The primary reason that people are consuming digital information at such a rapidly increasing rate is that they find it useful and trustworthy.

It is becoming apparent that on the Internet, content is king.  Whether it is articles, infographics, data, case studies or videos, surfers consume content.  A Pew Research Center study identified the percentage of smartphone users gathering information on:

Ten years ago, a traveler in an unfamiliar city staying in a hotel was likely to ask the concierge to recommend a nearby restaurant.  Now, a traveler is more likely to type “restaurant near me” on her smartphone, pick a cuisine, read menus, evaluate ratings, and then use a map app to guide her to the destination as if she were a local.

The COST OF BEING OFF THE DIGITAL HIGHWAY

If you are not on the information highway, you are being bypassed by a lot of traffic. So, what content do you want to be discovered for by prospects?  What questions are you answering?  What problems are you solving?  How do you move prospects from finding you, to knowing you, to trusting you via content?  At what point is your opinion sought out because you are viewed as authoritative on a topic?

If you need help in answering these questions and would like to determine if we can add value to your content creation, schedule an appointment with us at WSI Vital Marketing.

Beyond the written word, the interest and usage of video continues to grow.  YouTube has crossed one billion daily views of educational videos.  Per 2018 Internet Trends published by Kleiner Perkins, 70% of viewers use the platform to solve work, school, and hobby problems – including mundane topics like “how to caulk a bathtub.”  Resume writing guides, job search videos, or company research video views has grown 38% compared to the prior year.

VIDEO AS CONTENT IS IMPORTANT

Not unlike television programming, you have to tap into what interests people and what’s trending.  But to break from the pack, you also have to originate topics that produce that trend.  Like TV, you build an audience easier when consumers know when to expect your new, updated content – so keep to a calendar.

When done well, content engages and enriches your audience; this builds traffic.  If you are selling a product or a service, you can generate leads from that audience.  You can gather insights or do research based upon analyzing the behavior of visitors.  Perhaps the biggest value of digital content is the ability for two-way communication and the possibility of one-to-one marketing.

For virtually every digital marketing strategy, be it paid advertising, search engine optimization, social media, or website build, content is central.  It is imperative that you do it well.  From researching complex subjects to providing a provocative take on a highly discussed topic, consider WSI Vital Marketing for your content procurement or creation strategy.

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