Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Is Content Marketing a Fad?

Content marketing is very popular now, but I would not be surprised to see the trend fade.  Why? Because many brands are not going to see the bang for their content marketing buck.  The reason is that in order for content marketing to be successful the content has to be engaging.  There are two ways to develop engaging content make it entertaining or have it provide value in your life.   For examples, look at RedBullUsa.com for entertaining and Home Depot for value.  Brands can provide value when they talk about things they know.  Too many brands are trying to create engaging content talking about things outside their expertise.  For instance, a grocery chain might write an article about mountain climbing.  I dont really want to read about mountain climbing from my grocery store, but I would read about recipes or how to buy the best fruit.  If a brand is going to create content outside of their expertise, it better be amazingly entertaining like Red Bull.  It is hard to develop truly entertaining content. 

The reality is that content marketing should not be a fad, it should be fundamental to a business.  It is about delivering a great customer experience, improving your offering, and introducing yourself to people.  All of those things are fundamental.  So the words "content marketing" may be mentioned less at some point in the future, but great companies will incorporate the practice into what they do.

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