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Is Content Marketing Worth the Work?

written by Robert Bruce
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Is Content Marketing Worth the Work?

The reign of image/display/brand advertising (particularly for small businesses) is fading fast.

You mute the ads during your favorite tv shows, or skip them entirely.

You block banners on websites, or even skip those sites altogether.

What’s a small business — or any size business — with tight budgets and tighter margins to do?

There’s a relatively new way of attracting, engaging and converting customers online that’s deeply rooted in the independent, hard-working and profitable mom and pop stores of the past.

It takes work. But, it sure beats digging ditches. Or blowing revenue on an advertising ego-binge. And it can make you … highly profitable.

In this episode Sonia Simone and I discuss:

  • Is content marketing really worth the effort?
  • The 3 steps to earning loyal (and possibly rabid) customers
  • The real effects of content marketing on the bottom line
  • Why buying your customers is a difficult and dangerous game
  • The simple business plan that’s made Copyblogger (and others) cook

Hit the flash player below to listen now:

Other listening options:

Links from the Show:

About the Author: Robert Bruce is Copyblogger Media’s Chief Copywriter and Resident Recluse.

P.S. – Whenever you’re ready, here are 4 ways we can help you:
  1. Copyblogger Academy - Our community gives you 9 full-length marketing courses (over 30 hours of education total), ongoing education, expert Q&A, and more. Join 1500+ members inside.
  2. Content Coaching - If you want hands-on assistance with your content, SEO, social media, or personal brand, we’d be happy to help. Hit that link and enter your information to learn more.
  3. Newsletter Sponsorship - We'll put your product, service, or lead magnet in front of at least 30,000 people. We'll also help you write persuasive copy for it. Fill out the form to see if we're a good fit.
  4. Digital Commerce Partners - If you want us to fully manage your blog and SEO, you can hire our agency partner, who applies our exact methodology. Fill out this form to apply for our program.

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Reader Comments (13)

  1. Hey Sonia, you made a very good comment, “…you have to show up everyday.”

    That’s what’s the core of content marketing and goes of well with Permission Marketing as well. You must show up every day…you must ask for permission before talking to your prospects…and once you get the permission, you must not abuse it.

    That’s exactly what is the core of patience content marketing is all about. That is the way it really works.

    Thanks for the show!

    Regards,
    Vishal

  2. Awesome stuff.

    You did a really nice job of describing the core concepts of content marketing. I learned so much!

  3. This post could not come at a better time. As a young and optimistic online marketing enthusiast, I am in the beginning stages of starting my own adventures into content marketing.

    Content marketing is such a niche field in my eyes. It’s important to find the niche that you can deliver the best content. My hope is that followers will come from that great information.

    Is there a way to come into such a growing field and separate yourself from powerhouses?

    dave@directresponse.net
    http://www.directresponse.net

  4. Enjoyed today’s talk.

    Don’t know why, but Sonia’s voice makes me want to curl up and nap. So, after I woke up and replayed the show, I learned some good stuff.

    I want to be that “little aggressive nimble business” that engages customers and earns attention with “advertising that’s too valuable to throw away.”

    Joe 😀

  5. Thank you for the talk, really enjoyed it. Content marketing is valuable to a business and great job in describing the core concepts of it. Thank you for sharing.

  7. Thanks for the show and info AND the honesty about it being work.

    So my question is if its going to take some hard work and time to get this going what can someone do in the 6 months to 1 year they are waiting to get traction with their content?

    They can’t just wait around to get found can they?

    Are they going to have to mix in some phone calls, direct mail and advertising to get “awareness”?

    What do you think?

  8. Will these methods work in today’s modern world?
    I will try to implement your guidance in my blog. Thank you for sharing.

    core concept marketing…”hard work to do” 🙂

  9. This is very helpful to someone like me, especially on content marketing. I’m still learning to be a better writer here to engage more about my readers and customers. Thanks for sharing what you know about how to market the old fashion way.

    Cheers!
    Julius @ Moneymakersites.com

  10. Excellent presentation. I enjoyed listening without the hype. Thank you. I have subscribed and will get caught up on the previous shows and look forward to the weekly. Kudos to you!

  11. In addition to the blog linked to through my name, I run an offline service business which I market mainly online with content marketing with incredible success. In fact, content marketing keeps working better and better. It’s worth every second of time invested.

    2 years ago I paid Yellow Pages $2,000 per month. Now I only pay for web hosting and use a StudioPress theme; generating 10 times the business than I ever did paying Yellow Pages.

    That said, building my online presence took and takes a ton of work. I’ve written a book, hundreds of blog posts, built some backlinks, and continually test conversion … all while running my business.

    Now I have momentum and outstanding SERP placement. However, I’m not sitting back and doing nothing. I keep at it and it keeps working.

    Next steps for me in addition to continually generating content:

    1. Build a forum for prospective customers and present customers to create a community. I’m working on clearing enough time to properly moderate this forum.

    2. Ramp up my video marketing. Not ad-style videos, but informative videos driving traffic to relevant content on my business website.

    3. Paid advertising (online and offline) directing prospective customers to relevant content (leveraging the content and engaging prospective customers).

  13. Hey Sonia, enjoyed listening to your talk on content marketing and how valuable it can be to online business marketing. Off to iTunes to give a rating, thanks Sonia, Robert.

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