Nowadays, people left and right are adding ‘content strategy’ or ‘content marketing’ to the tidy list of skills on their CVs. It sounds professional and forward, but not everyone actually knows what content marketing means or how to do it well. 

So what is content marketing? Is there even one all-encompassing definition? And, critically, how do we become better at it?

What the experts are saying.

Each year, Mumbrella, runs an event that collects the biggest names in the industry as speakers, specialists are very interested in defining content marketing. 

Of course, no one expects to nail it down in one go, but working to determine the concept is a critical step to understand how we can develop better methods and approaches to our work. 

The spotlight is on one crucial question: ‘What results can we expect and how do we get them?’

What’s going on right now.

There is a basic consensus within the industry as to what content marketing entails (though there are still a few flexible borders) and what the best outcomes we can expect from it are.

Essentially, content marketing can be described as a strategy to build a specific and loyal customer base. It’s based on the idea that, if you provide constant content that’s valuable, people will eventually stick with the brand for business.

As for a success rate, failure is admittedly rather common. At least part of it is linked to not understanding the right place of content marketing in the global marketing strategy. This specific kind is a long-term investment— defining the audience and educating it into becoming customers takes time and dedication.

The future of content marketing.

As long as we understand that content marketing is part of a greater process, we’ll be all right. This longer-term, value-driving strategy needs to be combined with other approaches such as native ads, social media, and inbound marketing. All of these areas need great quality and integration to work well.

It’s also important to keep in mind that content marketing is a construction zone. No one can claim to have found the One Right Way (at least, not yet). We’re all still defining the basic principles of content marketing, as well as how it ties to other areas such as content strategy. 

This means you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make your own way and become a consummate content marketing expert. Go for it!