Content is king: Leveraging quality content for growth marketing

Today, attention spans have become shorter than ever. But there's one strategy that cuts through the noise, cultivates loyalty, and fuels explosive growth, which is content marketing.

Companies with excellent content marketing strategies generate 3x as many leads as those with poor strategies.?

72% of B2B businesses credit content marketing as a successful tactic for increasing the number of leads.?

Businesses that create high-quality content experience 30% higher customer retention rates.

Let’s discuss how content marketing can skyrocket growth, and what are the challenges that companies face in the process.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable and relevant content to attract and retain a well-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

For example, to convince business leaders to buy your product, you must create content that helps them do their jobs faster and easier.?

Unfortunately, many companies just write articles with essential advice that only some important people want to read, called mirage content.

Here’s how Animalz creates articles that help CEOs achieve their goals and close more deals.

What is growth marketing?

Growth marketing helps businesses grow faster in terms of revenue and market share. Instead of just getting attention, growth marketing techniques figure out new and creative ideas to bring in more customers.?

This is especially helpful for startups and medium-sized businesses that want to grow fast. And, it could be cheaper than traditional forms of marketing.

For example: Content marketing is a powerful tool for growth, helping companies become subject matter experts, attract new clients, and boost sales.??

HubSpot , a leader in marketing software, exemplifies this success.

Here’s how: Their strategy focuses on creating informative, high-quality content that addresses customer issues. HubSpot's content includes blog posts, research reports, and online seminars, and it was designed to educate its audience only.?

Using SEO (Search Engine Optimization) technique was another critical element, improving their search ranking for organic traffic and boosting brand visibility.

HubSpot's story is a set example of how informative content can establish industry expertise, attract new customers, and fuel growth.

Think twice before working on growth strategies

Have you ever thought about why some of your emails never got answers or why you skipped an advertisement on TV??

Similarly, some people clicked on suspicious ads and later got into trouble. Some companies continuously win from their social media, websites, and word of mouth, while others go unnoticed.

The idea of growth is understood differently in different domains. Some companies are happy with more brand reach, and some love sales numbers roofing through the charts.

And, compelling content can build trust and compatibility, enhance your brand visibility, engage your audience more, help in converting potential buyers, adapt to changes, and measure the growth you anticipate step-by-step.

For example: TikTok skyrocketed through influencer marketing. Partnering with established and popular social media stars on other platforms like YouTube and Instagram, they leveraged their massive reach to promote the app and drive user acquisition.?

Creative campaigns like the #InMyFeelingsChallenge further fueled growth. But TikTok's core success lies in its product - short-form, engaging video content perfectly made to young audiences.?

This combination of influencer marketing, creative tactics, and a user-centric product propelled TikTok to social media stardom.

Content marketing: A powerful tool for product marketing success

Content marketing is a game-changer for product marketing. It allows you to connect with potential customers, teach them about your product, and convince them it's the right choice for them.?

Here's how:

Build brand awareness and trust

Creating informative content that solves your target audience's problems positions your company as an industry expert and builds trust, without even selling the product.?

More and more customers will consider buying your product if they see you as a reliable source of information.

Guide customers through user journey

Out of all the traffic coming to your website, there are only a few leads who are ready to buy the product right away.?

And, Content Marketing lets you create different types of content, like blog posts or videos, for each stage of the buying process.?

You can educate people about your product at the beginning and then offer more detailed comparisons as they get closer to the buying stage.

Image description: Salesforce offers a wealth of content, including blogs, webinars, and CRM.

Generate leads organically?

Don’t miss out on the SEO part!?

A person searching for a solution online can find your content if it's optimized for search engines. This attracts qualified leads who are already interested in what you offer.?

This organic approach is cheaper than paid advertising, and it will convert customers better because you are already reaching out to motivated prospects.

Image description: Semrush review by Forbes, helping people with growth strategies.

Happy customers = Loyal customers

Content marketing goes beyond just getting new customers.?

By providing valuable content after someone buys your product, you can improve their experience and show you care.?

Chances are satisfied customers will stick with you long-term and also recommend your product to others. Here’s an example of a video in which a customer is reviewing a product:?

Mapping your way to growth: Content marketing and the customer journey

Growth marketers unlock success by understanding their customers.?

Customer journey mapping visualizes the entire customer experience, from initial awareness to loyalty and brand advocacy.?

Awareness: Content marketing fuels awareness with informative blog posts, social media engagement, and SEO-optimized content that attracts potential customers.

Interest: Engaging content like infographics, webinars, and ebooks educates and builds trust, piquing customer interest in your product or service.

Decision: Compelling case studies, product demos, and free trials address customer concerns and guide them toward a purchase decision.

Action: Clear calls to action within your content seamlessly convert interest into action, driving sales and subscriptions.

Loyalty: Valuable post-purchase content like user guides, tutorials, and loyalty programs fosters customer satisfaction and encourages brand advocacy.

But content marketing is not just limited to growth marketing.?

How does content marketing enhance your ad campaigns?

Content marketing (CM) and Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising work well together.?

PPC advertising gets people to your site, while content marketing keeps them engaged.

Content marketing can improve the quality of your PPC campaigns. Search engines consider how relevant your website is to the ads you show.?

By creating well-structured, targeted, and no B.S. landing pages, you show that your site is appropriate, which can lead to lower costs and better ad placement.

Great content also means people are more likely to click on your ads. If your ads address what people are looking for, they are more likely to be interested in what you offer.

Content marketing can cleverly increase the number of clicks on your ad campaigns.?

And, landing pages with clear information and strong calls to action will turn more visitors into customers.

People who see your PPC ads later are likely to recognize them and click on them.?

In the long run, content marketing builds brand loyalty.

Making your app industry boom with juicy content

Good content marketing can create a buzz around your app.?

Blog posts, videos, infographics, tweets, and social media posts can show your audience why your app is better, faster, and more organized.?

You can become the go-to solution provider for your app by consistently creating tailored content that answers every question of your potential customer.?

People trust people who are experts, so they're more likely to try your app.

Here’s an example of how Trello is winning the game:?

Great content reminds people why your app functions better. This keeps them happy and keeps them using it for a long, long time.?

Plus, if your content is super engaging, people might share it with friends and loved ones. This can explode your app's popularity without spending a dime!

Content that hits the mark!

Content that gives value keeps you and your target audience supercharged. This kicks the implementation of strategies for growth marketing.

Let’s discuss what is valuable content that helps content marketing support GROWTH:

1) Giving (G): It is the foundation of a strong content marketing strategy. It's about creating content that genuinely provides value to your audience.

2) Refined (R): Content that resonates doesn't happen by accident. Refining your content means ensuring it's focused and relevant to your target audience.?

For example: BuzzFeed understands that its audience craves entertaining and shareable content. Their listicles, quizzes, and video formats align perfectly with this target group.

3) Open (O): People connect with content that feels approachable and human-centric. Opening your content makes it easy for people to understand and connect with your brand.

4) Well-made (W): High-quality content reflects professionalism and expertise. Well-made content has substance, is well-produced, and avoids grammatical or factual errors.

5) Trustworthy (TH): Content that feels genuine and authentic fosters a deeper connection with your audience. Trustworthy content is written with the intent to connect, and not just sell.

For example: Patagonia champions environmental responsibility. Their content focuses on environmental activism, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and building trust with eco-conscious consumers.

But content marketing is not easy.

8 challenges in content marketing

1) Creating high-quality content

Content is a powerful tool for promoting your brand, but it must be exceptional to attract B2B buyers. Avoid generic content – provide unique value that sets you apart.?

Research your competitors' content and aim to surpass their quality and search engine ranking.

Refrain from settling for generic content. To truly resonate with your audience, find a unique angle.?

For example: Mailchimp (an email marketing platform) needed help standing out in a crowded email marketing space with generic content.

Mailchimp created unique and valuable content like their "Content Studio," offering targeted templates and guides specifically made for different business needs.

2) Sharing content consistently

To be seen as a thought leader, consistent content creation is crucial. However, many businesses need a documented content strategy to work on this.

A clear strategy prioritizes content creation and communicates its importance to stakeholders. Develop a content calendar for at least six months and track competitor output to gauge your content needs.

3) Being a subject matter expert

Quality content requires skills in writing, design, creativity, and technology. You can create an in-house team, retrain your existing staff, or outsource to a content marketing agency.

Agencies often outperform internal teams and offer valuable expertise in current content marketing trends. But they often leech money while doing a half-assed job.?

For example: Evernote hired experienced content creators with expertise in storytelling and user psychology.?

And, this resulted in content that resonated better, focused on productivity tips, and real-life use cases.

4) Understanding buyer personas

Your customers come from diverse cultures and with different content preferences.?

You have to go beyond these basic demographics – create buyer personas to understand their needs.?

The rule of thumb is to consider building multiple personas and tailoring content formats accordingly.

The best way to understand your customers is to ask them!? Yes, it’s that simple!?

Some may prefer watching videos, short-form articles, or mobile-friendly content.?

And, Mailchimp, as mentioned previously, worked extensively to understand buyers' needs and yet captured the market.

5) Brainstorming content format varieties

B2B buyers have varied preferences.?

To accommodate this, offer content in various formats.?

Repurpose flagship content into infographics, blogs, or podcasts for maximum exposure.

Focus on delivering valuable content with insights and solutions, regardless of format.

6) Measuring content ROI

Data-driven marketing emphasizes measurement and analytics.?

Track metrics like backlinks, traffic flow, domain authority, leads generated, and social media shares to understand your content's performance.

Assign a value to website visitors and leads generated from content downloads. Marketing automation platforms can track leads from first visit to purchase.

Use the right analytical tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and Databox to measure content ROI accurately.

For example: Unbounce meticulously tracked key metrics like website traffic, leads generated, and social media engagement.?

They assigned a value to website visitors and leads, using marketing automation tools to measure content's impact on conversions.?

This data allowed them to showcase the clear ROI of content marketing to stakeholders.

7) Securing stakeholder buy-in

Content success rarely happens overnight.??

Building a content foundation takes time, so manage stakeholders' expectations. Use data and case studies to showcase potential benefits.

Set objectives for each content piece (e.g., traffic, leads, trust) and track progress. Reports demonstrating content effectiveness can justify investment and show the value of content marketing.

For example: Canva developed reports demonstrating how content marketing improved website traffic, lead generation, and brand awareness.?

This data-driven approach justified investment and secured stakeholder buy-in.

8) Aligning content with the buyer’s journey

Content should cater to your target audience at every stage of the journey.?

You need to brainstorm and offer the right content at the right time, which is frankly a big challenge for many marketing experts.

Buyers may consume multiple pieces of content before contacting a supplier. Cater to this by creating informative content throughout the buyer journey, not just at the top of the funnel.

• PR and articles raise awareness
• Videos support consideration
• Case studies help with decision-making.?

For example: Wistia initially lacked content targeted throughout the buyer journey. But then offered blog posts and social media content for brand awareness (top of the funnel).?

They provide in-depth case studies showcasing how businesses use Wistia to achieve success (middle of the funnel).?

This is your brain on good content!

Today, with bite-sized content, where stories can be broken down into single images or short phrases or into lengthy articles and videos, it's crucial to have a master narrative.?

This is a central story that everyone in your company understands and can use to create content.

You have to make it your North Star. With a straightforward master narrative, creating smaller pieces of content or responding to unexpected situations becomes much more accessible.??

Like, choosing an image or a few words for an Instagram post, which can often be time-consuming, becomes a breeze when you have a solid narrative to draw from.

So, content marketing strategies need a compelling narrative that best describes each detail of your plan to ensure you grow freely as a business or an individual.

About the Author?

Sameed Ajax is the Content Lead at PureSquare.

With a strategic vision and a passion for cultivating creativity, he has authored 5000+ blogs and landing pages for various companies. Beyond content creation, he's a proficient leader, adeptly managing and nurturing content teams, instilling a culture of excellence, and ensuring unwavering quality and consistency across all platforms.?

Specializing in crafting compelling narratives that resonate deeply with audiences, Sameed employs a multi-faceted approach to drive traffic and enhance sales. From meticulous SEO strategies to impactful digital PR campaigns, he leverages every tool in the content arsenal to deliver measurable results.

You can follow Sameed on LinkedIn .?

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