The development of content marketing strategies is one of the most popular measures among those companies that want to gain presence in the media discourse. If properly planned and executed, they can have a great impact on brand recognition and position the company in key spaces.
However, establishing an effective content marketing strategy is a challenge that must be faced with the support of communication and marketing experts. Below, we share some basic concepts and factors to consider starting our content marketing activities, starting from the beginning.
What is content marketing?
Content marketing encompasses all those actions that seek to promote a brand through the creation, publication, and dissemination of valuable written or audiovisual content on different platforms.
The main characteristic of content marketing is the relevance of the information presented. All the contents that are developed provide value for the users to whom they are addressed. On this basis, the format or platform is totally flexible, although it is necessary to take them into account during the development phase to adapt to them.
What does content marketing bring to the corporate communication strategy?
Integrating content marketing into the corporate communication strategy allows a company to gain presence in the media discourse. At the same time, it strengthens the relationship with users or consumers, as well as with the media and journalists. All this is achieved thanks to the value of the content shared and its relevance to the company’s audiences and stakeholders.
Content marketing positions the brand as a relevant source of information, opinion or data. The objective of content marketing is that the different stakeholders find the information they are looking for in the materials shared by the company. Thus, it seeks to provide value in a direct way and to distinguish itself from other marketing discourses focused on sales.
The basics of developing a content marketing strategy
The steps to follow to create an effective content marketing strategy include:
- Define the objectives: what we want to explain and communicate, establish the basic goals to be achieved.
- Determine the target audiences: it is necessary to be clear about who we are going to address, since each group or profile will have different interests and needs or will be on different platforms and channels.
- Establish the key messages: write down the ideas that we want to transmit and share with the different audiences.
- Look for differential values: investigate how to differentiate the content to be developed from existing content, either through new information, innovative formats, alternative narratives or distinctive platforms and channels.
- Choose the formats to be used: study the best way to transmit the message, determining the medium (text, video, audio, image) and establishing combinations of contents that will enable the objectives to be achieved.
- Select the transmission platforms: choose how each content will be transmitted or published so that it reaches the target audience in the most direct and natural way possible.
- Reinforce the message: it is essential that the contents complement each other in order to strengthen the messages.
- Monitor results: establishing formulas for measuring results is essential to be able to adjust the strategy and improve it over time.
Content marketing and media: a winning combination
Supporting the corporate communication and public relations strategy with content marketing actions reinforces and improves results in several ways. Firstly, when a company analyzes the interests of journalists and adapts its messages accordingly, it strengthens its relationship with them. In this way, communicators identify the company as a source of quality information that is not only driven by economic interests, but also wants to actively participate in the information scenario.
The positioning of content in the media can take different forms:
- Press releases
- Opinion articles
- Interviews
- Expert communications on specific current issues
- Exclusive statements
- Sponsored content
Sponsored content, the great ally of content marketing
Complementing the organic content marketing strategy with sponsored actions in key media will raise its effect to a new level. However, the fact of contracting a space in a media does not imply leaving aside the strategic principles. Providing value to the public is still key, even if we have room to refer to the products, services or solutions offered by our company.
An elementary factor to be taken advantage of when publishing sponsored content is the measurement possibilities offered by the media, as well as the possibility of including direct links or giving the desired format to the piece.
The goal of content marketing: to capture the target audience
The goal of any content marketing strategy is to reach the audience with a narrative and data that captures their interest. In this way, the aim is to gain presence in a specific area and become a reference. This complements the process of approaching and getting to know the brand, boosting the customer journey. The company must aspire to become the reference in a specific subject, without fear of being very specific, to gain market share and impose itself on its competitors.
Content marketing as a pillar of the communication strategy
It is clear that content marketing plays a key role in the path of any company to become a reference in its sector. Audiences are used to having all the information they want in the palm of their hand and working to make your own stand out from the rest guarantees long-term
