Content Marketing: What is it and How Can it Help?

*Post updated April 2023*

There are many different definitions of content marketing. The CMI (Content Marketing Institute) describe it as a ‘strategic marketing approach’ and emphasise the importance of being consistent.

‘Content’ means any material you create (blogs, vlogs, webinars, infographics) and share online. The content isn’t designed to be a sales pitch, but tells people about you and your business so that they understand what you do.

The content you should create answers your visitors’ questions and give them information that they didn’t even know they needed, but benefits them once they have it. It’s about being helpful, and giving audiences something of value without having an ulterior motive.

[ctt template=”3″ link=”M_fG0″ via=”yes” ]Content marketing gives potential customers valuable information about what you do and how you can help them.[/ctt]

You’ll hear the phrase “know, like and trust” a lot in connection with content marketing, because your content lets your potential customers get an understanding of you as an individual and what your values are, and this encourages them to decide to do business with you (and not a competitor).

It’s easy to assume that this kind of approach is great for big consultancies or companies selling products rather than services, but that’s not the case. Anybody who’s considering visiting your heritage site, museum or gallery wants to know about it beforehand – so they can choose you over another venue.

What are the Benefits of Content Marketing?

Content marketing is a way to showcase your knowledge and expertise and what makes you unique.

Also, I think, it’s a response to changes in how people want to do business, find suppliers or purchase products, and this applies in their personal lives too. No matter what you’re promoting, website visitors or social media followers want to be able to consume your information in their own time.

Interruption marketing (i.e. old-style advertising) is increasingly unpopular. In fact, recent studies have shown that many people who use computers regularly now actively avoid looking at the right side of their screen, where adverts are usually shown. Google made an update to its search function which would seem to reflect this: sponsored results now only appear at the top of searches, rather than at the top and the right-hand side.

Buyer decisions are now much more two-way. Consumers ask questions of business before making a purchase or deciding to visit. So, they also feel more invested and valued as a customer.

How it Benefits Your Heritage Organisation

If you’re an academic, writer or freelancer in the history space, content helps people to learn what you do. They’ll view you as a reliable source and come to you for advice, making you a thought leader. It helps you stand out or differentiate yourself from everyone else.

If you’re part of a marketing team for a historic site or museum, content marketing offers a range of opportunities. You can highlight all or part of your collections and everything that makes you unique.

Depending on which platforms you’re using, you can share photos and videos of interesting artefacts or the building/property. Share snippets from the guided audio tours, or focus on one specific object.

Who owned or visited your venue? Was there a grand opening with royalty? If you manage a stately home, were there notable guests who spent a night there? Who was the family that lived there? What about the people who lived in the area? Is your town or county famous for manufacturing something (trains, chocolate, pottery)?

Content Marketing for Ethical Businesses

But what about if you run an ethical or environmental business? If your organisation puts its commitment to making the world a better place front and centre, then you need to be using content marketing to get your message out there.

One of the reasons that content works so well, as we’ve seen, is because it allows customers to get to know you better. You may have come across the term ‘business storytelling’ – this is a way of forming and strengthening connections with anyone who comes into contact with your company. They’re not designed to entertain; rather, they lead the reader closer to what you want them to do.

And ethical, environmental or B-Corp organisations are very well-suited to storytelling. If this is how you run your company, there must be a reason for it. What inspired you to make equality, diversity or social justice your focus? The background to how you made that decision should be shared with the world, and content marketing is they way to do so.

You might find this post helpful, or if you’d like to talk about your own content marketing, get in touch.