Content marketing and inbound marketing have become terms that are used almost interchangeably. But, though there is much overlap between them, they are nonetheless different.

Inbound marketing, as the term suggests, is the answer or reaction to outbound marketing. Instead of placing display adverts on various platforms exterior to your own website, blog or publication such as billboards, magazines and TV, you let your audience find you online through search engines and social media platforms.

Obviously being visible on Google search and creating brand awareness on the major social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and, increasingly, Google+ is crucial to driving traffic to your site, which you can then convert into leads and eventually sales.

But once the client is on your site you need to be able to add value to their experience and perception of your brand. You need to be able to offer them something at each step in the sales cycle from research to post-sale, and content marketing can fill that gap.

Content marketing is way to engage your client, or potential client, by creating value-adding information relating to your product or service either directly or broadly. Once you have a strong content marketing strategy in place, you can begin to use the material for distribution, in lead nurturing, for example.

With content marketing you can make use of the numerous advantages of inbound marketing and traditional marketing. A great example of this is Woolworth’s “Taste” magazine. The magazine is distributed in all Woolworth’s outlets and is of a high enough quality to warrant paying for it. But all of the products in the magazine, including all the ingredients for recipes and the like are available at Woolworths. So the content marketing strategy adopted by the company creates two or more sites of sales for them. It also creates a connection between quality content and quality products, which encourages positive brand identity and customer loyalty.

Content marketing is fairly new term, but the idea is an old one. It is using the power of story, of piquing interest and acquiring knowledge to sell products or services. Inbound marketing drives traffic, but content marketing drives people.

Sound Idea Digital is a full service digital marketing agency that specialises in content marketing.

We can develop a comprehensive content marketing strategy for your company |info@soundidea | soundidea.co.za

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