What is Content Marketing?
By: Casey Botticello
Tags: Entrepreneurship, Technology, Social Media, Productivity, Writing

How is content marketing different from traditional advertising?

What most people find difficult to understand about content marketing is how it differs from traditional advertising. After all, if “content is king,” what have companies been marketing with all these years?

Traditional advertising is interruptive and allows marketers to push out their message in front of their audience — regardless of whether or not they want to see it. Traditional advertising rushes at consumers in the form of newspaper ads, magazine ads, billboards, radio ads, television ads, and direct mailings.

On the other hand, content marketing is much more subtle. This marketing is entertaining and educational. It draws in customers through storytelling, articles, blog posts, newsletters, emails, quizzes, infographics, videos, and podcasts. Content marketing offers consumers value and thereby makes them appreciate your company’s existence. You’re not advertising directly to your customers. You’re offering them something in your marketing that helps them feel connected to your brand.

Content marketing also excels through avenues like a company or outside blog, social media sites, YouTube, and online articles. These formats have only become more available in the past two decades, and companies are taking advantage of them.

There are a few other ways that you may distinguish content marketing from traditional advertising:

Short-term v. Long-term

Traditional advertising operated on the idea that a customer would see the ad and be enticed to buy the product immediately. But…who actually does this? Conversely, content marketing doesn’t worry about selling a product each and every time they get in front of their customer. Companies who focus on this strategy know that the best way to their customers’ wallets is by providing valuable content.

Talking to v. Talking with

Traditional advertising talks to customers. There’s no dialogue or relationship. It’s just a litany of benefits of a product or service. Content marketing, especially on social media, allows customers to respond, engage, interact, and get involved. You can gauge interest in certain topics or ask for feedback on new ideas. It allows you to cater your marketing and campaigns to your audience instead of telling them what you think they want you to hear.

Showing v. Nurturing

A great example of traditional advertising is a car dealership commercial. Within seconds, you know all about the business and product that is being sold to you. The person on the screen is talking at you, telling you what you could have, and showing you the price tag for it.

Content marketing is the opposite. It’s a slower process, and it targets customers who have an interest in your industry. By producing content that they find useful or interesting, you create and nurture a relationship with them. You provide value and keep them coming back.

General v. Targeted

Traditional advertising is about getting your message in front of as many people as possible. Content marketing targets a specific group of individuals. Before putting out a content marketing campaign, businesses will research that specific audience and look at trends that do well among that group. The more they know about them, the greater chance they have of boosting engagement, getting new sales, developing customer loyalty, and more!