Often, content marketing will be framed as an alternative or a competitor to pay-per-click (PPC) ads, as content is rooted in search engine optimization (SEO) and PPC ads capitalize on the premium paid ad space at the top of each search engine results page. However, these two strategies can—and should—go hand in hand to create more effective advertising plans with measurable results. If your agency is not offering content services to clients, you may be missing out on the valuable benefits of content marketing that PPC simply cannot deliver. Let’s take a deeper look at what content marketing can do to bolster your existing paid advertising services and offer something extra to your clients.
Go Beyond PPC
Pay-per-click advertising is a great start for online marketing, because it can provide nearly immediate exposure with readily available performance data. It’s also easy to incorporate into any ad budget, because clients only pay for ads that get clicks. Alternatively, PPC does have some distinctive drawbacks. Paid advertisements are often looked over on search engine results pages, as consumers will look to organic search results instead. In addition, PPC ads lack the flexibility to create an adaptable approach for clients in any industry. Content allows greater freedom to cater to all types of clients, including those with more specialized or technical services. Ideally, you should offer clients both PPC and SEO components for their advertising strategies, as both have unique advantages to consider. With SEO services, including content marketing, you can:
- Enhance ads with optimized landing pages. Once a potential customer clicks on an ad, there should be some incentive to convert with a sale, subscription, or other lasting impression. By implementing content marketing services, you can create optimized landing pages that include clear calls to action to convert customers. In addition, strong landing page text can boost the position of an ad, since it is more likely to provide the information that a customer is seeking through his or her search.
- See traffic through organic search results. Consumers often report that they trust organic search results more than paid or sponsored results, and organic search is driven by content marketing. Though there are many factors that play into search engine rankings, content is perhaps the most essential. Without accurate, well-written content in the form of blogs, landing pages, and website copy, there will be little for search engines to draw on when customers search for key terms related to your clients’ businesses. Though it does take more time to see better rankings in organic search results, the payoff can be substantial.
- Develop a big-picture strategy. Content marketing may force you to develop a broad strokes advertising strategy with a long-term picture of the campaign. You might create an editorial calendar months in advance and work PPC ads into this schedule rather than focusing on individual short-term campaigns that exclusively utilize sponsored ads.
Why Clients Want Content
Aside from the benefits of content marketing listed above, clients may have their own goals in mind when they are thinking about content services. Your clients may request content to help improve their reputation, become an industry resource within their areas of expertise, and engage customers in a new way. Unlike PPC ads, content is more static, as it will remain on a client’s site or blog, continuing to offer SEO benefits while serving as a resource for existing and potential customers. This type of brand identity is often lost in PPC ads, creating missed opportunities for customer recognition and loyalty.
What to Offer with Content Marketing
Content marketing is a big offering, because it can include written content on blogs and website pages, custom videos, infographics, photographs, webinars, and so much more. So how do you decide where to start with content marketing? First, you might look at the capabilities of your agency. If you do not have writers and designers on staff, you might seek a partnership with a content provider to guide your service offerings. You should also poll your clients to explore which content services they are most interested in for their businesses. Regardless of the specific content types you choose to focus on, you should ensure that the content you deliver is well-researched, clearly written or sharply designed, and easy to interact with.
Don’t be intimidated by the scale of content marketing. With Pennington Creative, you’ll have a team of content creators serving as a resource for your agency. Follow this link to schedule a call to discuss your agency’s content needs, or explore our site to see sample content and services for a variety of industries.
