Just as content marketing seems to come of age, John Ellett challenges marketers to quit developing content marketing strategies and start developing plans that address how content supports marketing strategies. Studies indicate two of marketers’ biggest challenges in addressing changing buyer behaviors are:
- lack of buyer insights
- developing content that satisfies buyers’ needs throughout their decision-making process.
Source: Forbes, October 16, 2017.
An orientation of “selling how we want to sell” is exacerbated by thinking about content marketing as a discrete discipline. Marketers are focused on what they want to publish and on pushing the content they want to promote. With a more strategic approach, marketers can plan how content supports the achievement of their business goals instead of creating an isolated content marketing plan.
INSIGHTS: Our team at AHD heartily agrees with Mr. Ellett. Frequently, we see content that does not seem to be part of an overarching strategy. You can include many advertising campaigns in this discussion as well.