The term “Content Marketing” is relatively new. Yet businesses and individuals have been using it for years. John Deere famously gave away a free magazine to their customers. He did not realize how much of an impact his marketing efforts would have, but he understood the concept behind content marketing. Likewise, Michelin published a guide to Paris attractions in the 1900s. The company also gave away recipe pamphlets door to door.

To be successful, content marketing should be user-centric and serve your users’ needs. It should serve as a platform for achieving your goals, rather than merely promoting your brand. For example, you may want to create videos and increase social shares in order to boost your organic reach. Depending on the format you choose, you can focus on generating traffic and converting it into sales. Then, you can use your audience’s feedback to refine and improve your content marketing strategy.

Once you’ve developed a content calendar, you can use A/B testing to test different versions of your content. This will give you a more accurate result than a split test, and will help you iterate your content marketing strategy. Ultimately, your goal is to attract more customers and grow your business. In addition to using a content marketing strategy, it’s also essential to make your time and budget count. The key is to create a content calendar that is as detailed as possible.

The use of case studies and success stories is critical for a product or service that’s more expensive. In addition to highlighting your marketing ROI, case studies and success stories also help to reduce the perceived risk of a large purchase. As social proof, online customer reviews can help influence decision-making. It also provides valuable off-page SEO signals. And it’s a great way to showcase your company’s personality. For example, Terakeet’s customer success page features testimonials, which leverages social proof.

As a content marketing manager, you’re uniquely positioned to make a large impact on your company’s marketing efforts. You’re responsible for turning the marketing team into a revenue center. No two content marketing strategies are the same. Some use “blogging” while others utilize “video marketing.” And each differs in subtle ways. The key to success is to understand your buyer personas. And this means knowing what kind of content your customer wants.

Different types of content appeal to different audiences. For example, some consumers may prefer to read articles while others may find podcasts more appealing. Podcasts and videos appeal to a variety of learning styles. As a result, a strong content marketing strategy will leverage a variety of different forms. You might use one type of content in an inbound marketing campaign, while another would fit in perfectly with an account-based marketing initiative. Some forms of content support your sales team naturally.

Developing a targeted audience persona is crucial to the success of your content marketing. Your sales funnel is a basic framework for aligning your marketing and sales efforts. By developing personas, you can develop more effective content. Users are increasingly intent-driven and compare brands based on their needs, rather than their brand’s products. This helps you understand who your target audience is and how to target them effectively. It’s important to know what kind of content your customers need before you can create it.