Understanding the challenges of content marketing

By Colin Lalouette

Published: 11 November 2024

Content marketing is very popular with businesses these days. As the key to online visibility, it can become a highly effective sales tool. But when it comes to writing content, you need to know how to relay it in a way that is both broad and targeted. You can find all our tips on content marketing in our dedicated section.

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What is content marketing?

Its nature

In a way, your content is you. Everything you say about your company, its business, its sector... helps to give it an identity. And this content is protean: it includes your content on social networks or on your website, as well as your newsletters or your blog.

Its role

As your spokesperson, your content can work for you. By being relevant and attractive, it can attract new partners or potential customers. It increases your area of influence and your visibility.

Its strength

It's very practical for you. Once written, content has a life of its own. You publish it once. After that, it's available to anyone who wants it. Without you having to worry about it, it will plead your case. As a result, inbound leads will be generated: potential business contacts and prospects will suddenly subscribe to your newsletter, or ask you for a quote.

Relay your content yourself

Think cross-channel

Today, communicating in a single way is obsolete. Some of your leads will be Twitter users, others will be Facebook fans. Some will be receptive to direct mail, others to SMS... it's up to you to tailor your content to reach as many of your recipients as possible. Complicated? Not if you build your campaign using a cross-channel tool such as Send-up.

Make it easy to share

Especially as, by using software packages with this expertise, your content will be easy to share from the outset. The creation of a landing page, sharing buttons for social networks and the use of hashtags are all elements that can be used to encourage ' virality '.

Encouraging interaction

Successful communication is a three-way process. There is :

what you say to people. Example: " Here's the brand new product".
what people respond to. Example: " It's great, I love it.
What people say to each other. Example: "I have the FG model. -I've got the FG model, is this one really better - I switched from the FG to the FH and there's no comparison!

Creating exchanges around your brand is an achievement from a communication point of view. You become a common ground. You create interactions that grow and multiply tenfold.

Get involved

How can you do this? Give your readers and your network a say. Ask questions rather than delivering a one-sided message. To relay an article from your blog, end it or relay it in the form of a question. For an article on "Why shop online", for example, ask your readers "Do you shop online? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

And also rely on communication relays

The benefits of debate

All the interaction created around your content helps to endorse it. Even when they are mixed or negative. Even so, you can filter or moderate content to prevent it from getting out of hand or making derogatory comments. But the whole point of launching a debate is to get people to participate, and in so doing to make yourself known. So the more reactions, the better.

The importance of opinions

Just as you invite your readers to react, you should also ask for their opinions: on your content, your product sheets. Here again, they don't all have to be 100% positive - that would even seem suspicious! Studies show that on peer-to-peer marketplaces such as AirBnb or Blablacar, Internet users are more confident when the panel of opinions is diversified. And we know just how influential peer-to-peer advice can be. Before buying, we need to find out more. And customer feedback or posted recommendations play a decisive role.

The role of bloggers

Bloggers are third parties, likely to recommend or criticise your product. And as a neutral party, their opinion will have an impact. If there are forums or blogs that act as references in your field, get in touch with them. Introduce yourself, tell them about your product and create a newsletter dedicated to them to keep them informed. Collaborating with them can give you valuable exposure and establish your legitimacy.

The usefulness of backlinks

Backlinks are all the links pointing to your page. Multiply them, so as to become unavoidable. As these are sites that do not a priori belong to you, there is a prospecting or even negotiation aspect to it. Contact the sites you'd like them to link to you. See how they respond, and if necessary agree to set up a reciprocal link: they point to you, and you slip a link somewhere on your site to point back to them - in a footer or partner insert, for example. Everyone wins in terms of visibility and referencing on Google, and everyone benefits.