Content marketing & content platforms as key to success

In this article I want to emphasize the importance of content marketing and content platforms. First of all, I think that content is crucial nowadays as it pops up everywhere in the marketing funnel. Just think about the different stages such as creating awareness, engaging users or reactivating them. You’ll always find touchpoints with content, so it’s definitely worth it to create a bulletproof content strategy and build a content platform for your own business.
Creating a content platform also makes sense in order to have one central place where all the valuable information for customers can be found. And where you can always link to from different channels (e.g. LinkedIn, Instagram). You could use your content platform to promote events, newsletters, or even for employer branding. It can be the central point, or hub, for your business, for a specific topic, for a campaign, you name it!

When creating your content platform, think about defining different categories in order to make sure that your content is interesting and varied. This way, all of your readers will find something that speaks to them. Let’s have a look at an example with 4 different content categories:

1. Entertainment

This category is all about, you guessed it, entertainment and fun. Yes, content can be fun too!  So, have fun drafting entertaining content with your team. Just make sure that every content piece has a positive tone and keep its value in mind. Examples for entertaining content could be quizzes or gifs. 

2. Education

Content platforms should also teach users something new. High-quality content, which can also be a bit more complex, should educate and inform your audience. With educational content you can position yourself as a thought leader and gain the trust of your customers. It’s also useful for lead generation, by the way. Great educational content examples would be whitepapers or podcasts.

3. Inspiration

Part of your content can also be inspirational and emotional. That's what this category is all about. The best way to inspire others is to use real people who engage with your products and services. This makes your brand authentic and also celebrates the purpose behind it. You can provide inspirational content in the form of success stories or quotes.

4. Persuasion

Persuasive content will, in the best case scenario, persuade your audience to do something. Knowing your audience and finding out what makes them tick is important to create persuasive content. It can change people’s minds and have a lasting impact on them. Persuasive content could be discounts or special offers.

This is just one example of different content categories you could implement. Depending on your company and its business goals, you can choose others and experiment with how much content you want to produce for each category. 

Last, but not least: One of the most valuable things a content platform provides to your business is the opportunity to collect data and learn more about your target groups. Which articles get the most clicks? How much time do users spend on certain content pieces? This makes it easy for you to plan future content and make your target audience even happier. Creating great content takes data-driven decisions, continued experimentation and constant adaptation. So, don’t forget to use data to learn more about your audience, get valuable customer insights and optimize your future content for the best possible outcome! 

And yes, a content platform is an investment and it takes time to set it up properly, but it’s definitely a wise investment. It will definitely help you take your content marketing to the next level by making it more effective and profitable.