According to Hubspot content marketing research from 2021, a staggering 82% of marketers actively used content marketing as part of their broader marketing strategies. This is up a whopping 70% compared to 2020. As you might expect video content took the digital cake, outperforming both blog articles and infographics.
We’ve known for years that content marketing was going to become an important ingredient in any marketing mix, but the reality is that content is nothing less than essential.
With that in mind, below we’re offering up a few effective content marketing tips for 2022 that promise to grow interest in your brand and move more potential customers into your sales funnel.
1. Blog articles on your website
Got a website? Start publishing regular informative articles immediately by activating a blog page and getting your typing fingers busy! Blog articles are excellent avenues of sharing information about your brand, your industry, new products or services, and anything else you think your potential customers will find interesting. Why do this? The idea is to attract people to your blog, who might then end up exploring the rest of your website and maybe even make an enquiry. But how long should this blog article be then? The word on the street seems to be varying, but one thing they all say is that a blog article should not be less than 300 words, and articles that are over 900 words may get faster traction.
- How much does a blog article cost?
How long is a piece of string you ask? We know, we get it. This very much depends on the experience level of the copywriter, and of course how long the article will be. Realistically, you can expect to pay between R0.85 – R2 per word count written. If you’re looking to create blog articles to help your SEO efforts then you would want to pay more, as this is a higher-level skill set.
So, if you find a blog article being sold to you for 500 words that costs R400, then you know that the person writing it may not have as much experience as they say they have. But the same can be said. The same blog article should not be costing R2000 (unless you’re getting a free lunch at your favourite restaurant each time).
ARTICLE: How often should you post on your business blog?
2. Newsletters and email marketing
Sending informative emails to your customers on a regular basis is still a very effective method of keeping your followers updated and connected to your business. This is commonly referred to as email marketing or ‘direct marketing’ since you’re sending newsletters directly to a customer, but adding in content is what separates high-converting mailers from those that take a quick trip to the trash immediately after being opened.
3. Downloadable resources
Want to really impress your fans and gain more followers in 2022? Do it with downloadable content marketing resources. In this category we’re talking about things like checklists, infographics, e-books, coupons, and other digital items that can be downloaded and even printed out in some cases. These can be considered highly shareable pieces of content, which is exactly what you want. The more people who share your content, the wider your brand will spread which could result in new business leads.
4. Video, video & more video
Video may have killed the radio star, but it will breathe new life into your digital marketing strategy in 2022. When it comes to email marketing, newsletters featuring videos have a higher conversion rate than those without. On social media, posts sharing videos enjoy a much better engagement rate. In other words, if you want people to interact with the content you are publishing, make sure that video marketing is part of your broader content marketing strategy.
- How much do video’s cost?
That’s a great question and depends on the same as copywriting, and what type of video you are wanting. If you go search for video apps on your phone you can easily find cheap or even free apps that you can use yourself as a small business. But be warned, there are differences, and there still needs to be a clear strategy involved.
It’s no good just creating simple videos all the time unless you have a strategy for the overall marketing. In a nutshell though a paid-for software, that may still use good quality templates will set you back about $65 – $150 per month. For a company to create a 10-15 second video may cost you between R1000 – R2000; and a 30 second video upwards from R2500 normally.
But what about those fancy videos we see other companies have? How much do they cost? Are you sitting down? First, go price the equipment. You’ll be lucky to find the right equipment setup for under R70 000 including a good PC to use for editing. Then insure everything, then replace lenses, parts, accessories every few years.
All in all, it’s expensive. But a company shoot can cost anywhere from R5000 and beyond R100 000 depending on all sorts of factors. That’s why it’s important to research the company first, and have a look at some of their videos.
If they’re cheap you can generally tell why. If they charge a fortune and arrive at your first meeting in an S-class, then you know they won’t be cheap – or even close to competitive. That being said, it’s personal choice. More well-known videographers and companies have guarantees, they have better equipment, and are willing to do more for you.
We will, we will, rock your content marketing in 2022
Looking for the kings and queens of content marketing in South Africa? We’ve got the experience, and the international marketing partnerships, to make sure that your content marketing in 2022 is bigger, better, and more effective in generating interest in your brand and products or services. Start a content marketing project with us, or find out who we are and what we’re capable of!
Our Content Services include:
- SEO Blog Article Writing
- Website Page Writing
- Long SEO Article Writing (1500 words +)
- Infographic Creation
- Social Media Post Creation and Scheduling
- Video Creation – template software based 10-45 second videos for YouTube and Social Media
- Email Marketing Content
- Marketing Automation Campaigns
- Video – We use specialist companies for all other video work that have been in the business for decades. They do small corporate videos, event videos, all the way to large YouTube campaign videos, product launches, and even TV advertisements.