Choosing content or digital ad marketing is like picking "tell" or "show." Articles offer powerful storytelling that builds your trustworthiness. Ads can draw quick clicks from your best-aligned audience.
Which is right for you? That's an FAQ here at Zoe Marketing & Communications. We've helped thousands of clients navigate the two — and select the option (or options) that deliver results.
To decide, it helps to understand the differences in six key areas:
- What they look and "feel" like
- Goals they serve
- Time, effort and payoff
- What they cost
- Who they're best for
Are you a "show," a "tell" — or a "show and tell"? Let's find out what content marketing articles and digital marketing ads offer.
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1. What they look and 'feel' like
Content marketing articles: Written blogs
These informative articles are typically "blogs" that appear in two forms:
- On your company's website as recurring blogs
- On an aligned media partner's website as sponsored content
In both cases, each blog has all the elements you'd expect: a headline, subheadline, lead image, byline, body copy (around 600-1,200 words) and smaller "subheads" dividing the piece into sections.
They're most effective when they're not an "about this business" story. Instead, choose topics of genuine interest to your prospects. The idea is to share your expertise and be a helpful resource.
Because of that, content is a less blunt marketing tactic. It feels more subtle and indirect.
Digital marketing ads: Designed boxes
These "click me!" squares and rectangles live in the margins of the content we consume on the web or in apps. They're woven into the articles we read, too.
They usually have some imagery, a short and strong message, and a call to action, or CTA.
For that reason, digital ads feel more overt in their purpose: to convert people.
2. Goals they serve
Content marketing articles: Branding
Use your blogs to get your name out there — and get results from organic search engine traffic.
Therefore, this is more of a "long-haul" marketing commitment. Over months of consistent content, your articles will reach interested readers and boost your trustworthiness.
It's also a chance for you to engage with your audience meaningfully. Readers spend minutes reading content and only seconds (or less) on other digital marketing tactics.
That can be a powerful opportunity to get noticed and remembered.
Digital marketing ads: Direct results
Here, it's all about getting clicks to your landing page. Granted, that doesn't mean people immediately buy what you're selling. But, compared to content, the odds are higher.
They're most effective in attracting and engaging prospects. They often lead to a web page encouraging people to fill in a form. Sometimes they simply drive general traffic.
Let's be real: They can be a bit annoying! But they can also be very effective, particularly if you target them to the right audience with a clear CTA.
3. Time, effort and payoff
Content marketing articles: A longer process
It's more time-consuming to execute than other marketing campaigns. It involves:
- Developing good topics that highlight you and resonate with your audience
- Interviewing the expert if needed
- Writing the story and optimizing it for SEO (i.e., helping Google find you)
- Editing and loading the story online
- Promoting the story (if desired, with social media, search engine marketing, etc.)
There's a lot of planning involved, whether you're doing it solo or with a marketing firm or media partner. Expect at least 2 weeks to create a blog, and 3-12 months to get SEO traction.
The payoff: Content gets you "remembered" for longer decision cycles.
Digital marketing ads: Relatively fast
By contrast, with digital ads, you'll get a sense of results in about 1 month, and you can take these campaigns "live" in as little as 1 day. You'll need:
- Fully designed ads that meet technical specs and are ready to go
- Audience targeting insights (i.e., the gender, household income, ages, interests and other demographics you want to target)
It also packs in more flexibility. You can tweak your strategy easily to figure out what works best.
The payoff: With great targeting and ad design, you can see fast clicks and possibly conversions.
4. What they cost
Content marketing articles: A bigger investment
Costs can vary here, depending on the agency or media partner you're working with. Professionally written blogs can range $500-$1,000+, while sponsored content can cost as low as $500 but commonly exceed $2,000 per article.
"Spon con" is typically higher since you're gaining access to a highly aligned existing audience. But both types need quality research, writing and topic ideation, which take time.
Again, it's most effective in a longer-term campaign — at least six months — and with content marketing, at least 1-3 articles per week are ideal.
Digital marketing ads: Smaller, but sustained, costs
"Digital ads" covers a lot of territory. They include general web ads (search engine marketing, retargeting ads, programmatic ads) and social media ads.
Broadly speaking, you're looking at $1,000-$9,000/month with web ads, while social media ads average $200-$1,500/month per platform.
Of course, a lot depends on your goals. It takes a lot of "impressions" — i.e., any time a person sees your ad — to get a coveted click. And you're often charged per 1,000 impressions.
Over time, you'll get a sense of how many impressions you need to get the desired results.
5. Who they're best for
Content marketing articles: Longer-cycle decisions
Content is ideal for companies with expertise to share and, often, a longer decision-making timeline. For instance, we take more time to choose a school for our child than to pick what to do this weekend.
It's also great for nonprofits and information campaigns geared at building your reputation.
Remember, content is a slow process, but pairing it with other tactics — including digital ads — can boost success faster.
Digital marketing ads: Quicker decisions
On their own, digital ads are best for clear "call to action" messaging. Events, camps and products are all great examples. These ads link to lower-cost, low-stake consumer decisions.
Again, digital ads are just one part of a healthy marketing plan. They're more powerful when paired with content marketing and tactics like email marketing, SEO and more.
Next steps in choosing a marketing plan
Content marketing articles and digital marketing ads have different goals, costs and benefits. In this article, we touched on some of these key differences.
Ultimately, content "tells" a story and builds your brand with time. Ads "show" your message at a glance and drive quicker clicks.
What next? If you're looking for some guidance, talk to us. Zoe Marketing & Communications can help tailor a successful, holistic marketing campaign for you.
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