As a marketer, you know that content is important. But what is content marketing, exactly? And how can you use it to achieve your marketing goals?

That's what I’ll cover in this guide.

By the end, you'll have a solid understanding of content marketing, why it matters, and how to use it to drive results for your business. I'll also cover the best content marketing strategies (with examples) that you can use to get started.

So, let's start with a content marketing definition.

Disclosure: This content may contain a few affiliate links, which means if you click on them, I will get a commission (without any extra cost to you).

What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

In other words, it's using content to create a connection between your brand and your potential and current customers, by providing information that is helpful, relevant, and interesting.

Content marketing is more than just a buzzword. It’s an essential part of any modern marketing strategy.

Why?

Because today’s consumers are bombarded with marketing messages from all sides. To cut through the noise, you need to create content that is not only informative and helpful but also interesting and engaging.

The good news is, content marketing can be an extremely effective way to drive sales and grow your business when done right.

And, I am saying this from experience.

Creating insightful articles on topics related to different digital marketing strategies, tips, and tools has helped me attract over 110K monthly visitors to my website and generated tens of thousands of leads for my business.

monthly traffic of shanebarker.com

Now, I am not saying that all of these visitors and leads converted into customers. But, without content marketing, it would have been impossible to get them in the first place.

So, if you're not already using content marketing, I urge you to start.

And if you are using content marketing, but not seeing the results you want, then this guide is for you.

In the next section, I'll help you take a look at some of the most important content marketing statistics that show why you need to be using this strategy.

Why is Content Marketing So Important?

Content marketing is so important because it is one of the most effective ways to reach your target audience and achieve your marketing and business goals.

If you do it right, content marketing can help you with a lot of things. You can use it to:

  • Educate your potential customers or leads.
  • Increase brand awareness.
  • Attract targeted consumers and build relationships with them to increase loyalty.
  • Boost conversions and sales.
  • Build a community around your brand.
  • Save money that you’d otherwise spend on other marketing tactics that generate fewer results.
  • Build trust and credibility.
  • Boost your SEO efforts.
  • Retain customers and build loyalty.

If you're not convinced that content is necessary to any modern marketing strategy, let me show you some statistics that prove just how important it is.

49% of marketing teams spend between 30%-50% of their total marketing budget on content. And, 5% of teams go all in by spending 71% of their marketing budget on content.

content marketing budget of companies

That’s how much brands are willing to invest in content.

But why?

Because content marketing has proven to generate better quality leads, increase organic traffic to your website, and improve brand reputation.

In fact, it generates almost 3x more leads than outbound marketing and costs only 28% of the latter.

How Does Content Marketing Work?

Content marketing works by creating and sharing valuable content that attracts and engages your target audience and helps you convert them into actual sales and revenue.

But to use it effectively, you need to provide people with the right information at every stage of the customer lifecycle – from awareness to purchase and beyond.

Here are the different types of content that can help keep your consumers engaged throughout their journey:

Stages of the Buying Cycle

Types of Content

Points to Talk About

Awareness stage

Blog posts

Videos

Ebooks

Newsletters

How-to guides

Educational content

Your audience’s pain points, challenges, and questions.

How to solve a problem.

Consideration stage

How-to articles and videos

Checklists

Case studies

Product comparisons

Helpful information about choosing the right product or service.

The features to look for.

A brief introduction to what you are offering and how it can help.

Pros and cons of different products/services.

Decision stage

Case studies

Product reviews

User-generated content (UGC)

Product videos

How great your product or service is.

Your expertise.

The advantages you offer.

Types of Content Marketing

There are several different types of content that can be used for content marketing, including blog posts, articles, ebooks, infographics, videos, and more. The best way to determine which type of content is right for you is to think about what your goals are and what would be most helpful for your target audience.

For example, if you’re trying to attract new customers, you might want to create content that is educational and informative. If you’re trying to build loyalty and retention, you might want to focus on creating content that is entertaining and engaging.

Here are some of the most popular types of content marketing:

Blog Content Marketing

A blog is a great way to share your thoughts and ideas with the world. In addition to being a platform for you to express yourself, a blog can also be used to attract new customers and build relationships with your existing ones.

To be successful with blog content marketing, you should follow the tips below:

  • Identify a niche you're passionate about and have knowledge about.
  • Come up with at least a month of topic ideas for your blog.
  • Maintain a consistent posting schedule.
  • Make sure all of your blog posts are well-written, informative, and engaging.
  • Include call-to-actions (CTAs) in your blog posts to encourage your readers to take action.
  • Promote your blog content through social media and other channels.

Infographic Content Marketing

An infographic is a visual representation of data or information and is often used to make complex topics more accessible and easy to understand.

Creating an infographic is a great way to take a large amount of data and turn it into something that is both visually appealing and easy to digest.

To be successful with infographic content marketing, you should follow the tips below:

  • Choose topics related to your business niche. You can choose to answer your target audience’s most asked questions.
  • Research your topic thoroughly and come up with an attention-grabbing headline.
  • Find or create high-quality visuals to support your data.
  • Use pre-designed infographic templates to speed up the design process and ensure a professional result.
  • Make sure your infographic is easy to understand and digest. It should not overwhelm the reader with too much information.
  • Include a clear call-to-action (CTA) at the end of your infographic to encourage your readers to take action.
  • Promote your infographic through social media and other channels. Infographics work especially well to drive traffic from Pinterest.

Social Media Content Marketing

Social media is a great platform for content marketing because it allows you to share your content with a large audience quickly and easily. It also allows you to interact with your audience and get feedback on your content.

Here are some tips for creating effective social media content and generating good results from it:

  • Make sure your content is interesting and relevant to your audience.
  • Experiment with all content formats that a social media platform offers, varying from single images to carousels, videos, Stories, paid ads, Reels, Live videos, etc.
  • Make sure your headlines are attention grabbing and interesting.
  • Don’t forget to use relevant hashtags, as they can help increase the reach of your content.
  • Encourage users to engage with your content by asking questions, running polls, or using other interactive features that each social media platform offers.
  • Post regularly and at optimal times for your audience.
  • Repurpose your blog content into social media posts or create social media-specific content.
  • Collaborate with other brands and creators to amplify your reach and attract new followers.
  • Regularly post Stories to keep your audience engaged.
  • Re-share your best-performing content every three-four months to boost its reach and engagement.
  • Monitor your social media analytics to see what content is resonating with your audience and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Video Content Marketing

Videos are a great way to show off your products or services in a way that is both engaging and informative. In fact, according to Wyzowl, 88% of people say that they have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand's video.

When creating videos for your content marketing strategy, it's important to keep in mind that you don't have to go big or go home. A simple video that demonstrates what your product does or how your service can help solve a problem can be extremely effective.

If you're not sure where to start, consider the following tips:

  • Keep it short and sweet as people have short attention spans. Make sure your videos hook their attention within the first few seconds.
  • Make it visually appealing as people are naturally drawn to visuals.
  • Use emotion to connect with your audience on a deeper level as this can be extremely effective in getting people to take action.
  • Tell a story as this is a great way to engage your audience and make them remember your video.
  • Feature product videos on your website and on social media to give potential customers a better idea of what you have to offer.
  • You can also repurpose your top-performing blog content into a video format to reach a wider audience.
  • Maintain a consistent branding message across all of your video content to ensure that your target audience knows who you are and what you stand for.

By following these tips, you can create videos that will help you achieve your content marketing goals.

Paid Ad Content Marketing

Paid advertising is a form of content marketing where you pay to have your content seen by potential customers. Paid ads can be a great way to reach a large audience quickly, but they can also be expensive.

When deciding whether or not to use paid advertising, you'll need to consider your budget and your goals.

If you're trying to reach a large audience with your content, paid ads may be a good option. However, if you're trying to build long-term relationships with your customers, organic content marketing may be a better choice.

There are many different types of paid advertising, including:

  • Display ads: These are the ads that you typically see on websites. They can be text, images, or videos.
  • Social media ads: These are ads that you see on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  • Search engine ads: These are the ads that you see when you do a search on a search engine, such as Google or Bing.
  • Native advertising: This is a type of paid advertising that blends in with the content on the page. For example, you may see an ad that looks like an article but is actually an advertisement.

Paid advertising can be a great way to reach your target audience. However, it's important to use it wisely. Make sure that your ads are relevant to your audience and that they add value to the content on your site.

Most brands use paid ads when they are promoting a new product or service, or when they want to increase awareness about an event or sale.

If you're not sure whether paid advertising is right for you, consider talking to a content marketing professional.

Podcast Content Marketing

Podcast content marketing or podcasting is a newly popular way to engage with customers and build loyalty.

Unlike other forms of content marketing, podcasts are usually audio-only, which makes them more intimate and personal. You can think of them as a radio show that your audience can tune into anytime, anywhere.

Podcasts are perfect for customers who are always on the go, or who prefer to consume content in an audio format. And because they can be easily downloaded and listened to offline, they're also great for customers with spotty internet connections.

You'll be surprised to know that over 104 million Americans (that's almost one-third of the total population) listen to podcasts regularly.

To engage with this huge audience, you can either launch your own podcast or join other podcast hosts in your niche as a guest speaker. I’ve done both!

You must have heard of my “Marketing Growth Podcast” and I’ve been on podcast episodes of many top publishers such as IZEA and CoSchedule.

With my experience, I’d like to share some tips for all those who are starting with podcast content marketing. Here you go:

  • Create an email list before launching your podcast.
  • Choose topics that your audience wants to learn about.
  • Launch your podcast with a few episodes and see how well it works.
  • Whether you invite a guest or join someone else as a guest on their podcast, research them and the topic first.
  • Make the conversation fun and engaging.
  • Don’t be salesy. Ensure that your podcast episodes are at least 80% informational and provide valuable and helpful information that can solve your audience’s problems or make their lives easier.
  • Candidly ask your audience to take an action if they like your podcast.
  • Submit your podcast to all aggregators and directories such as Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
  • Ensure good sound quality and provide transcripts. I recommend that you use a tool like Otter.ai to automate transcription. It’s quite efficient and accurate in my experience.
  • Invite relevant guest speakers to add more value to your podcast.
  • Use your guest’s network to increase the reach of your podcast episodes.
  • Break down your podcast episodes into smaller clips, quotes, snippets, and key takeaways. You can amplify the reach of your podcast content by sharing these on your website and social media profiles.
  • Engage with your audience on social media.
  • Track new listeners and social mentions.

How to Get Started with Content Marketing

Content marketing can feel daunting but it doesn’t have to be.

When it comes to getting started with content marketing, I’d love to quote something from HubSpot’s Director of Content, Lisa Dahmani.

She said that you can only earn attention by providing value. The key to content marketing success lies in creating remarkable content and publishing it where your audience is.

the key to content marketing success
Source

In this section, I’ll show you how to do just that in a step-by-step process for effective content marketing. So, keep reading!

Set SMART Goals and KPIs

First things first, every good campaign starts with setting SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

Here are some common content marketing goals and the related key performance indicators (KPIs) that can help you track whether or not you’re on the right track.

GoalsRelated KPIs
Increase brand awarenessWebsite traffic
Social media followers
Email subscribers
Brand mentions
Increase customer engagementBlog comments
Social media engagement (likes, comments, shares, follows, etc.)
Backlinks
Get more conversionsNumber of clicks on product pages or the “Add to cart” button
Conversion rate
Shopping cart abandonment rate
Boost revenueEveryday sales
Build trust and increase brand loyaltyNumber of retained customers
Referral orders
Customer lifetime value (CLV)
Promoters and followers
Brand mentions
Build an email listEmail subscribers
Number of ebooks/templates downloads

Understand Your Audience Better

To meet your goals and KPIs, you need to understand your audience and create buyer personas for each campaign you launch and each piece of content you create.

It’s important to understand:

  • Fast facts about your target audience such as their age, gender, location, occupation, income, marital status, etc.
  • What matters to your potential and existing customers.
  • The demand for your product or service.
  • The potential USPs of your product or service.
  • The general thoughts and feedback of people who have tried or used your product or service.
  • Where your brand stands in the eyes of those who would buy from you. Have they heard of your brand? What do they think of your brand? How much do they trust you?
  • How strong the other players in the market are.

Understanding your target audience and buying personas can help you draft a more effective content strategy over time.

Pro tip: Conducting market research and customer satisfaction surveys shouldn’t be a one-time affair. It has to be a regular job if you want to stay up-to-date about what’s working and what’s not and what can.

If you think it’s a troublesome job, consider using some of my favorite survey tools that will make this job as easy as possible for you.

Conduct Content Audits Regularly

Before you devise or upgrade your content marketing strategy, it is essential to analyze the current performance of your already-published content.

Doing so can help you:

  • Improve the user experience on your website.
  • Identify your best-performing content and find ways to increase its visibility.
  • Find content gaps and opportunities.
  • Improve your site’s SEO and SERP rankings.
  • Identify website and content issues such as broken links, outdated statistics, and slow load times.

All of this will ultimately help you increase your content’s visibility online and benefit your business in multiple ways – from more traffic to better leads and a higher conversion rate.

That’s why 65% of companies that generate successful results from their content marketing campaigns perform content audits twice a year.

Conducting audits and updating the content has helped many brands increase engagement, reach, and traffic.

the benefits of updating content regularly
Source

Content updating is one of my go-to strategies to make my content work to the best of its potential and it works well for my website.

For example, I recently updated my post on “Top Female YouTubers” with the latest information about:

  • The total number of subscribers they have on their channels now
  • The types of content they create
  • What makes them unique

I also removed the YouTubers who have stopped sharing video content on YouTube and added new rising stars to the list.

Plus, I added a quick table that features the names + links of the YouTube channels of the top 10 female YouTubers, sorted by the current number of subscribers they have, in descending order.

top 25 female youtubers

This helped me improve the user experience by providing the information readers need in an easy-to-consume manner.

In turn, it helped me rank my post on the top of the first page of Google search results and also be feature as the answer to two questions.

my post ranked on first page of google

To achieve similar results, I suggest that you keep an eye on how your content is performing and ensure that it is up-to-date with the latest information, statistics, data, and feedback from your readers.

Choose Your Content Marketing Channels

Deciding on the content marketing channels you want to invest in each year can help you stay focused on your goals and create a consistent brand experience for your audience across all touchpoints.

Here are the top 10 most popular content marketing channels:

top 10 content marketing channels
Source

However, your choice of content marketing channels should depend on where your target audience is spending most of their time online.

To find that out, consider conducting audience research or using Google Analytics to see which channels are already sending traffic your way.

You can also use social media listening tools to track conversations about your brand or industry and see which channels you should be paying more attention to.

Decide on the Type of Content You Want to Create

Now that you know which content marketing channels to focus on, it’s time to decide what kind of content you want to create.

There are several different types of content you can create, but some of the most popular and effective ones include:

  • Blogs
  • Videos
  • Ebooks
  • Infographics
  • Whitepapers
  • Case studies
  • How-to guides
  • Product demos and tours
  • Tutorials
  • User manuals
  • Templates
  • Checklists
  • Calculators
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes and games

As you can see, there’s a lot of different content you can create, but not all content is created equal.

Some formats perform better than others.

For example, blog posts tend to get more traffic and engagement than other types of content, like videos or infographics. This is likely because they are easier to produce and consume.

On the other hand, specialized content, like videos or infographics, can be more effective at generating leads or sales because they offer a richer and more immersive experience to the viewers.

However, not all types of content will be right for your business or your audience. When deciding on the types of content to create, you should consider these factors:

  • Your business goals
  • The needs of your target audience
  • The challenges they are trying to overcome
  • The reason your audience needs your products or services
  • Your budget and resource constraints
  • The skills and expertise you have in-house
  • The popularity of different content formats in your industry
  • The content formats your target audience prefers to get information
  • Your competitors’ content strategies

Once you’ve decided on the types of content you want to create, it’s time to start thinking about your content creation and distribution strategy.

But before that, it’s important to ensure that you have everything you need to start creating high-quality, conversion-driven content.

Get the Resources and Tools You Need

Creating quality content requires time, effort, and expertise. And if you want your content to be successful, you’ll need the right tools as well as the right team in place.

Here are some of the resources and tools you need for content marketing:

  • A team of experienced content writers, editors, copywriters, designers, strategists, SEO specialists, analysts, etc.
  • A content calendar to help you map out and plan your content strategy
  • A project management tool to help you keep track of your content production. My team is currently using ClickUp to put everything in place and it’s working great!
  • Content research tools like BuzzSumo, Google Trends, and Semrush, to help you understand what topics are trending and what keywords people are searching for.
  • Content writing and optimization assistants like Jasper, Grammarly, Copyscape, and Surfer to help you write better, faster, and more SEO-friendly content.
  • A good CMS (content management system) to help you manage and publish your content. I personally recommend WordPress.
  • A social media management tool like Hootsuite.
  • A graphic design software solution like Adobe Photoshop or a subscription to Canva for easy-breezy templates.
  • A camera for taking good quality pictures and videos.
  • Pay for ad spaces (if needed).
  • An email marketing tool like Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
  • And last but not least, a solid understanding of your target audience, their needs, and their wants.

This is just a basic checklist of some of the things you need for content marketing. Of course, the list can go on and on depending on your specific needs. But if you have all of these in place, then you’re well on your way to content marketing success.

Here is another list of some of my tried-and-tested content marketing platforms that may help and what you can use them for. Be sure to check it out.

Next comes the process of actually creating and distributing content.

Create Original, Engaging, and Informative Content & Distribute It

Content creation is one of the most important aspects of a content marketing strategy, and it needs to be given careful thought and attention. After all, the quality of your content is what will determine whether or not you achieve your content marketing goals.

The good news is, creating great content isn’t as difficult as it may seem. With a little planning and effort, you can start producing content that will resonate with your audience and help you achieve your business goals.

Here are a few tips on creating quality content:

  • Make sure your content is original and engaging. There’s a lot of content out there, so yours must stand out. Write original articles, create infographics, and produce videos that are interesting and informative.
  • Do your research. Make sure you understand your topic inside and out. This will not only make your content better, but it will also make the writing process easier.
  • Create a catchy headline. Your headline is the first thing people will see, so make sure it’s attention-grabbing and relevant to the rest of your content.
  • Optimize your content for the search engines. SEO (search engine optimization) will help ensure that your content is seen by as many people as possible. Use keywords throughout your content, and make sure to include links to other relevant articles and websites.
  • Distribute your content on social media and other platforms. While promoting your content on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn is a great way to get your content in front of more people, you can also syndicate it on websites like Medium.
  • Write for other publications. Many publications accept guest articles. This is a great way to get your name and your work out there.

This practice has helped me acquire 103K backlinks from 8K domains and build my authority as a digital marketing expert.

my backlinks and referring domains
  • Repurpose your content. Once you’ve created a piece of content, don’t let it sit idly by. Turn it into an infographic, a podcast, or a video. This will help you get the most out of your content and reach more people.

Content marketing takes time, effort, and planning. But if you create quality content and distribute it on the right platforms, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your business goals.

Analyze and Measure Results

Finally, it’s important to analyze and measure the results of your content marketing efforts. This will help you understand what’s working and what’s not, and it will allow you to make necessary adjustments to your strategy.

Here are a few tools you can use to track your content marketing results:

By analyzing your results, you can fine-tune your content marketing strategy and ensure that you’re getting the most out of your efforts.

The Best Content Marketing Strategies Today

Now that you understand what content marketing is and how it works, it’s time to put that knowledge into practice.

To help you get started, here are some of the most successful content marketing techniques being used today by marketers:

successful content marketing tactics
Source

Let’s learn about them in detail:

Create Skyscraper Content

The first content marketing strategy on our list is “skyscraper content.” This technique was popularized by Brian Dean of Backlinko.

The basic idea is simple: find popular content in your niche and then create something even better.

To pull this off, you can use Google Search or BuzzSumo to look for content with high pageviews or social shares in your niche.

Once you’ve found some popular content, it’s time to create your own version.

To do this, simply make a list of all the things you could improve about the popular content. This could be anything from adding more graphics to making the content easier to read.

Remember, the goal is to make your content even better than the popular piece you found.

To do this, you may need to invest in some additional resources, such as hiring a designer or copywriter.

However, the investment will be worth it, as you’ll be able to attract links and social shares from the existing audience of the popular content.

Improve Content Quality

Focus on creating higher-quality content if you want your content marketing strategy to be successful.

This may seem like an obvious statement, but it’s important to create content that is well-researched, engaging, and informative. If you can do this, your content will stand out from the sea of mediocre content that is out there.

To improve your content quality, make sure to:

  • Research your topics thoroughly.
  • Write in a clear, concise, and easy-to-read style.
  • Engage your readers by using strong storytelling.
  • Use images, infographics, and videos to break up your text and add visual interest.
  • Edit your content thoroughly before publishing.

Invest in SEO

If you want your content to be seen by as many people as possible, it’s important to make it rank in the top search results for relevant queries. For this, you’ll need to invest in search engine optimization.

You should:

  • Research the best keywords for your content.
  • Include these keywords throughout your content, including in the title, headings, and body text.
  • Optimize your website for search engines and page speed.
  • Make sure your website is mobile friendly.
  • Use social media to promote your content.

Create More Visual Content

People are visual creatures, and they tend to engage with visual content more than text-based content.

If you want to capture your audience’s attention, it’s a good idea to create more visual content. This could include creating infographics, videos, or images to accompany your blog posts.

If you’re not sure where to start, there are plenty of online tools that can help you create visual content.

Canva is a great option for creating infographics, charts, and social media graphics. Similarly, you can use video editing apps like InShot to create videos for your social media channels or website.

Update and Repurpose Existing Content

If you don’t have the time or resources to create new content from scratch, then don’t worry – you can still give your content marketing a boost by updating and repurposing your existing content.

This could involve:

  • Adding new sections to old blog posts.
  • Updating data and statistics in existing infographics.
  • Creating new videos or podcasts from existing blog posts.
  • Turning a blog post into an infographic or a video.

This is a great way to get more mileage out of your content and reach a new audience. And I'm a big fan of anything that makes my life easier!

I’ve got a whole list of posts that I want to update each month. Here’s a snapshot of my “Revamping Posts” dashboard on ClickUp:

revamping content plan

These posts are selected based on a number of factors:

  • A drop in search rankings traffic
  • Engagement with the post (likes, shares, comments)
  • The relevance of the topic to current trends
  • Any new industry update related to the topic

For example, with the new 2022 Instagram update, the photo-sharing app now allows users to directly add spaces in their post captions and bios by hitting the “Enter” key.

Earlier, users had to either copy-paste the caption from another app such as the Notes app or use emojis and symbols to add spaces and line breaks.

With the latest update, the process got simpler and I felt the need to update my article on, “How to Add Spaces on Instagram Captions & Bios” to keep my readers updated with the latest information on the topic.

So I added this quick section to the post:

add spaces to instagram captions and bio

This quick update is the reason why my article is still relevant to the topic and is ranking at the top of Google search results.

my post ranking on page 1 of google

In all, revamping existing content has helped me save time, get better results, and improve my SEO. If you’re looking for an easy way to improve your content marketing strategy, then this is it.

Successful Content Marketing Examples to Inspire You

Let’s look at a few examples that will help you figure out how to implement the content marketing techniques and tips that we’ve discussed in this article for your brand.

HubSpot Academy Courses: The Free Marketing Resource That Builds Loyalty

HubSpot, a leading CRM company, offers free marketing and sales courses through their HubSpot Academy. The courses are interactive and include quizzes, videos, and resources that help learners progress through the course material.

hubspot academy courses
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What’s more?

HubSpot also offers certifications for those who want to show that they’ve completed the coursework and can apply the concepts in a real-world setting.

To date, the HubSpot Academy has certified over 165,000 professionals and helped them see growth in their careers.

While this sounds like giving value for free, it’s actually a smart marketing move. By providing quality content and resources, HubSpot is able to attract top talent to their brand and convert them into customers or employees down the road.

What should you learn from HubSpot?

  • Create high-quality content that provides value to your target audience and helps them progress in their career or business journey.
  • Make the content interactive and engaging, using quizzes, videos, and other resources.
  • Consider creating short content that is easy to consume and can be completed in one sitting.
  • Don’t forget to promote your content through social media, email, and other channels to reach your target audience.

IKEA's Augmented Reality App: Try Before You Buy Catalog

In 2017, IKEA launched an augmented reality (AR) experience app version of their print catalog. The app, called “IKEA Place,” lets users place virtual furniture in their homes to see how it would look before they buy it.

ikea's augmented reality app
Source

This was an innovative way to use AR technology and give customers a new way to interact with the IKEA brand. It’s also an example of how IKEA is always looking for new ways to engage its customers and provide them with value.

To date, the app has been downloaded 31.3 million times, with an average rating of 4.6 stars. It successfully attracted and retained young customers and introduced the “try before you buy” concept across the retail industry.

What should you learn from IKEA?

  • Always be on the lookout for new technologies that you can use to engage your customers and provide them with value.
  • Think outside the box to come up with new and innovative ways to market your products or services.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment with new ideas – even if they don’t all work out, you’ll learn from the process and be better prepared for next time.

Red Bull: The Content Marketing Kings

When it comes to content marketing, no one does it better than Red Bull. This energy drink company has built an entire empire by creating and distributing high-quality content that is entertaining, informative, and inspirational.

Red Bull’s content marketing efforts are so successful that the company has its own media arm, “Red Bull Media House.” This division produces award-winning films, TV shows, and events that are watched by millions of people around the world.

And it focuses on video content more than any other type of content, with over 10.7M subscribers on its YouTube channel alone.

The company often partners with athletes and daredevils to promote their idea – “Red Bull Gives You Wings.”

Here's one short video clip the company posted on Instagram:

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What’s more?

Red Bull doesn’t just create content for the sake of it – everything they produce is in line with their brand identity and mission. As a result, their content is highly effective at attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.

What should you learn from Red Bull?

  • Focus on creating high-quality, entertaining, and inspiring content.
  • Create content that is aligned with your brand identity and mission.
  • Use videos to reach a wider audience.
  • Collaborate with other relevant brands, influencers, and consumers to create co-branded content.

Coca-Cola: The Soft Drink Giant That Conquered Social Media

Coca-Cola is one of the most popular soft drink brands in the world, and it has used content marketing to build a massive social media following.

The company has millions of followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And they regularly post engaging content that is liked, shared, and commented on by millions of people.

For example, their “Share a Coke” campaign encouraged people to buy bottles of Coke with their names on them and share photos of themselves drinking the soda with friends and family.

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This campaign was so successful that 1.25 million more teens tried a Coke during that summer and it led to a phenomenal 11% increase in sales in the U.S. alone.

. coca-cola's share a coke success story

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Coca-Cola also uses content marketing to run successful PR campaigns.

For instance, their “Open Happiness” campaign was created in response to the global financial crisis of 2008. The feel-good ads and videos produced by the company helped to boost their image and sales during a difficult time.

What can you learn from Coca-Cola?

  • Use content marketing to increase your social media following.
  • Create campaigns that are timely and relevant to current events.
  • Focus on producing personalized and feel-good content that will make people happy and encourage them to take an action.

Nike: The Sportswear Giant That Uses Stories to Sell

Nike is one of the world’s most successful sportswear brands, and they have used content marketing to great effect.

The company tells stories to sell their products, and they have produced some iconic ad campaigns over the years.

For example, their “Just Do It” slogan and ads featuring famous athletes like Michael Jordan have helped to make Nike one of the most recognized brands in the world.

Nike also produces high-quality content to promote their products.

For example, their “Nike Run Club” app provides users with a personalized running experience and has been downloaded over 10 million times, with an average rating of 4.2 stars.

nike run club app for runners
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What can you learn from Nike?

  • Use stories to sell your products.
  • Create ad campaigns that are iconic and memorable.
  • Produce high-quality content that provides value to your consumers.

The Takeaway

As you can see from these examples, there are many different ways to approach content marketing.

The key is to find a method that works for your business and your audience.

By creating quality content that provides value to your readers, you’ll be able to build a loyal following and achieve your business goals.

Content Marketing FAQs

1. What do content marketers do?

Content marketers create and distribute valuable, relevant, and consistent content with the aim of attracting and retaining a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, driving profitable customer action.

– To achieve business goals, content marketers:
– Perform content audits regularly.
– Define the brand's target audience and buyer personas.
– Conduct market research to understand what other brands are doing.
– Set goals and KPIs for their work.
– Come up with a content strategy, and define the types of content to create and the channels to use to promote it.
– Create an editorial calendar to map out topics, types of content, and the publishing schedule.
– Create, curate, and publish high-quality content that's both original and differentiated from the competition.
– Optimize content for search engine rankings and social sharing.
– Promote content through SEO, social media, email marketing, and other channels.
– Analyze metrics to understand which pieces of content are resonating with the audience and driving results.
– Update and repurpose existing content to keep it fresh and relevant.
– Work with other departments and teams to ensure that content aligns with the overall marketing strategy.

2. What is the content marketing process?

The generic content marketing process includes steps like these:

Plan: Before you do anything, you need to have a solid plan in place. This means knowing your goals, understanding your audience, and creating a strategy.

Create: Once you have a plan in place, it’s time to start creating your content. This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, ebooks, and more.

Promote: Once your content is created, you need to promote it to reach your target audience. This can be done through social media, email marketing, paid advertising, and more.

Analyze: After your content has been published, it’s important to analyze its performance. This will help you understand what’s working and what isn’t so you can adjust your strategy accordingly.

3. What is good content marketing?

Good content marketing refers to creating and distributing content that is valuable, relevant, and interesting to your target audience. It helps you successfully attract, engage, and retain
customers by providing them with information that they need and want.

Here are a few tips to do good content marketing:

– Understand your audience and their needs.
– Create content that is valuable, relevant, and interesting to your target audience.
– Distribute your content through channels that your audience frequents.
– Monitor and measure your results.
– Repurpose and reuse your content.
– Update and improve your content regularly.

4. What is an example of content marketing?

There are many examples of successful content marketing but one of my personal favorites is the story of HubSpot, a software company that provides inbound marketing and sales solutions.

HubSpot’s blog is full of high-quality content that attracts a large audience. This, in turn, helps it generate leads and sales for its SaaS solutions.

Along with publishing insightful articles, guides, and ebooks, HubSpot also launched HubSpot Academy, which offers free online marketing courses with certifications. The marketers who learn from their courses are likely to use their tools, which benefits the company in the long run.

This is just one example of how a company can use content marketing to achieve its business goals. There are many other ways to use this strategy, which I've explored in this article.

Grow Your Brand with Content Marketing

Content marketing is one of the most important aspects of digital marketing. It involves creating and distributing original, informative, and engaging content to attract and retain customers.

Unlike other forms of marketing, content marketing focuses on building relationships rather than pitching products or services. That's why it is important to understand your target audience and create content that appeals to their needs and interests.

You can use content marketing to increase your brand awareness, attract more website visitors, generate leads, increase customer engagement, boost sales, and retain customers.

Now that you know what content marketing is and how you can use it to achieve your marketing goals, it's time to implement what you've learned so far.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments section below.

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