Smart Web Writing: The Customer-Centered Approach to Content Marketing

As a business owner, chances are you have heard of the term “content marketing” and how it is the surest way of garnering interest from wider demographics online. Though many lump content marketing in with analytics, algorithms, search trends and SEO, the game is about much more than numbers. While rushing to invest in content marketing may seem like a great idea right off, understanding its definition and purpose before deciding on a long-term investment can save you a lot of time, money and heartache.

Know the Difference

The difference between content marketing as defined by the Content Marketing Institute (CMI) and those in the SEO game could not be more different. According to the CMI website, the entire purpose of content marketing is focused on the people—attracting and retaining customers with regular content that is purposeful, relevant and aimed at communicating with a specific group of people without selling. What this means is that it is about producing content that is interesting to the people you are trying to target. The entire idea is that people not only drive networks, they should also drive topical content. All other tactics such as SEO, social media marketing, PPC and email marketing are meant to boost what you are already trying to do.

In the SEO game, the definition and purpose of content marketing has become much more about quantity vs. quality. More content with more search terms means more hits in the search engines. While SEO is definitely time-tested and works extremely well at driving traffic, the content produced is written for search engines, not people. While it is true that people themselves produce the information picked up by the analytics and algorithms, there is a big difference between what people search for and what they will stay for.

Content as a User Experience

We have stated before the importance of creating compelling content to connect with clients, but it is also important to understand how sacrificing this user experience for the purpose of SEO supremacy can be harmful as well. From an editorial standpoint, by investing in content marketing that is based on fish hooks in a search engine as opposed to enhancing a customer experience and gaining trust, your business runs the risk of not gaining a full return on the investment. The only way to produce great content that not only falls in line with what people are searching for, but also holds their interest and keeps them coming back for more, the emphasis must first be on the user experience and then supported by SEO and other forms of amplification. If we have said it once, we have said it a million times, for all of the technology that makes marketing easier, the one component that should never be forgotten is people. What they want. What they need. How it can improve their existence. Playing to that in all forms of content and creating solid relationships that go beyond analytics is what will make your investment worthwhile.