Content Marketing: Are You Ready for the Long Haul?

In working with content marketing clients, the Grammar Chic team occasionally hears questions like this one: How long will I need to do content marketing before I get results? Or: How long will my content marketing campaign have to last?

Questions like these reveal a fundamental misunderstanding about content marketing. It’s not an act, but a process; not something that yields rapid, one-time results, but something that continues to unfold and to prove increasingly advantageous over time.

Understanding the Timeframe

When content marketing first started to catch fire, a lot of businesses thought it would be simple enough to play along. They launched blogs and Facebook pages, updated them infrequently, and failed to devote much time to building an audience or erecting a strong content strategy. Not surprisingly, they failed to convert leads right off the bat, as well, so they ended up throwing in the towel.

The misconception here is that so many business owners think content marketing is designed primarily to convert leads. In truth, it’s all about educating the customer and building trust. This is not something that happens over night, but the results are worthwhile. Even if a reader of your blog doesn’t become an actual, paying customer for months or even a year, he or she will ultimately be well versed in the benefits of your product, and willing to rely on your industry expertise and sound judgment. It takes time to facilitate relationships like these, but in the end it’s totally worth it.

Pulling the Trigger

There is no telling what will trigger a desirable response from a potential client. Maybe he or she will read your blog entry and buy your product on the spot. Just as likely: He or she will spend weeks or months checking out your blog posts and your tweets, but not take any action. Then a blog post from one of your competitors will spark some curiosity—but because the lead already has a relationship with you, a trust dynamic in place, you’re the one who gets that sales call.

Advocates and Ambassadors

Indeed, there are plenty of advantages to the slow-and-steady approach of content marketing. Yes, it takes time and discipline to truly develop trust—but when you invest that kind of time, you get more than positive brand recognition. You get consumers who know what you stand for, are well educated about the benefits your company can offer, and realize that you really know your stuff. In short, you get people who will vouch for your brand, tell their friends about it. You get brand advocates and ambassadors—and that’s something traditional advertising seldom offers.

Content marketing doesn’t offer overnight results, but the results it does offer are well worth the investment of time and patience. By formulating a strategy and then sticking with it, even when the going gets slow, you can ultimately reap incredible benefits from content marketing.

To learn more, we invite you to reach out to us today—either by calling 804-831-7444, or by visiting grammarchic.net.