Is Content Marketing Just Another Buzzword Or Will It Help My Business or Non-Profit Grow?

Several studies suggest that well over 40% of marketing budgets next year will be spent on online (digital) efforts.  And at the core of those campaigns will be an emphasis on content marketing.

Content marketing.

Sure, to marketers like me, that term is as recognized and revered as search is with Google. But for some businesses and non-profits, to have a conversation about “content marketing” is too heavy and may get you a few blank stares or even a “here we go” eye roll.

But, could there be some value in it?  Is content marketing more than just another buzzword that marketers use to sell you more services?

The truth.

In the perfect world, content marketing would be this fresh new idea that would turn every business into an overnight success and fill the donation baskets of every non-profit in the world for the foreseeable future.

But the reality is, the idea of content isn’t new. As long as there have been words, there have been stories.  More specifically, as long as there’s been a way to tell stories, be it prehistoric cave drawings by Neanderthals on a rock in Spain, or ornate hieroglyphics on the side of an ancient pyramid in Egypt, there’s been content. And those stories are passed down and still impact us today.

In a contemporary sense, content for organizations, either for profit or not, is generated by taking your stories – the inspiration behind your founding, the subtleties that make you unique, the quirkiness of your organizational culture, and testimonials from those whose life you’ve touched – and delivering that value to a group of people, in a way that’s meaningful to them, and encourages them to take a specific action.

That is content marketing.

More than words.

Perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about content is that it’s just words on a page.  Ebooks, blog posts, white papers, and case studies are clearly forms of content, right?  But what about videos, social media posts, infographics, podcasts, emails, customer reviews, and even memes?

Yes, that’s all content and it gives you an opportunity to provide a glimpse into who you are as an organization, a chance to tell a good story, and leave a primitive hand print upon the hearts of those you want to fall in love with your organization.

Point taken.

Many organizations fail in their pursuit of content marketing for two reasons:

1. They confuse providing valuable, useful information with pushing obvious sales pitches – so people tune them out, delete them, or mark them as SPAM.
2. They create content, but have no strategy to deliver that content to the right people at the right time and place, so it becomes orphaned content.

Remember, content marketing gives organizations an opportunity to inform, educate, inspire, and challenge without the pressure of buying.  And when it’s delivered in a meaningful, consistent manner, over time – yes, it will take time – you will establish trust and be rewarded with a loyal customer or supporter.

Finally, because of the length of time it can take to produce your desired result, it is vital that your content marketing not stand alone, but be a part of a comprehensive marketing plan that generates opportunities for both short and long-term success.