Commented on “Online Marketing Blog”

I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the statement that all content is advertising.

One of the problems with push marketing is that consumers just got tired of the ads and to being “sold” everywhere they turned. To me, content marketing as a pull mechanism (as you mention) needs a bit more emphasis. It’s content that solves problems being experienced by your targeted prospects. The “meat and potatoes” that your ideal dinner guests want.

I think that what’s not stressed enough here is that content used in a content marketing campaign is used to inform – to provide solutions – and to provide reasons why people should consider you an authority on the subject over time. In other words, to build trust so they WANT to do business with you.

If you are going to adopt the position that all content is advertising, I think you need to qualify that a bit with content used in a content marketing campaign – if it is indeed advertising – needs to take a much more subtle approach than advertising and direct marketing, as discussed in this content marketing white paper.

(Disclosure: I helped create this paper. My intention in linking to it here is not to advertise it, but to provide it as an additional resource for providing context to this discussion and to the concept of content marketing – at least how I see it.)

I think most of us still need to promote content that’s part of a content marketing program – in the appropriate places and in the appropriate way – and that it’s unrealistic to expect that, because you created great content that’s different with graphics and a catchy headline, it will somehow, magically be popular and get found on its own, much less that your key prospects will find it useful. Unless, of course you have a ginormous following, like this blog (a well deserved and hard-earned following, of course).

Originally posted as a comment
by randyduermyer
on Online Marketing Blog using DISQUS.