Feeling like you’re chasing empty promises of instant success with online marketing?

No one can deny that a lot has changed since the internet became a household word and online marketing is everywhere . The online world has served as a means by which people have become interconnected on a global scale. TV viewers no longer watch their favorite shows solely in their living room, on an analog TV encased in replicated wood. Instead, they choose when and where they view TV programs. People no longer make phone calls via a rotary phone that only works when connected to a wall outlet; now, they can communicate by calling, texting, and live streaming via an array of mobile devices.

Certainly, the logistics of marketing have changed in the sense that marketers have new outlets for implementing online marketing techniques. Consumers now browse products and services on their smartphones. Thanks to the advent of eCommerce, shoppers can make purchases from the convenience of their own homes (or from virtually anywhere, for that matter).

What has not changed as much as you might think is marketing itself. No matter how diligently the internet marketing universe (and those who profit from it) might work to convince you otherwise, marketing is still…well…marketing. Why should this concept concern you? Well, if you are a business owner or are in charge of marketing a brand, you may have been given quite a bit of confusing and unnecessary information regarding marketing in the past several years.  If you, like so many others, have made decisions based on this information, then your marketing strategy may not be nearly as strong as it could be. Here are a few details to help clear up some of the muddy waters from which countless marketers have been operating.

The Concept of Content Marketing: Is it Really New?

With all of the buzz around content marketing it is hard it recognize that it was not invented as a byproduct of the internet. In actuality, content marketing is (relatively) age-old. It has existed for as long as marketing, itself, has been utilized to promote brands and sell products.

The true concept of content marketing is to deliver brand or industry promotion by way of something other than an outright commercial for it. Consider the radio soap operas of the 1930s. Were those soap operas devised simply for the pleasure of the listening audience? They were not, of course. The shows were created as part of a platform by which advertisers could market products (such as soap) during the commercial breaks.

Now, think about product placement. Every time you see a name-brand product strategically made visible in the scene of a movie or TV show, you are witnessing classic content marketing firsthand.

Content marketing is not a new invention by any stretch.  Technology has changed and will continue to evolve and create expanding marketing opportunities. Print advertising is a perfect example.  While we do not rely on the newspaper to deliver the majority of the information we consume we link print and online websites to connect audiences.

The Convergence of Traditional Marketing and Digital Marketing

We’ve all been exposed to a seemingly endless stream of digital marketing buzz phrases, buzzwords, and buzz acronyms in the last decade. “Content is king,” “clickbait,” “gamification,”, “SEO,” and “SEM” seem to be everywhere. These terms are useful, because they provide marketers with a reference point to use with business owners.  Today marketing strategies have to be well planned and executed. 

Marketing buzzwords have been used to imply that digital marketing is worlds apart from traditional marketing. It isn’t. Regardless of your industry, marketing is still marketing – and this is absolutely true of content marketing. A Boston advertising agencies primarily distributed glossy pamphlets to potential clients 20 years ago. Today that same Boston business consultant will now offer tips on practice management via social media.  Advertsing in traditional mediums represented consistent messaages.  Online advertising should have the same discipline behind it but with more flexibility and mediums to explore.

Online marketing actually enhances your traditional marketing efforts.  By developing a comprehesive marketing strategy utlitizing buyer personas and core messaging you can target unique customers.  Online advertising  allows you to focus on keywords that potential customers use to search for your products or services.  Having the right organic SEO strategy in your complete marketing system fine tunes your direction delivering optimal results.

A Return to the Basics, in an Online Marketing World

One concept that is not likely to change is that content is invaluable to marketing as a whole. The technologies used to implement digital marketing techniques will continue to evolve. Content marketing is not cutting edge, it’s tried and true and has been around since the birth of marketing.

If you want to construct an online marketing campaign that drives your message home and truly promotes your brand. leave behind the fluff terminology abstract and ideas that have dominated the marketing digisphere for too long. Stop focusing so much on algorithms and optimization. Don’t forget to explore the value of traditional marketing strategies (such as commercial advertising and direct, personal sales).

Ensure that your marketing team works as a whole. Compartmentalizing your marketing experts, the traditional marketers and the digital marketers, will only muddy the waters. Make sure that the flow of information extends to everyone on your marketing team.  That way everyone is working effectively together to market your brand. Have you been educated in traditional marketing methods (such as publicity, direct marketing, and sales promotion)?  You have an opportunity to leverage that knowledge with your online marketing counterparts. On the flip side, your digital marketers should share their knowledge on SEO, mobile-friendly web design, and social media.

Embrace the marketing concepts that have worked for top companies for decades. Putting a marketing system in place creates a turn-key operation that can give you peace of mind. By implementing traditional and online tactics you can develop a winning online marketing campaign that will get results!

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