Digital Marketing

Module Content Marketing

Session No. I

Version 1.0
 Digital Marketing

Material from the published or unpublished work of others which is referred to in the Class
Notes is credited to the author in question in the text. The Class Notes prepared is of 9,296
words in length. Research ethics issues have been considered and handled appropriately
within the Globsyn Business School guidelines and procedures.

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Table of Contents
1. Content Marketing .................................................................................................. 6

1.1. Overview ...................................................................................................................... 6

1.2. Different Types of Content Writing ............................................................................... 6

1.2.1. Infographics .......................................................................................................... 6

1.2.2. Websites ............................................................................................................... 6

1.2.3. Podcasts ............................................................................................................... 7

1.2.4. YouTube ............................................................................................................... 7

1.2.5. Blogs .................................................................................................................... 7

1.3. Stages for designing a Content Marketing Campaign .................................................. 7

1.3.1. Strategizing on Content Development ................................................................... 7

1.3.2. Developing on the Content Part ............................................................................ 8

1.3.3. Promotion of the Contents .................................................................................... 8

1.3.4. Measuring the Effectiveness of Content Marketing ............................................... 8

1.4. Identification of the Content Marketing Tactics ............................................................. 9

1.4.1. Techniques for Strategizing the Content ............................................................... 9

1.4.2. Techniques for Developing Content ...................................................................... 9

1.4.3. Techniques for Promoting the Contents ...............................................................10

1.4.4. Techniques for Measuring the Effectiveness ........................................................11

2. Direct Marketing.................................................................................................... 11

2.1. Overview .....................................................................................................................11

2.2. Advantages of ‘Direct Marketing’ Activities ..................................................................12

2.3. Designing of an effective Direct Marketing Campaign .................................................12

2.3.1. Targeting Prospective Customers ........................................................................12

2.3.2. Developing of ‘Direct Marketing’ Budgets.............................................................12

2.3.3. Enhancement of Customer Loyalty ......................................................................12

2.4. Objectives of Direct Marketing Campaigns .................................................................13

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3. Reasons for which companies carry out Content Marketing ........................... 13

3.1. Enhancing Brand Awareness ......................................................................................13

3.2. Building and sustaining reputation ..............................................................................13

3.3. Ability to Engage Customers .......................................................................................13

3.4. Augment the Revenue Flow ........................................................................................13

4. Strategies for writing effective contents ............................................................ 14

4.1. Incorporation of an Effective Tone ..............................................................................15

4.2. Incorporation and expansion of data received from external sources ..........................15

4.3. Personalised Contents developed at an Individual Level ............................................15

4.4. Integration of viewers’ feedback ..................................................................................15

4.5. Inclusion of Audio-Visual Contents and Graphics ........................................................16

5. Strategies for SEO Writing ................................................................................... 16

5.1. Exploration of the right set of keywords.......................................................................16

5.2. Application style of keywords into the SEO Article ......................................................17

5.3. Uniqueness and Relevancy of the Article ....................................................................17

5.4. The Longer, the Better ................................................................................................17

5.5. Focusing on Analytics .................................................................................................17

6. Monetisation of Content Marketing ..................................................................... 18

6.1. First Free, then Gamble ..............................................................................................18

6.2. Direct Selling Approach ..............................................................................................18

6.3. Metered Paywall Approach .........................................................................................18

6.4. Affiliate Linking Programs ...........................................................................................18

6.5. Carrying out an Advertisement Campaign ...................................................................18

7. Application of Social Media in Content Marketing ............................................. 19

7.1. Overview .....................................................................................................................19

7.2. Aligning of Content and Social Marketing Objectives ..................................................19

7.3. KPIs associated to different stages .............................................................................20

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7.3.1. KPIs associated with the Awareness Stage .........................................................20

7.3.2. KPIs associated with the ‘Traffic + Engagement’ Stage .......................................21

7.3.3. KPIs associated to the Actions Stage ..................................................................21

8. Promotional Strategies for Content Marketing .................................................. 22

8.1. Overview .....................................................................................................................22

8.2. Promotional Strategies ................................................................................................22

8.2.1. Developing an Effective Email Campaign ............................................................22

8.2.2. Engaging with Communities along Social Media Network Platforms ....................22

8.2.3. Generation of Paid Ads ........................................................................................22

9. Effective and Less Effective Content Marketing Strategies .............................. 22

9.1. Effective Content Marketing Strategies .......................................................................22

9.1.1. Guest Posting ......................................................................................................22

9.1.2. SEO .....................................................................................................................22

9.1.3. Developing Social Media Presence......................................................................23

9.1.4. Employing RSS Feeds .........................................................................................23

9.1.5. Attracting of Thematic Links .................................................................................23

9.2. Less Effective Content Marketing Strategies ...............................................................23

9.2.1. Article Writing.......................................................................................................23

9.2.2. Advertising ...........................................................................................................23

9.2.3. Commenting ........................................................................................................23

9.2.4. Joining Forums ....................................................................................................23

References ................................................................................................................... 24

Table of Figures
Figure 4.1: Inverted Pyramid .....................................................................................................14
Figure 4.2: Significance of use of Infographics ..........................................................................16
Figure 7.1: Aligning of Business and Social Objectives .............................................................20

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1. Content Marketing

1.1. Overview
Content Marketing is identified as an effective approach associated to strategic marketing that
focuses on both the creation and also the distribution of valuable, consistent and also reliable
content with the objective of both attracting and also retaining an effective audience and thereby
in driving customer action for generating needed profits. Content Marketing is undertaken by the
business enterprises mainly for fulfilling three distinct objectives underlined as follows:

 Content Marketing activities are carried out for enhancing the sales of the business
institutions.
 Activities associated to Content Marketing are also carried out for savings on the
marketing and business costs.
 Content Marketing activities are also carried out by the business enterprises for driving
customer engagement and thereby in enhancing the level of customer loyalty(Diamond,
2016).

Content Marketing as an effective strategy is mainly undertaken to serve the customers with
different types of information they need to be armed with regarding using of a specific product or
service or regarding earning potential knowledge about the brand. The content marketing
strategy thus decides on the specificity, validity and reliability of the contents while also in
deciding on the different distribution points for helping the customers earn needed access to the
information (Diamond, 2016).

1.2. Different Types of Content Writing

The different types of content writing are highlighted as follows:

1.2.1. Infographics
Different types of Infographics like illustrations, statistical charts and graphs are included by the
content marketers for helping in attracting the attention of the masses. A range of different types
of Infographics are incorporated by the content marketers in developing of effective marketing
contents.

1.2.2. Websites
The websites are needed to be designed for generating the right quality and quantity of
information to the customers. They are required to be built for engaging the customers and also

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encouraging them for carrying out an in-depth exploration of the business and the different
types of offers and promotions rendered from time to time (Schaefer, 2018).

1.2.3. Podcasts
Podcasts are considered to be another effective medium that can be used for generation and
sharing of contents that tend to be either advices or recommendations associated to registering
for different courses and carrying out the sales of products or services.

1.2.4. YouTube
Likewise, YouTube acts as an effective platform for video sharing activities such that it
encourages firms for sharing of different kinds of videos like testimonials generated by the
customers associated with the experiences gained from using the product or services. Again,
other types of videos can also be generated by the company for highlighting the business
operations of the firm and also about the company brand (Schaefer, 2018).

1.2.5. Blogs
Different types of Blogs can be created by the web marketer or the website owner that would
help in providing quality and in-depth information associated to the product or services portfolio
and also about the company brand to the concerned visitors.

1.3. Stages for designing a Content Marketing Campaign

The different stages that need to be effectively carried out for designing a potential content
marketing campaign are outlined as follows:

 Strategizing on the identification and development of contents

 Integrate and align the objectives of the campaign with that of the business and
company objectives.
 Promoting the contents along digital and social media platforms
 Measuring the effectiveness and ROI of the Content Marketing Campaign (Schaefer,
2018).

The above points are elaborated as follows:

1.3.1. Strategizing on Content Development

For strategizing on Content Development it is firstly needed to identify the target audience and
their information needs for the product or service brand that is focused on being marketed to
them. Secondly, it is also required to evaluate the action undertaken by the different competitors
regarding accessing the target audiences and also in marketing the related product and service

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offerings. Thirdly, the digital marketers are required to sight an opportunity in terms of identifying
the gaps associated with the messages developed for marketing and promoting the
product/services brands. Thus, new strategies and techniques for development of contents can
be rightly identified and implemented. Finally, the digital marketer is also required to create
differentiated marketing and promotional strategies such that the same helps in differentiating
the business from mother direct competitors.

1.3.2. Developing on the Content Part

Herein, the digital marketer is required to identify and incorporate the different elements that
would contribute in the generation of an attractive content. Different types of audio-visual
elements along with texts need to be effectively integrated for designing relevant contents.
However, the digital marketer is also required to understand that the content development
activities along with activities undertaken for distribution of such along the web are ideally met
within the budget set for them (Schaefer, 2018).

1.3.3. Promotion of the Contents

Digital Marketers having developed the required contents are ideally needed to focus on the
identification of different types of platforms and techniques through which the content developed
can be rightly promoted to the target audience. Some of the salient points that are needed to be
kept in mind for effectively promoting the contents are outlined as follows:

 Identification of a concept to which the audience would respond and thereby would also
want to share within one’s community.
 Development of contents that encourage interaction amongst target audiences and also
in dissemination of such along diverse online platforms.
 Encouraging ‘Call to Action’ in terms of incorporating sharing options with the contents
generated over the web.
 Finally, the contents developed are needed to be shared and promoted along a larger
online sphere such that the same contributes in enhancing needed awareness and
conversation amongst the members involved in the set of target audiences (Schaefer,
2018).

1.3.4. Measuring the Effectiveness of Content Marketing

For measuring the effectiveness of the content marketing campaign it is firstly required by the
content marketer to ideally identify and rationale the different factors that prompted the
development of the contents and also the choosing of the different networks for rightly

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promoting them over the web. It is based on the above points that the effectiveness of the
campaign can be rightly measured in terms of its ability to fulfil the identified objectives
associated to its development and also dissemination of it online.

1.4. Identification of the Content Marketing Tactics

In having identified and elaborated along the different stages associated to content marketing
the focus now needs to be made for rightly identifying the different techniques associated to
such.

1.4.1. Techniques for Strategizing the Content

Different techniques need to be employed for strategizing the contents. The same are identified
as follows:

 Search engine keywords used by the different competitor firms and the degree of
profitability associated to such.
 Ranking of the keywords incorporated based on the use of tools like SEMRush and
AHREFS.
 Process and strategies used by the competitor firms for both developing and also
disseminating the different contents.
 Focus areas that the competitor firms are avoiding at the present moment associated
with the development and sharing of contents (Schaefer, 2018).

1.4.2. Techniques for Developing Content

The different techniques that need to be kept in mind regarding the development of the contents
are indicated as follows:

 Frequency at which new contents are required to be generated and published and also
the period available for marketing of the content over the web.
 Along with the incorporation of creative elements the content marketer is also required to
focus on the employment of data enriched contents for enhancing the usability of the
different digital contents.
 Further, the content marketer is also required to test the contents by presenting the
same before the target audiences or stakeholders and thereby encourage the flow of
needed feedbacks. The feedbacks gained thereof need to be incorporated into the initial
contents before finalising the same for being disseminated (Schaefer, 2018).

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In addition to the above points the content marketer is also required to keep in focus the
different mediums through which the contents need to be distributed and thereby focus on the
time required to be spent associated with publication of the contents along such mediums.

 Podcasts: In Podcasts, around 30 to 60 minutes are required for the production of the
contents while around 15 to 30 minutes are required for editing of the same along the
same medium.
 Video: Around 30 minutes are required individually for both shooting and also editing the
different audio-visual contents.
 Blog posts: A maximum of four hours are required for development of the blogs
associated to the different topics and also in terms of identifying the target audiences for
constructing of effective messages. While writing of blogs the use of headings and titles
are required to be rendered needed significance in that the same attracts viewers’
attention in reading the contents. The blogs are needed to be made in a keyword
enriched fashion and also need to be constituted by a maximum of 750 words. The blog
posts are needed to be created for generation of needed value to the target audiences.
 Whitepaper: Regarding Whitepapers, the contents need to be developed and generated
for suiting the time frame ranging from five to ten hours. The length of the whitepaper
needs to be decided based along the topic and the nature of the message that is needed
to be presented before the target audiences (Schaefer, 2018).

1.4.3. Techniques for Promoting the Contents

The techniques for promoting the contents are generated as follows:

Developments of Loyal Groups

Herein, the content marketer is required to focus on the identification of loyal customer groups in
terms of segmenting and targeting such customers that continually generate emails, signup for
emails and newsletters while also aim at commenting and sharing of the different contents
shared along digital platforms.

Generation information concerning benefits

The contents are required to be effectively developed for generating effective benefits to the
target customers such that they can tend to use the information for making concerned decisions
(Schaefer, 2018).

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1.4.4. Techniques for Measuring the Effectiveness

Different techniques are incorporated by digital marketers for rightly measuring the effectiveness
of the content marketing campaigns. The same are outlined as follows:

 The Paid Channel marketers focus on incorporating different parameters that contribute
in tracking the activities associated to the different links.
 Analytics tool like Google Analytics can be used for measuring the effectiveness of the
live campaigns.
 The contents are required to be developed and adjusted based on the outcomes of the
monitoring activities such that the content generated ideally helps in generating needed
conversions.
 The analytics tools need to be rightly selected and employed such that the goals and
objectives of the selected analytics tool ideally match the goals and objectives of the
content marketing activities.
 Creation of dashboards and generation of reports in a customised fashion such that the
same can be run and read in an easy and comfortable fashion for ideally meeting the
information needs (Schaefer, 2018).

2. Direct Marketing

2.1. Overview
Direct Marketing is identified as an effective communication practice that is carried out between
sellers and buyers in a direct fashion. Carrying out of Direct Marketing activities does not require
incorporation of any media. Further, direct marketing activities are carried out based on the
incorporation of visual and also auditory elements. The communication carried out in a direct
manner between sellers and buyers is essentially carried out with a marketing purpose. Content
Marketing acts as a subset of Direct Marketing activities associated to the developments of
contents along different formats for ideally meeting the intent of the messages for which the
same is prepared (Colon, 2016).

The Government of Queensland identifies Direct Marketing as an effective form of advertising

that ideally targets a community of individuals or business communities for marketing of
products or services, creating and enhancing brand awareness and also in generating sales.
Direct Marketing activities tend to encompass different types of marketing efforts associated to
direct mails, telemarketing and also email marketing activities.

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2.2. Advantages of ‘Direct Marketing’ Activities

Direct Marketing activities and campaigns are focused on being carried out by the marketers in
that they generate a set of distinct advantages enumerated as follows:

 It helps in building effective relationships with new and prospective customers.

 It contributes in testing the appeal of the customers regards to the product or services
promoted and marketed by the company.
 It also helps in identifying the right type of marketing and sales approach for effectively
accessing the target market and in meeting the sales and marketing objectives.
 Direct Marketing activities are essentially constituted for enhancing sales.
 It also contributes in the generation and sharing of appealing contents that would help in
engaging the prospective customers (The State of Queensland , 2019).

2.3. Designing of an effective Direct Marketing Campaign

The following steps are required to be carried out in a sequential fashion for carrying out an
effective Direct Marketing Campaign.

2.3.1. Targeting Prospective Customers

Direct Marketing involves the designing of tailor-made or customised messages such that the
same contributes in generation of quality messages to prospective customers. The messages
are needed to be prepared based on an effective understanding of the way the customers would
effectively respond to the information available associated to promotions, offers and also new
product or service launches.

2.3.2. Developing of ‘Direct Marketing’ Budgets

Effective marketing budgets are required to be rightly prepared for rightly measuring and
monitoring the extent to which the marketing and promotional objectives are met within the
stated budgets. The preparation of the budgets is required to be carried out in keeping with tune
with the sales and revenue paradigms (The State of Queensland , 2019).

2.3.3. Enhancement of Customer Loyalty

Direct Marketing campaigns can be effectively carried out in terms of personalising offers and
promotions that would help in meeting the needs of both the old and new customers in a
customised fashion. Again, emails and newsletters can also be generated by the direct
marketing firms for cultivation of relationships with the direct customers such that the interaction
carried out by them potentially contributes in understanding the customers’ views and
perspectives associated to the brand and the marketing and promotional efforts.

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2.4. Objectives of Direct Marketing Campaigns

Direct Marketing activities are essentially constituted for fulfilling the different objectives
underlined as follows:

 It contributes in boosting sales of a specific product or service category and brand.

 It contributes in enhancing the level of customer contacts
 It further assists in earning feedbacks concerning promotional and marketing activities
(The State of Queensland , 2019).

3. Reasons for which companies carry out Content Marketing

A list of four different reasons can be enlisted for which the business institutions tend to carry
out Content Marketing activities.

3.1. Enhancing Brand Awareness

The Content Marketers are required to focus on the generation of reliable and updated contents
such that the same enhances the level of trust and dependency of the customers on the
published messages for gaining of potential information for deciding on making needed
purchases.

3.2. Building and sustaining reputation

The use of effective keywords for designing of potential contents and also carrying out keyword
bidding ideally contributes in making the marketing and promotional contents designed by the
company in achieving top positions along the search result pages. The above strategy ideally
contributes in helping the business institutions develop on their brand presence and market
leadership in the competitive market (Totka, 2017).

3.3. Ability to Engage Customers

Customer engagement can be rightly carried out not only through the designing of appealing
contents but also in terms of encouraging the customers for sharing the same along different
social media networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The sharing of the contents can
be rightly carried out based on the incorporation of different buttons linked with the social
networks.

3.4. Augment the Revenue Flow

The carrying out of ideal Content Marketing Campaigns potentially contributes in enhancing the
flow of revenue for the business institutions. The contents generated for marketing and

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promoting the products and services ideally helps in attracting huge amount of customer flow to
the concerned websites and thereby encourages the growth of needed conversions and
generation of sales leads. It thus ideally contributes in augmenting of sales revenues (Totka,
2017).

4. Strategies for writing effective contents

The content writing strategies are essentially developed based on the application of the inverted
pyramid that essentially focuses on three main aspects like focus on driving increased web
traffic, increasing user or visitor engagement to the different sites and finally in terms of
generating potential conversions. The inverted pyramid depicted above is illustrated as follows:

Figure 4.1: Inverted Pyramid

(Patel, 2019)

The Inverted Pyramid depicted above effectively reflect the different KPIs (Key Performance
Indicators) associated with the different phases associated of the pyramid like Traffic,
Engagement and Conversion. For Traffic, flow of web traffic acts as an effective KPI; for
Engagement, the KPIs include the total number of videos viewed along with the different types
of call-to-actions while finally for the Conversion phase the KPIs encompass parameters like

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conducting of purchases by the visitors, installation of apps and software and also signing-ups
or registering for newsletters.

The six content generation strategies that would contribute in meeting the objectives of the
inverted pyramid are reflected as follows:

4.1. Incorporation of an Effective Tone

The incorporation of an informal tone is needed for the development of effective contents. The
conversation in the blog posts are needed to be carried out in such a fashion as if the
conversation is being carried out in a one-to-one fashion and not with a large target audience.
The same would help in development of customised and creative posts that would contribute in
meeting the information needs of the target respondents (Patel, 2019).

4.2. Incorporation and expansion of data received from external sources

Effective blogs and other articles to be published along the digital media platforms are
generated based on the incorporation of data (statistics and facts) that are retrieved from
external sources. The data gained from external sources are elaborated along the web pages
and articles based on the use of creative and informal writing which then contributes in
attracting considerable amount of web traffic to the web contents.

4.3. Personalised Contents developed at an Individual Level

The writing of the blog articles is required in not only being informal and creative in nature but
also need to bear a personalised approach in terms of sharing experiences, generating advices
and also in terms of suggesting effective recommendations. In that, the usage of the word, ‘You’
needs to replace ‘I’ or any other word indicating the reader. The above tactic ideally earns
success in that it contributes in developing as mutual relationship between the author and the
reader and thereby enhances the level of trust and dependability of the readers and visitors on
the blog or article writer (Patel, 2019).

4.4. Integration of viewers’ feedback

The feedback of the visitors or the viewers to the blog posts are gained by the author based on
the employment of surveys or through the generation of feedback forms. Likewise, application of
a tool like that of email outreach through which open and close-ended questionnaires, feedback
forms and also quizzes can be mailed directly to the viewers or customers associated to
company web pages and also another tool, tracking of customer or visitor activity can be carried
out for understanding the response of the site visitors. The feedbacks and suggestions provided
by them can be rightly incorporated for enhancing the usability of the web page. Moreover, the

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understanding of visitor or customer behaviour ideally assists the web marketers in designing
appealing web pages and blog posts.

4.5. Inclusion of Audio-Visual Contents and Graphics

Finally, the incorporation of audio-visual elements like videos, podcasts and other graphs and
charts along with the textual contents while developing the blogs, articles and other web pages
ideally help in attracting target customer sets in considerable numbers rather than generation of
mundane data. The following illustration reflects that within a period of two years ranging from
2010-2012 the application of infographics has contributed in increasing the search volumes to
rise by around 800 percent.

Figure 4.2: Significance of use of Infographics

(Patel, 2019)

Likewise, the development and generation of effective PowerPoint Presentations along with the
digital contents also contributes in attracting significant web traffic (Patel, 2019).

5. Strategies for SEO Writing

The different strategies that are needed to be addressed for developing an effective SEO Article
are outlined as follows:

5.1. Exploration of the right set of keywords

The content marketers are required to focus on both exploring and applying the right set of
keywords while developing the SEO article that ideally match the keywords or key phrases used
by visitors and users over the web for searching of related content associated with the product
and service offerings and also about the brand. The application of right set of keywords for
developing the article ideally contributes in generating higher page ranks for the web pages and
articles.

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5.2. Application style of keywords into the SEO Article

After the creation of a pool encompassing the right set of keywords the content marketer is
thereby needed to use the keyword for development of the title along with applying the keyword
along both H1 and H2 Tags. The usage of keywords is needed to be made in the SEO Article at
a given frequency of 2 to 3 percent. Stuffing of keywords into the article does not help in gaining
higher page ranks but rather makes Google to treat the SEO Article as a spam. Keyword
frequency is estimated by dividing the total number of keywords by the total number of words
where the same is indicated as a percentage (DePhillips, 2018).

5.3. Uniqueness and Relevancy of the Article

The SEO Article that is ought to be developed must be unique in nature or that which is not
developed based on copying of contents from third party platforms and also relevant for helping
on elaborating on the title of the topic. The information incorporated in the article needs to be
updated from time to time in that the same corresponds to the current information needs of the
visitor.

5.4. The Longer, the Better

The SEO Articles as a whole is needed to be pretty long for being rendered significance by
search tools like Google and Bing. The minimum word count that needs to be incorporated while
making an SEO article is figured out to be 500 while it is observed that SEO Articles constituted
based on the use of 1500 to 2000 words tend to gain a dominant position along the search
engines.

5.5. Focusing on Analytics

An expert SEO Writer is identified as that not only focuses on the development of effective and
appealing SEO contents but also aims to analyse the outcomes of potential parameters like
bounce rate, exit rate, CTR and the like. The analysis of the above stated parameters amongst
others would contribute in helping the SEO writer generate needed changes and alterations in
making the contents appealing in nature (DePhillips, 2018).

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6. Monetisation of Content Marketing

The different ways in which the contents can be effectively monetised are outlined as follows:

6.1. First Free, then Gamble

One of the effective strategies that is undertaken by the content marketers is to focus on the
generation of free contents at the initial stage and subsequently gamble for gaining an effective
revenue associated to such. Generation of free contents at the initial stage actively helps in
gaining a larger viewership base and thereby contributes in popularising the website and SEO
Article.

6.2. Direct Selling Approach

The Direct Selling approach gains significance associated with the development of e-commerce
platforms for transacting online regarding the sales of goods and services is considered feasible
in that the same helps in monetising on the viral product/service contents. Netflix suffered from
needed growth regarding the selling of viral contents in that the same content is available over
other video-sharing platforms like YouTube either for free or for rent.

6.3. Metered Paywall Approach

Metered Paywall is identified as an effective approach for monetisation of digital contents where
for a certain period the content is rendered free to be viewed by the visitors following which the
viewers to the same are asked to register themselves for package or rather subscribe to the
site. The same not only helps in enhancing monetisation for the website but also helps in
attracting considerable amount of subscriptions (Kushmaro, 2017).

6.4. Affiliate Linking Programs

Affiliate Linking is considered as an effective strategy that is pursued by e-commerce sites like
Amazon that focus on generating referral rewards owing to driving sales based on the
employment of the e-commerce platform. The monetisation approach ideally focuses on
generating needed value to those that focus on providing reviews in a detailed fashion about the
products and services available on Amazon and also in terms of accompanying links that
contribute in crediting the ones involved in affiliating for any subsequent sale.

6.5. Carrying out an Advertisement Campaign

Digital Marketers focus on not earning revenue from visitors or customers to the site. Rather,
they focus on generating revenue in terms of encouraging advertisers to post ads on their
platform (Kushmaro, 2017).

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7. Application of Social Media in Content Marketing

7.1. Overview
Social Media platforms like Facebook, Twitter along with the development of blogs are observed
to hold a dominating position associated to the marketing of contents along the digital platform.
The application of social networking platforms ideally contributes in the generation of effective
benefits to the content marketers. The benefits are outlined as follows:

 It contributes in enhancing an effective target audience for the contents.

 It also contributes in generating greater awareness about the product/service brand in
the larger market.
 The application of social media marketing platforms also contributes in both identifying
and also attracting potential customers for the content marketing campaigns.
 It thereby helps in driving potential amount of web traffic.
 It ideally helps in generating needed conversions regarding the viewing of the contents
generated and thereby in carrying out purchases of products and services from the
concerned websites and thus helps in accruing sales revenue (Tama, 2018).

7.2. Aligning of Content and Social Marketing Objectives

The alignment of the objectives associated with content and social marketing can be carried out
in the following fashion:

 Different sets of objectives like business and social objectives like that of conversions
and flow of web traffic on one hand and growth in the quantity of followers and also the
engagement rate on the one hand respectively need to be identified. Along with
objectives the primary and also the secondary goals for engaging the content and social
media content also need to be rightly identified. Along with the above factors an effective
timeframe is needed to be noted for accomplishing the identified objectives and goals.
 Further, assignment of specific goals is needed to be identified along different stages of
the funnel. The business goals associated to the top part of the funnel are identified as
building of brand awareness, expanding on the level of the target audiences, carrying
out effective conversations with the follower groups and also in driving potential web
traffic for viewing and reading of web traffic. The business goals associated at the
bottom part of the funnel are identified as driving of potential leads and also in
influencing the growth of deals (Tama, 2018).

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 Finally, the identification of the different platforms is needed to be made that ideally help
in achieving the goals along the different stages. The goals at the first and second part
of the funnel are ideally focused on being integrated with different social media platforms
like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram in that the same is taken to generate
increased brand awareness and also drive viewer engagement. Regarding, the goals at
the bottom of the funnel concerning Calls-to-Action, the application of social media
platforms like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are focused on being undertaken for
meeting of the underlined goals and objectives (Tama, 2018). The same is illustrated
below:

Figure 7.1: Aligning of Business and Social Objectives

(Tama, 2018)

7.3. KPIs associated to different stages

7.3.1. KPIs associated with the Awareness Stage
The KPIs associated to the awareness stage are identified as:

Impressions
Impressions are identified as the total numbers of times that visitors tend to view the different
types of contents and thereby in sharing the same over the same or other platforms. Higher
numbers of impressions reflect the increase in contact of visitors to the content generated.

Reach
Reach denotes the total numbers of unique accounts that have gained access to the contents.
Higher number of reaches reflects that the content is ideally optimised for sharing along diverse
platforms (Tama, 2018).

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7.3.2. KPIs associated with the ‘Traffic + Engagement’ Stage

The KPIs associated with the ‘Traffic + Engagement’ Stage are identified as follows:

Website Clicks
The number of clicks received by the website is estimated here.

Likes
Likes denote the total numbers of likes that have been received by the content generated along
the social media platform.

Shares
Shares denote the numbers of times the web content is shared by visitors along their profiles
and also that of the profiles of their friends and other members associated to their communities
and also along different groups. The growth of shares denotes the growth of reach regarding the
different contents.

Comments
Comments denote the total numbers of comments received alongside the different contents
(Tama, 2018).

Pageviews
Pageviews is associated with the total numbers of pages clicked by visitors associated to a
particular website and within a set timeframe.

Sessions
Sessions denote the total numbers of interactions that are carried out associated to a website
and within an effective period.

Followers
Followers denote the total number of individuals that tend to follow the set network or content
(Tama, 2018).

7.3.3. KPIs associated to the Actions Stage

The different KPIs associated to the Actions Stage associate with the different ‘Calls-to-Actions’
that are undertaken by the visitors (Tama, 2018):

Signups on Blogs and Websites Signups regarding Newsletters

Visiting different Product Pages

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8. Promotional Strategies for Content Marketing

8.1. Overview
Promotion holds an effective position associated with enhancing the awareness about the
Content Marketing Campaign among the target users. Different types of promotional strategies
can be undertaken either singly or in a combination for the fulfilment of the marketing objectives.

8.2. Promotional Strategies

8.2.1. Developing an Effective Email Campaign
An email campaign can be carried out in terms of sending emails to individuals in the email list
for viewing the content generated. Further, different calls-to-actions can also be encouraged to
be undertaken thereof by the email recipients.

8.2.2. Engaging with Communities along Social Media Network Platforms

The Content Marketers can effectively focus on engaging with community members involved
along different social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn and
likewise. It ideally helps in both posting and sharing of contents along the concerned platforms.

8.2.3. Generation of Paid Ads

Different types of paid platforms like Facebook, Reddit Ads, StumbleUpon and also Outbrain
can be extensively used by the Content Marketers for publication of advertisements associated
to the carrying out of the Content Marketing campaign (Blunt, 2017).

9. Effective and Less Effective Content Marketing Strategies

9.1. Effective Content Marketing Strategies

9.1.1. Guest Posting
Guest Posting is also identified as Guest Blogging such that it encompasses the act of writing
content on another individual’s blog or on another website. Guest Posting activities are carried
out for attracting web traffic to the concerned websites; enhance the credibility of the brand and
for enhancing needed awareness about the brand and also for development of relationships
with peers involved in the industry (Burnam, 2019).

9.1.2. SEO
SEO or Search Engine Optimisation acts as an effective strategy that is centred with
researching for the right type of keywords that ideally match the search queries and thereby in

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incorporating the keywords in the article for helping the web page earn top positions along the
search result pages (Diamond, 2016).

9.1.3. Developing Social Media Presence

Development of social media presence is associated with the sharing of contents along the
different social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest amongst others.
The sharing of contents along the social networks rightly helps in enabling increased
viewership, sharing of contents and also driving potential likes and comments. The same
contributes in enhancing the level of user engagement (Patel, 2019).

9.1.4. Employing RSS Feeds

Employment of RSS Feeds ideally helps the interested visitors to the website for gaining access
to updated contents generated by a company along its website, blog and also in other social
media networks (Diamond, 2016).

9.1.5. Attracting of Thematic Links

Attracting of Thematic Links is identified as an effective Content Marketing strategy where links
of websites or blogs containing the same type of information compared to the original site are
employed by the Content Marketers for driving web traffic (Diamond, 2016).

9.2. Less Effective Content Marketing Strategies

9.2.1. Article Writing
Article Writing is associated to the development of Blog Articles for elucidating on information
posted along the website. The Blogs are also developed based on use of keywords and
encourage interaction with prospective visitors.

9.2.2. Advertising
Advertising is considered as an ineffective strategy in that the same denotes advertising on paid
media platforms like Facebook and Reddit for the Content Marketing activities.

9.2.3. Commenting
Sharing of links along comments and also based on commenting along various posts is
considered as an ineffective strategy for it fails to attract considerable web traffic.

9.2.4. Joining Forums

Joining of Forums is identified as a secondary strategy in that though it involves and enhances
interaction with community members however the same fails in generating needed awareness
about the content developed (Schaefer, 2018).

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References
Blunt, W., 2017. 7 Promotion Tactics to Get Your Content Noticed. [Online] Available at:
https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2017/03/promotion-tactics-content-noticed/\ [Accessed 10
August 2019].

Burnam, E., 2019. What is Guest Blogging? And Why it's Important for Your Business. [Online]
Available at: https://www.newbreedmarketing.com/blog/what-is-guest-blogging [Accessed 10
August 2019].

Colon, G., 2016. Disruptive Marketing: What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other Hybrid
Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal. United States : AMACOM.

DePhillips, K., 2018. 9 Secrets of Professional SEO Article Writers. [Online] Available at:
https://www.contentfac.com/7-secrets-of-professional-seo-writers/ [Accessed 10 August 2019].

Diamond, S., 2016. Content Marketing Strategies For Dummies. Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.

Kushmaro, P., 2017. 6 strategies smart digital publishers use to monetize content. [Online]
Available at: https://www.cio.com/article/3213175/6-strategies-smart-digital-publishers-use-to-
monetize-content.html [Accessed 10 August 2019].

Patel, N., 2019. 6 Content Writing Strategies That’ll Help You Acquire More Organic Traffic.
[Online] Available at: https://neilpatel.com/blog/6-content-writing-strategies-thatll-help-you-
acquire-more-organic-traffic/ [Accessed 10 August 2019].

Schaefer, J.W., 2018. Content Marketing: Essential Guide to Learn Step-by-Step the Best
Content Marketing Strategies to Attract your Audience and Boost Your Business. United States :
E.C. Publishing via PublishDrive.

Tama, G., 2018. How to Create a Social Media Strategy for Content Marketing [with Templates].
[Online] Available at: https://insights.newscred.com/how-to-create-a-social-media-strategy-for-
content-marketing/ [Accessed 10 August 2019].

The State of Queensland , 2019. Benefits of direct marketing. [Online] Available at:
https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/marketing-sales/marketing-promotion/direct-
marketing/using/benefits [Accessed 10 August 2019].

Totka, M., 2017. 4 Reasons Your Small Business Needs Content Marketing. [Online] Available
at: https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/01/ways-to-use-content-marketing.html [Accessed 10
August 2019].

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