Is Content Still King?

As the web evolved, businesses changed. Traditional marketers began to look around as if to say: I don’t understand. Soon we saw the rise of digital marketing, SEO and the phrase ‘content is king’. It worked and we now produce more content than ever. In fact, the internet seems saturated with it. 100 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute.

Creating content on the web can often seem like shouting into a void. It leads many to wonder whether content is still as powerful as it once was. The answer is yes. It really is. However, it must be great content. It must be valuable, entertaining and informative. It must also be linked with a sound marketing strategy and fit around other aspects. Content alone is not enough.

Why is content king?
Content is king because traditional marketing avenues are drying up. Advertising is not as powerful as it once was. Only the big spenders can afford to play the advertising game. Similarly, traditional press is shrinking or too busy figuring out how to survive the change. You can’t rely solely on PR anymore.

Content builds trust and community
Your content will help web users form an impression of your business. It’s as important as your product itself. The way your business is perceived will have a huge impact on sales and conversions. This means putting serious time and effort into your blog, your web copy and images. Think carefully about everything you upload to YouTube, Facebook or Twitter. Craft your email and newsletters with precision.

When you solve problems for your users, you gain trust. You can provide information and entertainment through content. This will instantly create a relationship between you and your potential customer. Build trust and you build a long-term customer.

Content positions you as an expert
Solving problems for users before they’ve even spent a penny is key. With so many competitors out there, you have to prove yourself first. Content can help you do that. You could provide YouTube tutorials in your area of expertise or keep a regular advice blog. When customers need some serious professional help, they’ll turn straight to you.

Affordable Marketing
As a small business, content is your most affordable marketing tool. If your content is helpful and engaging, people will share it or repost it. Doing guest blogs and providing video content for others is another good way to spread the word. Modern SEO is reliant on your content spreading across the net, just ask a UK SEO company.

Volume is not king
Simply producing a ton of content with no aim or strategy is a waste of time. You can write 100 blogs a week for your site, but if it doesn’t help anyone it’s useless. You should aim to produce high quality, helpful content. You should integrate it with your marketing strategy to ensure your content reaches people. This should be done through emails, social media and PR.

Content is still king, but only if you do it right. Make it part of a larger strategy and take the time to craft great content. You’ll soon be building a loyal community, raising web traffic and increasing sales.