What is Content Marketing?
Resources for Better Understanding the Basics of Content Marketing
"Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action."
(Source: Content Marketing Institute)
That is a great quote, but what does that mean exactly? This post is dedicated to providing great resources to improve your understanding of content marketing and help you get started as a content marketer.
Content Marketing Resources
Content marketers have easy access to free or affordable resources and training, unlike professionals in other fields. Below is a list of resources to learn about content marketing.
Content Marketing Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide - Neil Patel
What is Content Marketing, Really? - Marketing Insider Group
Content Marketing: Your Step-By-Step Guide To Achieve Business - Growth-Moosend
The Definitive Guide To Content Marketing (Updated) - Click Funnels
Intro to Content Marketing by Google Digital Garage
The video below provides an excellent overview of Content Marketing in under five minutes!
(Source: Google Digital Garage)
Top content marketing goals in order of importance for small to midsize businesses
According to SEMRush, content marketing isn't just for major corporations and retailers. Content marketing plays a major role in the business plans of small and midsize businesses.
SEMRush surveyed 217 small and midsize businesses in the US with a staff of 1-50 people across a range of industries and domains. The industries covered in the survey are also a melting pot, ranging from agricultural operations to entertainment companies, insurance firms, and logistics.
Build your brand awareness — 46%
Increase traffic to your website — 41%
Improve sales results — 40%
Build engagement on social media — 29%
Onboard and retain clients — 27%
Lead generation — 23%
SEO — higher positions in search engines, more backlinks, more referring domains — 20%
Other (please specify) — 6%
(Source: https://www.semrush.com/blog/content-marketing-landscape-in-2022/ )
What Is a Content Marketer?
According to Conductor.com:
A content marketer’s job is so much more than a periodic blog post with a flashy title. A content marketer is responsible for all things content marketing—primarily the creation and execution of an editorial calendar that can include case studies, research, tweets, blogs, videos, white papers, checklists, infographics, emails, letters, webinars, presentation, web copy, and plenty of other creative forms of communication.
(Source: https://www.conductor.com/learning-center/content-marketer-do-job/)
A content marketer must stay current on digital marketing and social media tools. They also need to do and understand research, as well as interpret data from a variety of sources.
Underneath the broad title of content marketer, there are many job titles. Here are a few, according to Aha.io:
Content director
Content manager
Content marketing manager
Content marketing producer
Content specialist
Content strategist
Content writer
(Source: https://www.aha.io/roadmapping/guide/marketing/marketing-job-titles )
How to Earn Content Marketing Certifications for Free!
One of the fantastic opportunities in content marketing is the number of educational opportunities and certifications. The costs range from completely free to thousands of dollars. Below are just a few of the certifications available for free.
Professional Certification for FREE
Each study program includes more than 150 pages of course materials that are provided for free. These materials need to be studied and understood before you can take your online exam. There are 50 multiple-choice questions in each exam (Passing score: 50%. Time limit: 60 minutes).
After you pass, you can download your professional certification, which includes your name, course name, and date of completion. You can show your improved skills by using your new Professional Certification. Add it to your CV and LinkedIn Profile.
(Source: https://www.emarketinginstitute.org/about/)
Industry Recognized Certifications Are Resume Builders
The social media marketing world is growing and changing rapidly. How can you keep on top of things? Fortunately, this is one industry that has many resources to train motivated learners with reputable industry certifications. (Source: Conversologie.com / Brainstation.io )
A quick Google search of content marketing certifications will return dozens of results. For a list of ten free content marketing certifications, click on this link to a post by Henry Harvin Education. It will help you begin your search for the right certifications.
Certifications are Making Their Way Into Higher Education Master's Degrees!
Hubspot is demonstrating just how effective content marketing can be. The Content Management System has made a name for itself in the education realm with Hubspot Academy. Hubspot offers a variety of highly-respected certifications.
"Contributing largely to the online education movement, Hubspot Academy courses are also recognized by universities. And you know the certification is worth it when respected names like Northern University, Boston accepts Hubspot Certifications as a credit for the Master's program."
(source: www.linkedin.com/pulse/hubspot-certification-worth-niva-maharjan/)
Hubspot's Certification Focuses on Twelve Key Areas of Content Marketing
The Power of Storytelling
Building a Content Creation Framework
Planning a Long-Term Content Strategy
Generating Content Ideas
Creating Quality Blog Content Your Audience Loves to Read and Share
How HubSpot Uses Blogging to Rank #1 on Google
Extending the Value of Your Content Through Repurposing
Creating Topic Clusters and Pillar Pages
How to Create a Successful Video Marketing Strategy
Building a Guest Blogging Strategy Powered by SEO
How to Effectively Promote Content
Measuring and Analyzing Content
(Source: blog.hubspot.com/customers/updated-content-marketing-certification-course)
SEMRush Academy
The SEMRush Academy offers various tools for digital marketers, including free courses and exams. SEMRush offers a free exam with thirteen courses on content marketing, including competitor research, content ideas, and distribution.
The exam will test your content marketing skills after you finish the courses. The assessment will determine how well you have learned to enhance and advertise your brand online. Once you pass the exam, we will award you an official certificate proving your content marketing expertise.
(Source: www.semrush.com/academy/exams/content-marketing-fundamentals-exam)
More Content Marketing Resources
This is just the beginning of the countless resources available to help you start your content marketing journey. Column Five Media created a big list of 120 content marketing resources to help you. Check it out and see what you think.
120 Content Marketing Resources & Tools to Make Your Life Easier
https://www.columnfivemedia.com/100-content-marketing-resources-effective/
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