Quick: What's the last thing you Googled? Whether it was how to bake bagels, safety at kids' camps or summer road-trip tips, I bet you found your answer on the first page of results — even in the first few hits.
If you were happy with what you read, maybe you popped your email into one of those "Get more like this in our newsletters!" boxes. At the very least, you may be more willing to trust that source (or even seek it out) the next time you have a similar question.
That's one example of the power of content marketing. The goal is to position yourself as an expert. Because really, no matter what business you're in, you are! And content marketing gets that message across powerfully, simply by proving it.
It's central to a growing marketing method called "inbound." Whereas traditional "outbound" advertising is like a bullhorn, yanking you away from what you were doing, inbound is like more like a magnet, drawing you in. Not only does it help readers, but it also makes them more likely to "convert" — to sign up for your newsletter, buy your product, etc.
Education is the golden ticket. If your company offers specific products or services, a simple start is having at least one informative article about it on your website. As inbound marketing powerhouse HubSpot puts it, "Show them how those products and services effectively solve their pain points and challenges."
Blog-style content is just the beginning, HubSpot adds. Other effective methods include social media, infographics (visual information is popular and makes you "pop"), podcasts, videos and even paid or "branded" content — where skilled writers, like those at Chicago Parent, help create your message to deploy to a targeted, engaged audience via emails, Facebook promotions and more.
Of course, there's still strong value in those traditional "interruption" ads. But if you're looking for broader reach and more conversions, inbound content marketing is the savvy way to take your strategy to the next level.
