Why Does Content Marketing Matter for Modern Businesses?

5 Reasons Why Content Marketing Matters for Business Growth

If you find yourself wondering, “Is content marketing worth it?” you’re in the right place. We’re here to show you why content is crucial and continues to produce outstanding results. 

1. Content marketing provides authenticity, which enhances trust among consumers.

There might be a lot of marketing tactics out there you can set and forget, but content isn't one of them. Consumers crave genuine, authentic content amidst the barrage of ads. Content marketing delivers this authenticity, helping to build trust and credibility with your audience. 

Sure, you could have a robot write your blog posts, but you'll still have to edit them. You could also auto-generate videos, but someone still has to put in the effort to start the auto-generator and feed it with existing content. And, let's face it — if your content is terrible, no one will take the time to engage with it.

So we’ve covered how authenticity is key when it comes to content creation. But why is this so important when it comes to your marketing strategies? 

The answer is quite obvious – because consumers know you can't hack it. After being inundated with pop-up ads, ads in their YouTube videos, and on their social media feeds, people are looking for something real.

The average consumer is tired of thin marketing efforts that don't offer them any value. This is why most consumers trust and give greater credibility to content marketing over most other marketing tactics. 

Here are some stats to back it up:

• 77% of internet users report regularly reading blog posts.
• Nearly all (99%) of Gen Z consumers skip ads when possible. 
• 61% of consumers said they’d advocate for a brand they fully trust.
  

2. Content marketing aligns with consumer behavior.

Content marketing still matters because it's what consumers want and expect from the internet. No matter what they're purchasing, they'll first research the product, gain as much information about it as possible, and then make a final decision based on the company (ahem, content) they found most helpful in that research phase.

Let's say you ran a brand awareness ad campaign. A consumer sees your ad and thinks, "Hey, that's what I was looking for!". They're not going to click on your ad and immediately make a purchase. 

First, they're going to see what your brand name is. Then, they’ll type that into Google and land on your website. What they find when they do that initial search could make or break your ability to convert that visitor into a lead and, ultimately, a sale. 

If that visitor lands on your site, only to be met by 50 pop-ups, a chatbot that says "BUY NOW," and a form that asks for their credit card information, you can wave goodbye to any hopes you had of a sale.

That visitor is looking for content that will help them learn about you and your product. They want to know what you have to offer them in their search for the perfect solution to their pain point, whether that's what to buy Mom for her birthday or how many industrial screws to order for their product assembly.

3. Content marketing has staying power. 

The wonderful thing about content is that even though it's challenging and time-consuming to develop, once produced, it will continue to work for you forever. It will generate leads, boost SEO, and answer critical questions indefinitely. It's a long-term asset that keeps on giving, making it a smart investment for any company.

In the fast-paced, over-in-a-second world of social media, staying power is an incredible benefit. That's one key reason why content is such a strong asset for any company in any industry.

However, it's important to remember that you can't simply set it and forget it. To stay relevant, you'll need to review and optimize your content occasionally. Regular updates ensure that your content continues to perform well and meets the evolving needs of your audience.

4. Google continues to prioritize high-quality content.

Every company wants to show up at the top of search results in Google. Content remains the best and most effective way to do so. Google's algorithms favor relevant, well-crafted content, which means that a strong content marketing strategy can significantly improve your search engine rankings.

Google's top priority is always to deliver the highest-quality, most relevant content to its users to answer their queries. As long as people use Google (as of June 2024, Google is the most visited website in the world, with 85.1 billion visitors), content will be your best bet for visibility.

If you want your business to get found, you need a solid content marketing strategy.

5. Content is the best way to demonstrate authority online.

Content marketing is one of the best ways to demonstrate authority in your industry online. It builds trust with search engines and consumers, establishing your expertise and reliability.

A quality content marketing strategy shows Google you know what you're talking about. If your content is relevant, researched, and helpful to people asking questions about your industry, your search engine authority is what's going to get you found by potential leads online.  

Once you get visitors to your website (by building that authority with Google and other search engines), your content will continue to demonstrate your subject authority to those consumers.

Any consumer, regardless of what they're purchasing, wants to buy from a company they feel they can trust. Content is what builds that trust, showing them that:

• You know what you're talking about
• Your product or service can solve the pain point they're experiencing
• You're going to deliver what you've promised, whether that's a product or a service

Can AI Be Used to Enhance Content Marketing?

This blog wouldn’t be complete without mentioning AI. In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, AI has emerged as a powerful tool for content marketing and can help streamline content creation and distribution. Here’s how: 

• Content Creation: AI tools can assist in generating blog posts, social media updates, and even video scripts. While human oversight is still essential to ensure authenticity and engagement, AI can significantly reduce the time and effort required to produce high-quality content.
• Personalization: AI enables advanced personalization, tailoring content to match brand preferences and guidelines and speak to designated audiences.
• SEO Optimization: AI-driven SEO tools can analyze search trends and optimize content for better ranking. They can suggest keywords, topics, and structural changes to improve visibility and performance.
• Analytics and Insights: AI can analyze vast amounts of data to provide actionable insights into content performance. This helps marketers understand what works, what doesn’t, and where to focus their efforts for maximum impact.

By integrating AI into your content marketing strategy, you can enhance efficiency, improve personalization, and drive better results.

Note: While AI is a fantastic tool for enhancing content marketing efforts, it's important not to rely on it 100%. The human touch remains vital to ensuring content is authentic and resonates with your audience. Balancing AI capabilities with human creativity and oversight will yield the best results.

How Should You Ramp Up Content Marketing Efforts?

Now that you know all the best reasons why content marketing is crucial, where should you focus your content efforts in your next marketing strategy?

Some of the best, highly effective forms of content marketing include:

• Blogging 
• Podcasts
• Social media posts
• Infographics 
• Videos
• Email campaigns
• Ebooks and whitepapers 
• Online courses
• Case studies 
• One-to-one conversations through chatbots and even social media Instant Messengers, like Facebook Messenger
• User-generated content (reviews, testimonials, etc.)
• Personalized content (this is a fantastic blog from HubSpot if you want to master website personalization.)

Do You Need Help Boosting Your Content Marketing Strategy?

Starting a content marketing strategy can be overwhelming at first, but it’s so worth it! Here, just take a look at these mind-blowing statistics that showcase the value of content marketing:

• Content marketing can generate three times as many leads as traditional marketing but costs 62% less.
• Almost half of all buyers view 3-5 pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep. 
• 62% of B2B purchasers rely on a brand’s content to research and make decisions.

At Evenbound, we are committed to elevating your content marketing strategies to new heights. By leveraging the latest in AI capabilities, integrating a holistic approach that combines SEO, social media, and email marketing, and utilizing our innovative Content Hub, we can ensure your content marketing efforts are up-to-date and highly effective. 

Our team of experts is dedicated to providing you with the insights and tools necessary to engage your audience, build authority, and drive sustainable growth. Contact us today to discover how we can transform your content marketing strategy.