Priyanka Shitole
It has been a long and ever-lasting debate – whether marketers should focus on quantity or quality of the content. It would be ideal to balance the two. Search engines like Google and its frequently changing algorithms have a stand on content creation. One of the SEO tactics is to produce fresh content, whereas recent algorithm updates demand unique and relevant content to all marketing efforts. While both of these strategies have their merits, the real challenge lies more in distributing the content than in creating it. Content marketing facilitates the delivery of content and brand values through the website and distribution channels, therefore, marketers should concentrate on the content distribution plans along with strategic content creation.
In 1996, Bill Gates said, “Content Is King. Content is where I expect much of the real money will be made on the Internet, just as it was in broadcasting.”
There is no shortcut to this formula. A brand should not only focus on crafting creative and valuable content but also put efforts in distributing it. Content is not exclusively for search engines; it serves the loyal and potential audience of the brand. It is a powerful communication tool that translates the brand equity. If a brand can offer fresh content and is able to reach the right audience, then that brand will have a stronger voice.
Millions of websites on the Internet and noise around the search engines pose a challenge to marketers to make their brands most visible. Content should be created keeping in mind some key elements such as social sharing and building relationships. When loyal customers and potential fans read an article or a blog about a brand, they are most likely to either share it on social media or via email, or engage as a committed audience. This either leads to building a larger audience through social channels or building and developing relationships with stakeholders, or both.
This info-graph by Entrepreneur.com shows the most common content creation patterns, their impacts, and the available channels to reach customers:
[Source: Entrepreneur.com]