When we talk about Content Marketing, we tend to think that it’s something new and innovative especially created for the internet, but if we go back to the past, we learn that it’s not so
When we read or hear someone talk about “Content Marketing”, that is, the creation and sharing of media and published content by marketers in order to gain customers, we naturally think that it’s a relatively “new” tool that was specifically designed to be used on the Web. But let’s take a look at an infographic, which briefly illustrates the history of Content Marketing.
It appears that Content Marketing has a long history behind it, like the Michelin guides for safe driving that were published in 1900, or the Jell-O’s free recipe book that was distributed in 1904, which led to a great sales surge. In fact, the mechanism on which Content Marketing is based is as intuitive as it is effective: if you help customers do something better, quicker and more safely, they will view the brand favourably and will be more willing to purchase its products.
According to a recent infographic, 60% of consumers will purchase a product after having read something regarding it.
Content Marketing is undoubtedly effective, and that’s why it’s used by 91% of B2B and 86% of B2C marketers. However, there is something that worries marketers: the issue regarding trust.
Often users are concerned that the published content they read has a mere commercial aim, which is hidden behind an apparently impartial information.
When users have this feeling concerning an article that marketers have published, Content Marketing could become a double edged sword.
However, the risks of Content Marketing are nonexistent compared with the benefits it can produce. Considering how easily it is to transfer contents on the brand’s social media sites and YouTube channels, they can be included in this context, and in fact 87% of B2B marketers use social media to disseminate contents. Also, corporate blogs are particularly important, since according to this study they are responsible for 67% more contacts per month.
