Difference between Content and Content Marketing

Generally speaking, content is any form of communication, while content marketing refers to content made specifically for marketing purposes. Easy talk, right? Sometimes the difference between content and content marketing couldn’t be blurrier. Experts cannot even agree on where to draw some basic lines of distinction.

However, savvy content developers can easily set content goals and pursue them. They’re conversant with different forms of content, delivery channels, and audience personas.

Not sure where you’re going with your content plan? Here’s how to tell when you’re either in one territory or overlapping on both content and content marketing (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing):

Content vs. Content Marketing: Purpose

The purpose of content lies in the experience it provides, or ‘the destination’ it leads to.

Some pieces of content serve a single purpose, while others are multipurpose. For instance, product content like white papers and product descriptions can be used as both internal and external content.

When employing content marketing, you attract customers to an experience engineered and optimised to achieve your marketing goals.

But you need to provide an experience that people desire, taking them where they desire to go. To captivate and convert your audience, you need to make it about them – their pain points.

Your content marketing has the right focus when it:

• Focuses on the audience, not your company
• Provides valuable, actionable content
• Ties your business goals to those of your customers
• Generates demand for your business
• Undergoes continuous testing and tweaking for better performance

How to Choose the Right Content Types

You’ve probably sent out random emails to your team members or acquaintances today – that’s content. But content marketing requires a more strategic approach. You need to send the right message to the right people at the right moment. This requires choosing the right medium and crafting the message carefully.

For a head start, here are some of the most effective types of content in content marketing today:

●     Blogs:

Considered one of the best channels for lead generation, blogs give you better visibility on search engines and help build your credibility. Make sure to optimise them for search engines and use engaging content with CTAs to offer actionable insights.

●     Emails:

Powerful emails with attention-grabbing headers can help you strengthen ties with your audience. To maximise conversion, load your emails with fabulous offers and valuable information.

●     Case Studies:

One of the most effective ways to persuade a customer is by showing them how you’ve helped others with similar problems. Use case studies to demonstrate your expertise and foster trust among your audience.

●     Product Descriptions

Use product descriptions to describe how your products resolve your customers’ pain points. Focus on the benefits, not just the features.

●     Social Media Posts

With effective social media posts, you can engage your customers throughout the buyer journey. Social media is also one of the best channels for showing your authenticity and expertise.

●     White Papers

Take customers under the hood of your products to walk them through the processes behind your unique solutions.

●     Video scripts

Video content has been on a constant rise for the past few years. You can explore many kinds of video content for marketing, such as explanatory videos, welcoming/onboarding videos, behind other scenes, etc.

What are Your Options for Hiring?

One good thing about content marketing is that there are many ways to go about it. You can either do it in-house or outsource it, or both. When outsourcing, you can post your job on a job board, contract with a content marketing agency that has a pool of talents, or even handpick individual talent.

The top pros of outsourcing your content marketing include:

• A sea of talents – there are thousands of talented content writers available on demand.
• Faster and easier onboarding and project management – No need to set up an office desk or training program; get your content done quickly on demand.
• Flexibility and scalability: Get the content you need just when you need them. Also, you can outsource some or all parts of your content marketing, depending on your needs.
• Cost-effective: Pay only for the content you need. No pressure to keep your salaried employees busy to avoid paying for idle time.
• More expert knowledge: Two heads are always better than one – well, except for keeping secrets. Bringing in an outside content expert can give you a fresh take on your content marketing goals.

On the flip side, here’s why you shouldn’t outsource your content marketing:

• Longer-term cost: Outsourcing your content might be cost-effective if you don’t have that much to publish and aren’t digging in for the long run. However, if you plan on publishing at scale over a long period, it’s best to run with an in-house content team.
• Quality issues – An in-house team allows for easier quality control, whereas there are no guarantees that the content writer you outsource your work to will live up to the bill. For instance, you may struggle to find a writer who can demonstrate an adequate level of technical expertise in highly valuable, original technical content.

The Bottom Line

Building a new content department? We hope this guide has brought you up to speed with the best content management practices.

Content is the lifeblood of any organisation. Thus, to achieve your business goals, you need to know how to use different types of content for the right purposes. Content marketing Service is all about attracting, warming up, and converting potential customers. To succeed in content marketing, you must make it all about your customers, choose your content types more wisely, and run with the right tools and talents.

Now, go use content marketing to drive your customers to that awesome place.