon.
