Content marketing is hard to get right and even harder to perfect. And yet, it has proven its value time and time again, which is why 73% of B2B marketers and 70% of B2C marketers use the tactic as a part of their overall strategies.
That’s a lot of business professionals with experience, lessons, and advice to share. And they haven’t been keeping their wisdom to themselves, either. The internet has become an inspirational goldmine, and if you know where to look, you can learn from the very best.
We’re going to take you through quotes from some of the most interesting, innovative, and successful minds in the world of content marketing. Listen to them carefully and let them push your boundaries. You never know where these words could take your brand next.
7 quotes to change the way you look at content marketing
Do you have a point to prove, a presentation to enrich, or attitudes to change? Why not utilize the words of the pioneers, experts, and thought leaders who put it perfectly? Below are seven brilliant content marketing quotes that will stick in the minds of your team.
1. “Traditional marketing talks at people. Content marketing talks with them.”
Doug Kessler, co-founder of B2B tech marketing agency Velocity, spoke these wise words. Here he urges businesses towards a customer-first approach where they form genuine connections with audiences. For example, with subtle messaging and unbranded content.
An article about how awesome your product is won’t resonate with anyone. And throwing an in-your-face ad at every corner of the internet isn’t going to put you in the marketing hall of fame. Not when 72% of consumers will only engage with personalized messaging.
Below are our top tips to help you earn first place with your customers.
- Have an open channel of communication. Put in the time and reach out to your audience. Social media is a fantastic place to do this. Also, listen actively, acknowledge feedback to show you care, and invest in 24/7 customer support.
- See the funny side of things. 58% of consumers want to see content that makes them laugh. Brands like Duolingo, Ryanair, and Wendy’s reel in an audience on social media by (lightly) insulting them, hopping on trends, and cracking jokes. This leads to stronger loyalty and better brand awareness.
- Humanize your marketing. At Literal Humans, we understand the power of embracing your flaws, showing a range of emotions, and giving your brand a face. Doing so will increase trust and give your customers a better overall experience.
2. “Content isn’t king. It’s the kingdom.”
You’ve probably heard the words “content is king”. Considering they came from one of the richest people in the world, Bill Gates, we’d be silly to disagree with him, right? However, our second quote, from B2B marketing strategist Lee Odden, gives us food for thought.
Content does rule us all, but it is not the only factor in success. There’s an ecosystem that surrounds it. For example, you may get traffic when you publish a blog. But you could get twice as much when you use promotion strategies and search engine optimization (SEO).
Let’s look at how you can adopt this more modern take on the phrase.
- Conduct keyword research. These valuable insights show exactly what your potential buyers are searching for on Google. When you know what they want, you can target content towards solving their pain points.
- Optimize your visuals for sharing. Videos, images, and infographics are great ways to engage consumers. A whopping 91% of them prefer visuals to written content. But when you create them, ensure they’re clear, mobile friendly, and sized for different social media channels and homepages.
- Have a content distribution strategy. A Facebook ad will only get you so far. But it’ll work much better when blended with email marketing, product reviews, and inbound links. Use a powerful combination of owned, earned, and paid media for the best chance at engagement.
3. “Make your customer the hero of your stories.”
The next quote comes to us from the great Ann Handley, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, digital marketing pioneer, and MarketingProfs CCO. She’s not talking about Harry Potter and Batman here. But we can learn a lot from the stories of our favorite characters.
People want to be the hero. We’ve always resonated with the good guys in books, movies, and tv shows. So positioning your product as the savior of the day isn’t going to touch customers on an emotional level. Instead, create a narrative where they are the main character and speak to their personal situation.
But how do you connect your business with your reader’s life?
- Deepen your understanding of your audience. This can be done with buyer personas, studying existing data, or sending out in-depth surveys to customers. Having this knowledge will help you send the right messages to the right places.
- Change your outlook. Obviously, you want your audience to buy. But encourage them to learn, discuss, and gain something valuable first. Motivate them without pushing and you’ll soon see how content builds relationships.
- Incorporate user-generated content. Build a community and empower your customers to share their experiences. For example, create a public hashtag as Apple did, called “shotoniphone”. By asking users to take photos on their iPhones, it shows prospective buyers what they can do. You’ll also find that consumers trust this type of content more than what your business posts, and trust drives revenue.
4. “Commit to a niche; try to stop being everything to everyone.”
Andrew Davis is a talented keynote speaker and trainer in content marketing. Combined with years of experience in social media, he’s a professional who knows the importance of standing out and doing something different. It’s what he’s saying with this quote above.
Unfortunately, it’s almost impossible for a brand to appeal to everyone in the world. Apple is a successful technology company, but some people still prefer Android. Everyone has heard of Coca-Cola, but some people just don’t like fizzy drinks. So when you focus your attention on the people most likely to buy your product, your reach is much more effective.
The best content marketers harness the power of niche. Let’s find out how they do it.
- Conduct a gap analysis. A gap analysis tells you what your audience wants and what your channels are missing. When you identify this, you can find your unique selling point (USP) and offer it to consumers. This can also be done with competition. When you find out what’s missing from their content, you can give consumers something valuable that no one else is.
- Collaborate within your niche. Some business owners worry that having a niche loses customers. But this isn’t the case when you build relationships within one. Join specific groups on LinkedIn, find relevant influencers, and write guest posts.
- Choose something you know a lot about. Your content must have a new perspective and fresh insights. Make sure your chosen niche is something you can say a lot about and be passionate while doing so. When you have the knowledge, you’re more likely to become an authority figure. This means the audience looks to your brand.
5. “Tools are great, but content marketing success is about the wizard, not the wand.”
We owe this quote to Jay Baer, the founder of Convince & Convert. He’s also a strategist, author of seven best-selling books, and award-winning podcast host. His experience in brand growth has meant he’s come across many tools, and he knows how to use them.
Great content marketing tools are a revolutionary move for businesses. Companies that use them are 20% more productive than those that don’t. Plus, there’s something out there for everyone. For instance, Hootsuite lets you schedule your posts across social media. Mailchimp does your email marketing. And Ahrefs shows you what’s worth writing about.
But letting them do all the work is a mistake made much too often. Tools are only a useful addition to your content marketing strategy with human input. It’s crucial to monitor for mistakes, inject personality, and use creativity whenever the task calls for it.
Let’s look at what you can do to create a healthy balance between humans and machines.
- Use multiple tools, but not too many. By researching the best marketing tools, you can arm your business with a personalized and diverse toolkit. This also means you’ll have the capability to automate more tasks. However, it’s important to not go overboard. Too many will overwhelm your team and take away the cohesiveness.
- Customize the content created. If you can easily create something with a platform, then your competitors can do the same. Find a way to make the product on-brand. Seek out good content tools that offer customization features, such as the ability to add your company colors and logo to their templates.
- Set SMART goals. The beauty of these resources is that they all do something different really well. Before you get subscribing and downloading, consider what it is you want to achieve, how you want to do it, and when you want to do it. This will help you keep focus and ensure problems get solved.
6. “Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign.”
Jon Buscall is the owner of the digital agency JontusMedia, which specializes in online marketing and communications. As one of our great marketers, he definitely knows what he’s talking about. When it comes to this quote in particular, we think he’s got it spot on.
A campaign is something carried out over a period of time. However, content marketing should be a part of your brand from its ideation to the day it retires. To get the results you deserve, you’ll need to commit to significant trial-and-error, investment, and learning.
Here are some things to do to make sure your content marketing stands the test of time.
- Remember patience is a virtue. Think about it this way. It takes a long time to publish a library of useful articles. But once done, the first ones you wrote can be linked back to. Months and years down the line, they’re still getting clicks. Your assets increase in value over time, so don’t give up.
- Deliver content regularly. It’s important to publish on your channels often to keep your audience hooked. This doesn’t have to be brand new- consider curating and repurposing content as well. A detailed editorial calendar will help you and your team keep track of what’s being posted in the next weeks, months, and years.
- Measure with metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs). Consider factors like time on page, sentiment analysis, click-through rate, and leads. By monitoring these over time, you’ll get a clear idea of what is working and what to improve.
7. “If you aren’t having fun creating content, you’re doing it wrong.”
As we come to the end of our journey of inspiration, it would be impossible to forget this important quote. So, let’s finish with it. These brilliant words were also spoken by Ann Handley. And just the same as the first, this is advice to live by.
If you aren’t having fun, neither is your audience. This doesn’t mean you have to do something wacky and out-of-character. Just show consumers how much you love what you do. Passion goes a long way, and not everything is about the product.
How can you put this mantra into practice?
- Start hosting workshops. Brainstorming new ideas for content creation makes all team members feel important and allows them to be imaginative. A fun workshop would also be a well-deserved break from dull meetings and repetitive tasks.
- Try upskilling. 77% of workers are willing to learn something new. Why not help them? Inviting employees to seminars, paying for courses, or letting different departments collaborate could help them find their motivation again.
- Research creative content ideas. Trying something new will get both your audience and your team excited. Maybe there’s a competition to announce or an influencer you’ve been dying to contact. Some brands are even getting behind the newest technology, like AI-generated art. Below is an example from the hilarious Dairy Queen’s Instagram.
Where can you find even more quotes?
Your research shouldn’t end here. The internet is swarming with exciting ideas, new takes, and people willing to share different perspectives with you. Embracing every conversation out there and listening carefully will allow your business to constantly grow.
Below are some other influential and talented names in the world of content marketing. You’ll find their infinite wisdom after a quick Google search or a LinkedIn deep dive.
When you discover a quote that resonates with you and your brand, take the time to think about what it means. This exercise will make sure you can turn your inspiration into action.
Be sure to follow your favorite speaker, too. Maybe even reach out and say how much their words meant to you. You might even gain a powerful and valuable connection.
Get inspired
Add your favorite quotes to your company emails. Put up posters next to the coffee station. Discuss them in your daily meetings. However you decide to get the words out there, remember to also live by them.
It’s important to share what you’ve read here with your team. The right kind of words show employees you care and are committed to bettering their experience. This will be your first step towards operational greatness and giving your brand a new lease of life.
