Ten years ago, the secret ingredient to effective marketing was search optimization. For the past five years or so, social media has been the darling vehicle for promoting product and solution offerings. Recently, all that's changed again. There's a surge of industry momentum around content now. Today, it's not considered comprehensive marketing unless it's connected to the word "content." Nowadays, content matters significantly and it is taking center stage. It's demanded, acknowledged, and critically important.

But why the resurgence?  Why does content matter again when the word “content” was met with derision just a few short years ago?

I believe the reason why content has gained all this attention is the realization that it truly matters to prospective customers. In recent years, there’s been a real transformation in the way people consume information through digital and social platforms. And content became the critical ingredient to all integrated marketing strategies. Everything. There's no lead generation and nurturing without attention-grabbing content. There's no social media without click-worthy content. Really, there's no webcasts, blog posts, or any kind of digital media without interesting content. Even when you search, you're searching for content. Meaningful content is the high-octane fuel that makes effective campaigns go.

Today, content has become a currency that can broker a real exchange between buyers and sellers. It is a means for companies to demonstrate expertise, show personality, and build trust.  And it gives prospects a more thorough understanding of the brand’s value and thought leadership. So the more subject matter expertise and brand voice you can bring to the conversation, the more business you can create with prospective buyers.  This expertise can be displayed in various forms of content.

Well-crafted content can be highly influential and effective in driving purchase behavior.  These days, artfully communicating to your audience is critical. Technology buyers are no longer persuaded by advertising alone. They’re using the web, search, social networks, and more to educate themselves on potential purchases. Research shows consumers are 60% through the buyer’s journey before reaching out to brands for help on available options. This is where high-quality content marketing comes into play. It is the conduit that leads prospects to your doorsteps. And this is why powerful content should be your currency.

This isn’t to say you should put all your eggs in the content marketing basket, but it’s not something you can afford to ignore. When done properly, a winning content marketing strategy will enhance attention for your brand and generate business. That’s why more companies are realizing the need to balance out their traditional marketing efforts with content marketing campaigns.

Relevant and riveting content is a currency that your company can exchange for lasting customer relationships. So it's high time to infuse content as the major component of your marketing strategy. Because all things considered, isn’t content really the catalyst of everything you're doing in an integrated marketing program?

Consider:

The average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds.

The average attention span of a human is 8 seconds.

So when telling your business or technology story,

Make. Every. Word. Count.

“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.”