Every business wants more leads and customers, but they need help figuring out how to do it.
Although many marketing strategies can produce quantifiable business outcomes, not all of them are equally effective. No matter your marketing strategy, the goal is to achieve a high return on investment (ROI).
These two areas can conflict. Both can coexist and be supported by each other. However, content marketing will provide you with a better ROI.
Quick Take-Aways
Advertising has a lower ROI than content marketing.
Content marketing is never static; ads work only when they are running.
Content marketing offers many benefits.
The Basics: Determining the Contestants
Let’s first define these two fields before we get into the discussion. Content marketing is a strategic approach in which brands publish content they want to consume. It is relevant, accurate, and engaging.
Advertising comes in many different forms and is very diverse. Advertising is an inbound medium that promotes brands. It can be interruptive or outbound. Advertising has changed significantly since its conception. It is everywhere: online, TV, radio and billboards, magazines, and many other media.
The Data shows that content marketing beats advertising.
When you examine ROI, one of the most important things you will see is that content continues to provide ROI as long as it is published. Every ad, from pay-per-click to TV spots, only provides returns when it’s active. Once it’s finished, it’s gone.
Google Ads is a staple for many businesses. Although they can provide leads, the quality of those leads could be better. The average keyword bid can rise quickly if you are in a competitive field. These are the first-page organic rankings of keywords. It’s the organic search results that get clicks more often.
Recent surveys show that 70% of marketers think SEO is better than PPC in generating sales.
These ads can be placed wherever you believe your buyers are online or on any other media.
Inbound marketing refers to content buyers find. Most buying decisions begin with a Google search. The user is looking for information and will find it in your content.
This is where they begin their journey together with you. It’s how B2B buyers make a decision now. They consume 13 pieces before they buy. Most of this content is produced by the brand. As you can see, they don’t look at advertisements in the following list.
Google Rankings Your Content Marketing Well
We have discussed why buyers use Google and prefer organic content to Google’s ads. Quality content is the best way to rank high in search results. To be organized well in search, your content must answer the question best. Advertising will not get you there.