What Content Marketers Can Learn From Publishers

Content marketers can learn a few fine lessons from traditional publishing companies, though they shouldn’t completely emulate them, says the Content Marketing Institute.

“The key for both publishers and content marketers is to listen to your audience,” writes Blogger Rob Yoegel. “Look at which sections of your website they spend the most time on and which stories they read, share and comment on, and then write more about these topics and share this information throughout your organization.”

While it’s the publisher’s responsibility to “match readers with advertisers” by looking at demographics, content marketers “rely on personas — a profile of each potential buyer of your product or service that includes their title, goals, job function, and pain points within their organization — and try to understand everything about each persona.” Audience development is key for both; In these cases it means analyzing and figuring out what content is really attracting readers, fans, and consumers.

Focusing on advertising may be a thing of the past, which explains why publishers are straggling. Digital Content Manager Parker Ward, of Weber Shandwick, says, “Stats show effective content costs less to bring a visitor to a brand than display advertising.”

Even as the publishing industry struggles, its core tactics are timeless and can be applied to any facet of content marketing. As content marketing and social media marketing continue to grow, their success can in part be attributed to the role publishers played in setting the bar.

Image courtesy of Flickr, gmanviz