In a perfect world, a good reputation and a great product speak for themselves. Sounds simple, right? Unfortunately, that’s not usually the case: In the modern business world, building credibility isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Most companies struggle with making themselves heard in a crowded marketplace. And when your first impression is an online one, you need to make sure you’re presenting yourself as a well-established, respected brand — and, more importantly, as an industry leader.
Here are a couple of situations where a first impression can make or break your company’s future:
Perhaps your company needs a solid, credible background when approaching investors, partners, or sales leads. Maybe you need to attract more talent to build a stronger, more effective team.
What will people read or learn about your company when they begin snooping around? Is an “About” page really enough?
Both of these situations require you to have a respected, vocal presence online, which is why content marketing is an excellent way to assert your company’s expertise.
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By creating smart, well-produced, educational content, you can build an authentic relationship with your audience on something even stronger than exposure or awareness. You’ll build a relationship based on trust.
Becoming Visible — The Right Way
How do you know if content marketing is right for you? First, look closely at your industry, your company’s place in the market, and the nature of your product. Where does your expertise lie? What advice or advocacy do you have to offer?
No matter what the answers may be, there’s a wide array of content marketing available to you — contributed articles, whitepapers, videos, and more — that can make a profound difference to your audience and your bottom line.
Here are a few signs that content marketing could be right for you:
- You want to become an industry leader. Every company needs one vital asset to land that next investment, that next partnership, or that next sale: credibility. Content is a smart way to show people your company’s experience in the field.
- You’re looking to find bigger, brighter talent. Building a better team begins with attracting smart, driven people. The best way to snag industry stars is by showing and sharing your forward thinking in a public forum.
- You want potential customers to trust you. Creating educational content helps you demonstrate your answer to a problem in a visible way. This can help with sales, too:Allowing your sales team to reference published content during a call positions you as someone that others trust for information as well.
- You need to educate your audience. Certain industries and products require a higher amount of education. Think real estate, automotive, or difficult-to-understand tech products, for example. Prospective buyers want to know which questions to ask and what kinds of answers to anticipate, as well as how to determine whether they’re choosing the right company for the job. Educate these novices, and your company will be a top contender when it’s time to make a decision.
It’s About More Than Brand Awareness
Right now, content marketing is on the rise: In 2014, 60 percent of business-to-consumer (B2C) marketers plan to increase their content marketing budgets, and 72 percent of B2C marketers are producing more content than a year ago.
But that’s not all: 58 percent of business-to-business (B2B) marketers plan to increase their content marketing budget next year, too.
However, don’t be dissuaded by the number of people jumping into the content realm. There are still opportunities to make a strong impression on your industry, and a first-mover advantage can make a big difference.
The reason is simple: Content marketing works. InsideOut, a consulting firm, is a great example. They created articles, videos, and slide decks and distributed that published content through social media and email. Thanks to their expertise and thoughtful way of sharing their content, InsideOut increased its lead generation by 388 percent.
This isn’t an isolated incident. It’s a proven result. Businesses are learning that smart, helpful content with the company name on it isn’t just a bump for their Google search results. It’s a vital asset when building a brand.
You’re showing your audience that you’re more than just a vendor: You’re a trustworthy center of knowledge, and you’re here to help.
Post by Matt Kamp.
