Trade Press Services and SmartFinds Marketing recently hosted a content marketing webinar as part of a “Learn from the Pros” series. The educational webinar, “How to Increase Sales with the Power of Content Marketing,” was created to help businesses discover how to use content marketing as a valuable marketing tool to increase sales, establish credibility and boost marketplace visibility.
As part of the program, Gerri Knilans and Jamie Pagett of Trade Press Services defined what content marketing is and isn’t, outlined how to develop an effective content marketing program and shared best practices for using content marketing. Melih Oztalay of SmartFinds Marketing explained the importance of strategic content distribution, provided tips for nurturing content and suggested ways to maximize SEO.
Strategic Approach
According to a 2020 report from the Content Marketing Institute, the leading types of content used by B2B marketers over the last 12 months are social media content (95%), blog posts and short articles (89%) and email newsletters (81%). Other popular formats include:
- In-person events
- Videos (excluding live streaming)
- Case studies
- Infographics, charts, photos and other data visuals
- Webinars and online events
- White papers
- eBooks/guides.
“Regardless of your industry, content marketing provides many important benefits,” says Jamie Pagett. “An effective content marketing strategy attracts, supports lead generation and engages audiences in an authentic way.”
Gerri Knilans emphasized the importance of a clearly defined and strategic approach to content marketing. “The first step in creating a content marketing plan is to assemble a solid and diverse team,” says Gerri Knilans. Participants can come from marketing, sales, writers, customer service representatives, product development specialists, internal thought leaders, existing customers, graphic designers and other stakeholders.
“How to Increase Sales with the Power of Content Marketing” webinar can be viewed on demand at the Trade Press Services website.
Content Marketing Webinar Contents
We hope you can take the time to listen to the entire webinar. But if you are short on time, we’ve outlined the topics addressed and provided timestamps to help you navigate to key information quickly. The topics addressed include:
Strategic Content Marketing Foundation:
- What is Content Marketing? [4:27]
- 10 Benefits of Content Marketing [5:43]
- Top 10 Most Used Types of Content in 2019 [10:00]
- How to Get Started, including
- Team Development [12:30]
- Strategic Planning [13:50]
- Buy-in [16:43]
- 5 Step Content Process [17:28]
- Best Practices and Pro Tips from Expert Content Marketers [20:56}
Strategic Distribution: [26:10]
- SEO and Google requirements [33:05]
- Owned media vs Earned media [35:36]
- Four-Part Inbound Marketing Strategy [44:10]
- Social media and how to nurture content [44:54]
- Budget considerations [46:44]
The Importance of Strategy
A content marketing program is a critical part of any company’s overall marketing strategy. Like the overarching marketing plan, content marketing requires a strategic approach to ensure it will deliver on organizational objectives. When coupled with an understanding of the basics, a clearly defined strategy can mean the difference between content that gathers dust and a program that propels qualified leads through the sales funnel. Successful content marketing shares value, establishes credibility and facilitates trust in your brand, products and services. The sign of a true professional is a commitment to continued learning. We hope you take the time to listen to the webinar in your quest to build your marketing toolbox for maximum success.
