Content marketing is emerging this year as a priority within the communication strategies of companies. Several studies corroborate that, as the rise of social media loses force (not importance), content marketing gains relevance for the current year.

According to a study by Econsultacy and Adobe, based on surveys of merchants around the world, content marketing is ranked as one of the priorities for 2013 for 39% of respondents. In 2012 this figure reached 29%.

And the reality is that there are many benefits provided by a good strategy based on quality content …

Lets connect with your audience: The creation of content specifically aimed at potential customers, according to their tastes and interests, will generate a relationship of trust with the brand. It is not a matter of transmitting messages with a clear commercial or advertising intention, but of useful and quality information that satisfies the doubts and concerns of the audience.

Promotes engagement: From the interaction, a loyal community will be generated around the brand, which will enable the brand to dialogue with its customers and to strengthen contact with them. In addition, this constant dialogue will not only occur between the company and the customers, but they will be talking about the brand with their closest contacts.

It influences the buying processes: Precisely, the online search for information and price comparison is one of the most influential sources during the buying process. 73.3% of online shoppers read the opinions of other users when making their purchases and 9% are followers of brands in social networks. Also, even if it is not an online sales business, the positioning achieved through the contents and the relationship of trust that has been generated with the customers will make them especially take into account the brand when buying a product or service.

It improves visibility and notoriety: The generation of content allows to increase the knowledge of the brand. The messages that are published, for example, in the corporate blog are filtered through the social channels, passing from one medium to another, and amplifying its reach. Also, it is important that the contents are attractive, useful and of quality, since to be associated directly to the brand, confer prestige and notoriety to the same. On the other hand, irrelevant, erroneous or badly contrasted content can seriously damage your image.

How to start an effective content marketing strategy? It is necessary, at least, to consider the following steps:

Set some goals: Content marketing, like any other marketing strategist, obeys specific goals. It is important to analyze what exactly you want to achieve with this strategy: boost reputation, improve positioning, get more visits, generate more leads, … This first step will help us define the most appropriate formats (blogs, newsletters, infographics, videos Or videotutorials, games, social networks …) Also, the objectives must be measurable and achievable.

Define the target: It is important to narrow down the audience segments to target, in order to get a correct focus on the contents, as well as the formats. You have to pay attention to the content that has the most value for the audience (most wanted, those who share most or comment …) The articles that are published should aim at their tastes, be useful, attractive and relevant, so that In turn be shared with your contacts.

Have the resources: Starting a content marketing strategy implies a true commitment to regularity and consistency in generating the messages. Before starting the strategy it is necessary to know if we will have the resources and the time necessary to carry it out, because otherwise we will be transmitting a negative image of the brand and we will have an opposite effect to the one that is wanted to reach.

It is necessary to have a content plan, to establish a dynamic for the search of interesting stories, to generate fresh and original ideas and, above all, to have a professional writing team that is able to create the appropriate content at all times.

Measure and optimize: Finally, it is essential to use analytical tools to follow closely the actions undertaken and to know what objectives have been reached, at what point we are and what corrective and improvement measures can be applied in the next actions.