The three C-elements of content marketing

If you google "content marketing", then a lot of authoritative sources will give something like the following:

"Generating and publishing useful content on your own and third-party sites."

Although, after such a formulation, the question immediately arises: where is marketing here? Indeed, thousands of sites create and post suitable content every day, but only a few are attracting an active target audience.

The three C-elements of content marketing

In fact, there are three “C” that unite content with marketing:

• The content itself. It can be very different: photos, videos, articles, services. The main rule is usefulness: the content should satisfy the interests of the target audience (rest, help, training, entertainment). At the same time, it is necessary to create content that is better than that of competitors, and not in the same way with them.
• Connecting. It's not enough just to publish, you need to regularly promote content in social networks, thematic forums, heighten the interest of subscribers and answer questions. Please note that connecting includes working with comments, reviews, negativity, influencers.
• Conversion. Remember, content marketing is not blogging. Here, content is created not for self-expression, but with the aim of increasing loyalty to the product and, ultimately, taking a specific action by the user. And the content should be squarely focused on them.

Lost C-Element

Of course, the three elements are considered, this is the perfect option that came from the theory. In practice, one of the elements is often lost and incomplete schemes are obtained:

• "Content + Connecting". This scheme works for the benefit of writers and poets, but not businessmen. If the visitor does not become a buyer, then the whole essence of the "marketing" word is lost.
• «Content + Conversion» . With this approach, the trust of the audience cannot be won. Users seek help from you, but you ignore or do not answer immediately or every other time. Users will respond in kind to the product.
• «Connecting + Conversion. ». A model where you constantly ask but give nothing. It is often used by online stores and companies: "buy perfume cheaply", "repair a bathroom in a short time" and so on. It's overly intrusive and offends the eye.

Remember these basic elements, and then content marketing will not be confused with anything else.