Over the past few years, we have observed a profound transformation in the way marketing is approached. Indeed, technological progress is disrupting consumer behavior; consequently, it is essential for companies to evolve their marketing approaches. Content marketing is an illustration of this phenomenon. Content marketing has become one of the strongest web marketing trends; indeed, for the majority of companies today, content marketing is a fully-fledged acquisition method.
Implementing a content strategy is not as simple as one might think. Producing quality content is of course the heart of a content marketing strategy; nevertheless, this is no longer sufficient. This is notably explained by the competition on the web, which is becoming increasingly fierce. According to an estimate, 92% of very small businesses and SMEs will have a website by the end of 2019. This is why you need to go further in your strategy; determining which marketing channels you will place your content on is all the more essential. Indeed, if your content is high quality but no one sees it, then your objectives will not be met.
To help you determine the marketing channels on which you should distribute your content, we have created a list of the marketing channels to focus on in 2019.
Discover the marketing channels that can amplify your reach, your resonance, and your revenue.
1 – Word of mouth
Data collection
According to the Marketing & Ethics report produced in 2017, only 4% of consumers believe in the integrity of marketing & advertising.
So how can you convince your target consumers, knowing that most of them will not trust you? Bet on word of mouth!
Word of mouth is a tool that each of us uses in our daily lives. Whether for a vacation, a restaurant, or a professional application, asking the opinion of a trusted third party drives the purchase. According to a study conducted by International Data Corporation, the concept of word of mouth is the main decision factor for B2B companies.
Moreover, word of mouth has taken on another dimension with the web. Today, more than two thirds of internet users leave a positive or negative review online. These reviews are now recommendations that can be likened to word of mouth. If you have good ratings, you will also have advocates. These same advocates can help you convert leads.
For your word-of-mouth strategy to work, you must of course focus on developing the best product/service and provide impeccable customer service. In other words, you must meet your customers’ needs before your own. Only then will your customers recommend your brand to their friends, families, or other consumers through various reviews.
2 – Podcasts
Coming from the United States, podcast consumption continues to increase in France. If we refer to a study carried out by Opinionway:
- 39% of French people listen to podcasts daily
- 74% of listeners remember an advertisement heard while listening to a podcast
- 51% of listeners say they bought a product after listening to a podcast.
Podcasts are therefore a real asset in a context of visual information overload. Nevertheless, this does not mean that as soon as you publish a podcast, it will be listened to by many people. As with any type of content, your podcast will be listened to only if it captures consumers’ attention, if it is relevant to the needs of your target audience, and if it entertains its listeners.
All you have to do is imagine an original and unique podcast concept.
Good to know: According to a study by researchers in neuroscience, storytelling is the best way to capture consumers’ attention.
3 – Emails
Wasn’t email supposed to die this year? And last year? And the year before? On the contrary, the figures prove that email marketing is not ready to say goodbye.
- 67% of internet users have at least 2 email addresses and subscribe to more than 6 newsletters (2017 Aberdeen Campaign Monitor study)
- 75% of people go to a store to buy a product or service promoted in a newsletter
- 76% of newsletter subscribers bought a product or service online by clicking the link in the email
Building a loyal and engaged subscriber base says a lot about the quality of your content and its emotional resonance. Even though a great deal of content saturates the Internet and most people’s inboxes, they continue to actively engage with your content, which is a clear sign that they truly value it.
To learn more about building an email, what to do and what not to do to improve its open rate, I invite you to discover our latest blog article: The best tips for improving the deliverability of your emails!
4 – Social media
Most people browse social media to escape everyday life, be entertained, and connect with others. Sometimes, however, brands forget why people use social media in the first place, blindly broadcasting their content to as many people as possible.
With more than 2.7 billion social media users around the world, millions of brands have been promoting their content on these platforms for years. But the popularity of social networks has flooded each platform with a multitude of articles, photos, and videos, drowning consumers in content.
So, how do you make sure your presence on social media gets noticed? The first thing to do is observe the behavior of your target audience on social networks: Which social networks are they present on, what do they like, comment on, share, and at what time of the week or day are they most active.
This analysis phase is essential; indeed, it is thanks to this analysis phase that you will be able to adapt your social media strategy according to the needs and desires of your target audience and thus succeed in generating leads from your posts.
5 – SEO
Search engines are undoubtedly the best marketing channel for attracting attention. Most people discover new brands and publications via Google. In fact, according to Google, 89% of B2B buyers and 81% of online buyers use search engines to look for new products and services.
Search engines are also one of the highest-performing marketing channels. Since internet users are actively looking for answers to their questions and solutions to their problems on Google, they are likely to download your offer or request a product demo if you can provide them with what they are looking for.
Here are the steps not to miss when implementing your SEO strategy:
- Establish a list of topics for your organic search strategy
- Establish a list of long-tail SEO keywords based on these topics
- Build one page per topic
- Create a blog to develop your strategy
- Create content every week to assert your authority and expertise in Google’s eyes
- Create a backlink strategy
- Stay informed about the latest SEO practices
- Optimize your site’s loading speed
- Track and analyze the strategy
