You can buy attention—advertising
You can beg for attention from the media—traditional PR
You can bug people one at a time to get attention—traditional sales
Or you can earn attention by creating something interesting and valuable and then publishing it online.
——David Meerman Scott
When comes to answer this why question, I often suggest to think of the blogs, tips, articles and advice you’ve given time to when searching on the web. Then you see content marketing in action every time you go online. The routine often processes like this, read something new, useful, interesting; then buy if there is a need, sometimes not even need a reason, just in good mood; or store up the content in case needed someday.
We don’t trust a sales message.
- 80 per cent of business decision-makers prefer to get company information in a series of articles rather than an advertisement.
- 77 per cent of people understand that the purpose of an organisation’s content is to sell them something, but are OK with it as long as it provides value.
- 61 per cent say valuable content makes them feel closer to the company that delivers it and are more likely to buy from that company.
Yes, we are online getting access to helpful, entertaining, authentic, relevant and timely content, sales message is not in the list.