The Basics of Content Marketing & Development

Content marketing is fast becoming the #1 way to drive traffic to your website, pull in new leads, and regularly communicate your business’s value to your audience. 

What Is Content Marketing?

Content marketing attracts and retains customers—period. By offering your specific target audience information and resources on an ongoing basis, you create loyalty to your brand within that audience. Plus, you give website visitors a reason to return to your website.

Forward-thinking businesses and non-profits are recognizing the critical role that content marketing must play in their marketing plans. Some even employ full-time content developers, while others might hire a team (ahem, like 816) to create industry-specific content for them.

The Real Value: Repurposing

Well-developed content gives you a serious advantage when it comes to building out your overall marketing scheme. For instance, for each blog post published to your website, you have a feature piece for your email newsletter, a link to post to your social media pages, and a search engine attractor, not to mention a piece of content that could later be referenced or used in a broader publication like an eBook or a white paper.

Launching an informative eBook gives you an ongoing product to promote—even if the purpose is to use it as a freebie simply to draw in new subscribers to your email newsletter or get ‘likes’ for your Facebook page. The more valuable the piece and the more incentivized it is, the more times and ways you can promote it: more heavily on social media, more prominently (and repeatedly) in email marketing, and of course, on your website.

816 Is Now Offering Content Marketing & Development!

We’re always looking for ways to better support our clients. Beginning in 2014, carefully selected content developers specializing in specific industries will be available to 816 clients. We’ll be offering content marketing services such as:

• building a content marketing strategy and schedule
• writing blog posts
• generating email marketing content
• developing white papers, checklists, eBooks, and other list-builders
• creating infographics
• repurposing content across various online marketing platforms

If you’re interested in this new service offering, let us know!

Call for Content Developers

If you’re a qualified, professional content developer and/or content marketing specialist, email us to describe your background and experience, the industries in which you specialize, your hourly rate, and how you might benefit the 816 team. Also attach your resume and links to work you’ve done. We highly recommend that you understand the fundamentals of our business model and the clients we typically serve before applying.

Photo credit: Nick Wheeler