What Is Content Marketing ?
Content marketing is a process of creating and publishing online content such as blogs, videos, e-books, podcasts, articles, social media posts etc. to attract large group of audience. It is a long-term marketing strategy that helps to attract potential customers and generate online sales. Content marketing is one of the best alternatives of traditional marketing, in which marketers can earn long lasting income with less effort and cost.
Benefits Or Advantages Of Content Marketing
The main advantages of content marketing strategy can be described as follows:
1. It Attracts More Audience
You can promote your content through different social media platforms such as Facebook, twitter, pinterest, Linkedin, youtube TikTok , etc. Search engine optimization helps to drive more traffic to you blog or website. Publishing informative content, proper SEO and sharing in social media helps to attract large group of targeted audience.
2. It Increases Conversion Rate
Because of high quality content and better promotion, it draws the attention of large audience. People start sharing your content through emails, and social media which makes the content viral on the internet. Because of wider coverage it increases visibility, generates leads and increases conversions.
3. It Is Simple And Cost Effect
If you have good writing skill, photography or videography skill then you can start content marketing. Content creators or bloggers can do their job from home. It is more cost effective than traditional marketing.
4. High And Long Lasting Income
Another benefit of content marketing is long lasting income. It can generate significant amount of income if you can produce better content because good content attracts more people. Evergreen contents (especially blog and website content) generate income for long period of time.
5. It Builds Customer Trust And Relationship
Content marketing helps to build trust and better relationship with customers. It increases customer loyalty, reputation and goodwill of your brand.
6. Best Alternative For Traditional Marketing
Most people feel irritated by display banners and other forms of traditional advertisements. They use ad blockers to get rid of such advertisements. But content marketing provides relevant information to the audience. So, it may be a good alternative for those clients who want to avoid display ads.
Drawbacks Or Disadvantages Of Content Marketing
The main disadvantages of content marketing can be described as follows:
1. It Is Complex And Time Consuming
It requires very good writing skill to create written content, needs photography and videography skill to make audio visual content. Web development and SEO knowledge is required to promote the content on the internet. It takes more time to reach audience. So, content marketing is difficult and time taking process.
2. No Immediate Benefit
Producing valuable content is not an easy task. It requires good knowledge and research to find out useful content. It takes time to produce and promote the content in different social media platforms. So, it does not provide immediate benefit to the producer.
Also Read:
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Direct Marketing
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Digital Marketing
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Traditional Marketing
3. Requirement Of Special Skill And Knowledge
Content writing is a creative task. So, it requires adequate knowledge, good writing and other skills such as web development, search engine optimization skill, social media handling skill etc.
4. It Is Not Suitable For All Types Of Business
Content marketing is not suitable for some business such as taxi service, hair salon, beauty parlor etc.
5. It Is Influenced By The Change
Constant changes in trends, technology and peoples' interests, affects content marketing. It is very difficult to remain competitive in the changing environment.
Pros:
- It helps to reach more audience globally
- It consumes less time, effort and costs than traditional marketing
- It helps to increase traffic,which helps to generate lids, conversion and sales
- It improves brand awareness and customer loyalty
- It is far better than traditional marketing
Cons:
- It is a long term strategy, so it is a time consuming process
- There will be no immediate benefit
- It requires special skills, knowledge and creativity
- Changes in trends ,technology and government policy may influence this marketing strategy
- It is not applicable for all businesses
