Why Businesses Must Jump Into Content Marketing in 2017

I have always believed in the power of quality content.

As a little girl, classic books like The Chronicles of Narnia and Anne of Green Gables made me feel like I was a part of the story, experiencing it along with the characters.

I’ve never been able to tear my eyes away from movies which captured my imagination, inspired me, or simply entertained me for a well-spent two hours.

And ever since I started using the internet back in the ‘90s, I’ve come to believe quality content is available online, too, usually in the form of a groundbreaking new web series or a meaningful, introspective blog post from one of the web’s many talented writers.

But you know what? People with a creative bent aren’t the only ones who can make content that gets talked about. Businesses can, and often have, developed some pretty epic content marketing in the past.

An Example of First-Class Business Content

One of my favorite examples of great content is ModCloth. I’ve come to discover the clothing retailer’s blog frequently provides personable fashion and lifestyle inspiration, the quality and interestingness of which is hard to find on any other retailer’s blog.

I’m able to find useful posts such as how to recreate retro makeup looks, and inspirational content on the brand’s #StyleForAll size inclusivity initiative. And if I look beyond the blog, ModCloth has an enthusiastic community which essentially generates organic content marketing by posting photos of their wardrobes and styles incorporating the site’s products.

Because of these reasons (and having become something of a vintage junkie over the last year), I now include ModCloth in my top three retro store selections when I’m looking for new clothing options.

That’s the power of quality content.

The Importance of Content Marketing This Year

Content marketing is the best way to invest in your community and build a loyal audience. This marketing method takes a while, but it’s effectiveness is starting to gain appreciation and recognition across all businesses with an online presence.

In fact, I believe in the value of content marketing so much that I made it my business to help other businesses attract customers with relevant, on-point, and engaging content.

I also believe as the internet grows, and more and more businesses get online, creating quality content within a well-planned (and executed) content marketing strategy will be key to setting yourself up as an expert and attracting new customers.

And I’m not alone in this theory; a recent survey by Smart Insights of over 2,300 marketers found content marketing will be the top digital marketing technique of 2017. On top of that, Demand Gen discovered in their survey that:

• 51% of B2B companies rely on content to make purchasing decisions
• 47% of all surveyed businesses preferring to look at at least three to five pieces of content before buying
• 96% of B2B companies would like to see more content involving industry leaders

Now is your chance to make a move and up your content marketing game, especially if your competitors aren’t investing their own efforts into the marketing strategy.

If you’re ready to start or improve your content marketing efforts for 2017, I’m here to help. Let’s get you all those raving fans you deserve, and turn this year into one you’ll never forget.

Header image unchanged from Joe the Goat Farmer via CC