Is Content Marketing Just A Rebranding Of PR?

Content marketing is a new way of thinking about how to reach and engage customers. But is it really new? Or is it just a rebranding of public relations?

I recently listened to a podcast around the concept of “Digital PR,” and it got me thinking: is that all content marketing is? Public relations has been around for a long time – it’s the practice of managing the reputation of a company or individual. And while content marketing does involve some of that, it’s more than simply an updated term for the same concept.

The speaker’s take on Digital PR is more of a specific type of content marketing, designed specifically to get a businesses more earned-media coverage, which is an awesome specific-use case. But pulling the camera back a bit, content marketing is an important part of the modern business toolkit. Here are five reasons why you should invest in content marketing beyond just Digital PR:

1. Content Marketing Is An Effective Way To Reach And Engage Customers.

It offers a no-cost way to reach consumers via social networks, blogs and other online outlets. Even if you have a small marketing budget, content marketing can be an effective way to spread your message far and wide. A well-written blog post or informative white paper has the potential to get thousands of views just by being picked up on another site that serves your target audience. A company LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter account is free access for businesses drive comunity and loyalty with customers. It’s important to note that content marketing isn’t so much about selling as it is about helping the members of your audience or following, creating the goodwill and authority that can lead them to choose you over your competitors.

2. Content Marketing Is A Great Way To Establish Your Company As A Thought Leader.

When you provide valuable content that is relevant to your target audience, you become an expert in their eyes. And when consumers view you as an expert, they are more likely to trust you and do business with you. As the old saying goes, people do business with those they know, like and trust.

3. Content Marketing Supports Seo Efforts.

If you’re looking to improve your website’s search engine ranking, quality content is key. The search engines love fresh, original content and are constantly changing their algorithms to give preference to sites that offer high-quality information. So if you want to rank higher in the search results, creating fresh, original content that consumers will share is a great strategy.

Sure there are important things to know as far as SEO is concerned, but for the most part if you know what your customers and/or audience is searching for and you create great content that provides the information or direction they need, then you are already doing exactly what the Search Engines are trying to find for your readers/viewers/listeners. 

4. Content Marketing Can Help You Get Valuable Feedback From Customers And Prospects.

As you create and distribute content, ask your existing customers for their thoughts and opinions. How do they feel about it? Would they share it with their own network on social media? Are there certain topics they would rather read about than others? Are there any additional questions or concerns that need to be addressed? You’ll learn a lot by asking them how they feel about the information you provide them with … and if all goes well, it will help build trust between you and your readers.

Social Media platforms all have interactive poll features now that make this discovery and engagement process super simple (and fun!).  

5. Content Marketing Provides Endless Opportunities To Gain New Followers And Customers.

As you distribute content to your social networks, write guest posts for industry blogs, speak at conferences and network with other professionals, you’ll find that it attracts new followers and fans. As you get more attention in the marketplace, you’ll become the go-to person or business in your industry. You may even build leads for the sales team! And when potential customers are searching for products or services like yours online, they can find your company via search engines and social media platforms.

Content marketing is an effective way to reach consumers online. It does not need to be something completely different than public relations; it just needs to be done correctly in order to achieve results. By consistently distributing valuable content that is relevant to your target audience, you have the potential to increase website traffic, get more people talking about your business and gain new followers from across the globe.

While content marketing can be a huge boon for a small business owner, it is not a magic bullet. There are some disadvantages of using content marketing as part of an overall integrated marketing campaign:

1. It Requires A Dedicated Team.

With so many voices in the room—creative teams, digital media managers, PPC consultants and community managers—small businesses may struggle with how to weave all this talent into a cohesive approach. In addition, there needs to be agreement on which tactics will work best for which types of businesses or industries within that organization. For example, a B2B company might find greater success with LinkedIn than a retailer would (although, LinkedIn is currently evolving in interesting directions… so it still might be worth exploring).

2. Producing Quality Content On A Consistent Basis Is Not Easy.

It takes time and effort to come up with new ideas, research information and then write creative, engaging blog posts, articles or whitepapers. This is one reason why many businesses outsource their content marketing efforts to freelance writers or agencies. Still, your followers would rather engage with you around those things. 

3. It Can Be Difficult To Track Results.

Content marketing should be part of an overall integrated marketing strategy that includes goals such as website traffic, leads generated and conversion rates. However, it can be difficult to track how well your content is performing in relation to these goals without the help of outside software or services.

The most successful strategy is to divorce your content marketing strategy away from a direct-ROI line of thinking, and instead focus on other KPI's, with various forms of engagement (likes, comments, shares, etc.) being at the top of the list. Even focusing on how many followers can lead you to gimmicky, short-term-gain tactics that might grow your follower count, but not the kind of people you want as part of your community in the long run. 

4. It Can Be Expensive.

Although content marketing is one of the least expensive forms of online advertising, it still requires some investment. That might include paying for a freelance writer to produce blog posts on a regular basis, creating graphics or videos, or subscribing to a social media monitoring service.

Building a community that truly likes you is ultimately going to take a combination of time and money. The less money you spend, the more time it will take. That's the trade-off.

5. It Takes Time To See Results.

Like any other marketing tactic, you will not see results overnight from content marketing. In order to be successful, you must commit to publishing quality content on a consistent basis. This means that you cannot simply create a few blog posts and call it good; you need to be in it for the long haul.

Are you implementing a formal content strategy as a facet of your overall marketing efforts? If so, what are the KPIs you're focusing on and how is it going? If not, what are your thoughts around it as a strategy?