Over-the-top, grandiose marketing messages of the past have lost their luster, and a few would even argue that traditional advertising has "jumped the shark" and is on its way toward well-deserved obsolescence.

In such an environment, marketers are looking for other avenues via which to gain the attention of consumers, including various forms of social media such as blogs, podcasts, and social networks.

These days, not only to gain the attention of consumers but also to hold it... you have to give them something worth holding on to—and I can think of no better enticement than your very own content.

Face it. If you are an online marketer, you're a publisher. Your Web properties are media sites, whether you consider them such or not; so you might as well make the most of it and provide your customers and prospects with something of value.

First, have in mind these considerations:

1. What will your core message be?
2. Is it consistent with your overall brand message?
3. What is its purpose? (To drive traffic to your Web site (acquisition), keep visitors tied to you (retention) or generate leads or revenue?)
4. What forms will it take?

Content Marketing Defined Junta42 defines content marketing as "a marketing technique of creating and distributing relevant and valuable content to attract, acquire, and engage a clearly defined and understood target audience—with the objective of driving profitable customer action."

Blogging is (or can be) content marketing. So can whitepapers, webinars, podcasts, video, RSS, and email (the opt-in kind).

At the company where I hang my hat as marketing director, Bizzuka, "content is king." Aside from a direct marketing campaign focused on attracting resellers (a campaign that was created prior to my joining the company) and some very limited advertising, practically everything we're doing is centered on content marketing.

I'm adamant that providing prospects and customers with useful information to which they assign value is a much better approach than, say, an ad in a magazine.

Blogging as Content-Marketing Tool

My all-time absolute favorite content marketing tool is a blog. For one, blogs are search engine magnets and, thus, play a significant traffic-acquisition role. In searches, it's not infrequent these days to find a company's blog before its Web site.

Due to their frequently updated content, blogs serve a traffic-retention role as well (you do update your blog regularly don't you?).

Plus, they're flexible: Blogs can contain a variety of types of content—whether the written word, images, audio or video.

Creating Content Crossover

Content can be repurposed to suit different consumer preferences. One of my favorites ways is to use blogs and email in what I call a "digital PB&J." Just like the sandwich, the two forms of media complement each other very well.

Using a blog as a "seedbed" for germinating an idea that can be expanded for inclusion in an email newsletter is one way. Placing a subscription form on the blog to help build the email member list is another. Conversely, linking to the blog from the newsletter is yet another form of "cross-pollination."

Other ways to repurpose content:

• Creating a webinar and whitepaper on the same topic
• Taking seminar material and couching it in e-book format
• Recording teleclasses and reproducing them in MP3 format for on-demand digital download

Of course, what forms your content marketing takes must be commensurate with your stated purpose.

I was recently talking with a real estate marketing consultant about how to market content he had created for use in seminars. His seminar teaches real estate agents how to master online marketing in 90 days by devoting 15 minutes a day to a particular exercise. He was primarily interested in writing a book and was asking questions about how to go about getting one published.

As I listened, it became apparent his real interest was in knowing how to turn the seminar content into dollars, with a book being just one avenue. We discussed a variety of options, including creating the content in e-book form abd combining that with a six-week teleclass, then combining that with daily MP3 downloads of each segment—all of which could be offered up individually or in package form.

I can imagine that with just a little creative thinking you could find several ways to create content crossover.

Content That Leads to Conversions

Creating great content is one thing. Turning that content into a lead or conversion is another.

Accordingly, you have to include calls-to-action that drive user interaction. One way to do that is by requiring registration for webinars and whitepaper downloads. Of course, it goes without saying that good old email marketing involves opt-in subscription.

Of course, people approach a company at differing stages in the sales cycle. Some are at the awareness stage and they're just learning about the company/product/service. Others are at the consideration stage, whereas others are ready to buy. It's important to provide both content and calls-to-action that speak to each.

Conclusion

The successful acquisition and retention of targeted consumers should be the goal of any marketing campaign. I know of no better way to do that than through the provision of content that speaks to their needs and scratches their itch.

Whether you use blogs, webinars, email, or some other form of content, I encourage you to investigate content marketing's potential to positively affect your bottom line.