The Content and Influencer Marketing Overlap How to Use Both Together and to Your Advantage

The Content and Influencer Marketing Overlap: How to Use Both Together and to Your Advantage Having an influencer marketing strategy and a content marketing plan are not opposites, yet the two options are often pitted against one another. This conflict truly boils down to resource allocation. Most businesses have a finite amount of money to spend on marketing campaigns. For every dollar you spend on content marketing, you have to take one away from influencer marketing and vice versa. CortezTextbroker Marketing and CommunicationsWhile there are many different marketing strategies that can be effective, two of the most compelling are content marketing and influencer marketing. Ideally, both strategies can work together, complement one another and contribute to a comprehensive marketing approach. Unfortunately, the two strategies are often considered opposing tactics. The best results appear when marketers are able to utilize elements of both strategies and combine the best of content marketing and influencer marketing in their campaigns. The Benefits of Combining Content Mar keting and Influencer Strategies Whether you run your own business, youre a marketing professional or youre a social media manager, youll be familiar with a wide range of marketing strategies. Its no secret that content marketing is king, and using content is one of the most effective ways to increase an audience organically. At the same time, influencer marketing is rapidly picking up steam as a means of connecting with an audience via an influencer that audience already knows and trusts.Choosing one strategy doesnt mean that you have to abandon the other. In fact, youll likely receive the best results by combining the two. Content marketing and influencer marketing can achieve many of the same goals, and they even overlap in several key ways. What Are the Benefits of Content Marketing? Content marketing is a type of inbound marketing. Essentially, it moves away from the traditional forms of in-your-face advertising and seeks to inform and add value to the lives of users naturally. By creating and distributing more content, youll be able to appear as a leader within your industry. You can also be more active on social media because you always have something to share and something to contribute to the conversation.Content marketing is beneficial because it increases your web traffic as well. While you might have some direct traffic online, content marketing can bring in a new audience of users who are searching for related information. After typing what trees to plant in South Carolina?, a user might find your content and click on it. If you have a greenhouse and nursery in Columbia, South Carolina, then youve just established a great connection with a potential client. With this approach, interested users find you, rather than the other way around. What Are the Benefits of Influencer Marketing? Another common marketing strategy is known as influencer marketing. This approach uses influencers, or leaders within certain niche areas, to promote a brand, product or idea. On a macro scale, celebrities like Kylie Jenner and makeup artist Huda Kattan make hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single Instagram post. However, not all influencers are paid so much, and many have significantly smaller audiences.The benefits of influencer marketing include having a non-business voice to speak about your brand. If there is an influencer in your city who is active on social media, they could promote your brand to a local audience. Often, influencers have a much larger audience on social media than your business brand, so you can increase brand awareness with a single post. If you choose an influencer who is trusted by your desired audience, it can also encourage more sales, conversions or follows for you in the future. The Conflict Between Content Marketing and Influencer Strategies Having an influencer marketing strategy and a content marketing plan are not opposites, yet the two options are often pitted against one another. This conflict truly boils down to resource allocation. Most businesses have a finite amount of money to spend on marketing campaigns. For every dollar you spend on content marketing, you have to take one away from influencer marketing and vice versa.It is important to note that you dont have to allocate your budget to one approach or the other. You can divide your resources as they are needed in order to create a strategy that includes both influencer marketing and content marketing. The two strategies are not conflicting, and there is no reason why any business should be forced to choose between the two. Is One Approach Truly Better Than the Other? In a word, no. It would be a mistake to say categorically that one strategy is always better than the other. However, in some cases one strategy could definitely be preferable. For example, a B2B corporation will probably benefit from content marketing more than influencer marketing. On the other hand, a youthful clothing brand might see greater results from in fluencer marketing.In the vast majority of cases, however, a combination of strategies will work best. An influencer can amplify your content, but your content showcases that youre a reputable, proven brand. When both strategies are employed, your business will have a stronger strategy. Exploring the Overlap Between Content Marketing and Influencer Marketing So far, content marketing and influencer marketing have been classified as two different strategies. In reality, there is a lot more overlap than most businesses expect. To start, both strategies will rely on content. Even with an influencer marketing strategy, your chosen influencer wont necessarily have total control over the message. You can contribute ideas or include keywords and phrases that represent the voice and feel of your brand. An influencer might recommend existing content or be inspired by it when sharing your message.Both strategies can also give you a boost on social media platforms. Sharing your existing conten t boosts views and clicks, but so can links from influencers. Similarly, both strategies require you to refine your brand image. If you are a tractor manufacturer, you need to create content that meets that image and find influencers that are seen by your desired audience. This is largely introspective, but it can be incredibly helpful as brands develop their voice through increased marketing. Developing Your Own Influencer and Content Marketing Strategy Once youve decided to embrace both an influencer and a content marketing strategy, it is time to get started and explore the details. Typically, it is recommended that businesses create stand-alone strategies and then combine them cohesively into one overarching marketing approach. Creating a Content Marketing Strategy The first step in the process of creating a strategy for content marketing is defining your goals. Once you have defined your goals, you can begin to put together a calendar featuring the types of content that will ma ke the biggest impact with your audience.Often, business owners say they dont know what kind of content their audiences want to see. If thats the case for you, then take a look at your inbox. What are potential customers asking questions about? What are their biggest pain points? What is the most common reason for a customer to be unhappy with your product or service? All of these common questions can spark content ideas. At the same time, look at the content of your closest competitors. You may be able to identify what is working for them as well as what mistakes you might want to avoid for your own content marketing plan.Finally, you can decide who will create your content, how frequently you will create content and how you will distribute content. You may opt to write three blog posts a week, and you could then share those blog posts on Facebook as well as through an email marketing campaign. Creating an Influencer Marketing Strategy Next, youll want to create an influencer strat egy. Although it might feel intuitive to start by looking for influencers, a better plan is to outline your goals. Some possible goals for your influencer strategy might include the following:†¢ Increased followers on Facebook or Instagram †¢ Greater brand recognition †¢ Link building back to your primary website †¢ Increased traffic to a specific page or blog post †¢ Potential leads and increased salesOnce you have defined your goals, you can start to explore the various influencers that could be a good fit for your strategy. Your budget will play a big role in this decision. Some influencers are paid large sums of cash in exchange for a sponsored post, a shout out or an endorsement. However, you can also pay smaller influencers with free products. You can also offer affiliate codes so that when every one of their audience members makes a purchase, the influencer earns a small profit. This creates an incentive for them to promote your brand further. You wil l also need to determine whether your influencer will have creative control over the message or whether you need the final say. Developing a Combined and Cohesive Marketing Strategy The key word to remember when combining your influencer and content marketing strategies is amplification. The ideal influencer strategy will amplify your content strategy, and your content strategy will amplify your influencer strategy. To capitalize on brand recognition and increased traffic thanks to an influencer, for example, make sure youre staying active on social media. Youll probably see increased engagement during an influencer campaign.At the same time, make sure your website is functioning well and that you have your content plan up and running. Ensure that new visitors and subscribers have easy access to updated, relevant and timely content.You can also have your content refer back to an influencer. Dont be afraid to mention your influencer in your content or share their videos, posts and ph otos. This is yet another way to capitalize on the relationship you have with the influencer, and it lends credibility to your brand for new users who are very familiar with the influencer but not your company.There is significant overlap between an influencer marketing strategy and a strategy for content marketing. Businesses need not choose one over the other. In fact, the best and most comprehensive approach usually involves elements of both strategies. Content can amplify influencer campaigns, and a relationship with an influencer can boost your content. The two approaches dont conflict with one another, and they can enhance your marketing strategy in a number of beneficial ways.