Three Steps to Generating Higher ROI From Content Marketing
In this article, you'll learn to...
- Prioritize the right metrics for content marketing
- Manage key decisions for content marketing
- Improve performance and ROI
Content has always been king, but now the kingdom is much larger and more powerful than ever. The importance of content in marketing has skyrocketed. Online media channels—possibly serving as the only source of information leading up to the purchase—allow your target audience to self-educate and become more-informed buyers. As a result, your audience is now less reliant on sales-oriented interactions with your company.
In this environment, content marketing can be extremely influential in driving high return on investment (ROI). But its greatest impacts can easily be missed if unmeasured and unmanaged.
Research has shown that content-oriented marketing initiatives that engage and educate are considered most effective at driving "high value leads most likely to convert to sales" (2010 Lenskold Group / emedia Lead Generation Marketing ROI study).
Though the impact of content marketing is equally important to B2C companies selling through retailers or direct, this research with B2B lead-generation marketers finds that ratings of effectiveness (Top 2 scores on a five-point scale) favor content marketing:
We'll now go through the three steps you can take to achieve higher ROI:
- Prioritize the right metrics for content marketing
- Manage key decisions for content marketing
- Improve performance and ROI
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Comments
Good article and I agree with nearly all of it. Except it seems to only focus on self-publication of content and utterly misses the huge values in engaging with existing media outlets with your knowledge and output. While "rolling your own" is certainly easier and less expensive than its ever been, marketers should certainly consider getting their content into recognized on- or offline media outlets for two basic reasons: First, existing media provide far higher credibility with readers (prospective customers) than self-published content such as white papers. Secondly and equally important is existing media typically have far broader reach into a particular audience segment community.
Perhaps the article didn't reference this is because the author isn't familiar with decades-long media relations practices that make editorial engagement and contributed content a normal practice, as well as self-publishing. Its one of the many aspects of Public Relations.
For more on this see the article at: http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2010/3900/content-marketing-has-been...
Given today's shortage of editorial staffing, due numerous factors, and the essential unlimited online editorial space available, virtually any content development campaign (This was referred to as publicity for a long time) can and should include media engagement and contribution. Yes, there is some sacrifice in control over content. Editors, in spite of being strapped for help, generally won't accept promotional fluff. But if you're creating high-value content, get some help from a PR pro who can apply your content and perhaps even help create some fresh material that will be published far more widely and likely more credibly than what you're posting on your site or putting out under your brand via social media. Additionally, traditional media can trigger content going viral. Its a two-way street.
This is the best/most informative articles I've read so far on this site! Having an effective content strategy in today's landscape is of the utmost importance for maximizing efforts. Along with thinking like marketing and pr professionals, we need to think like a publisher as well when crafting content for marketing and pr purposes.
Great Article!
Thx,
Dewane Mutunga
http://www.dewanemutunga.com