For as long as marketing has been around, content has played an integral role. Fundamentally different from the traditional methods of advertising and promoting products, the concept of using information to attract customers is nothing new—but it's come a long way since its inception.
Content marketing started out in magazines and print publications, where sponsors could include their own content for readers such as recipes, stories and advice columns; this earliest form was known as advertorials. Around that same time, catalogs were becoming popular but still fairly slow-moving; businesses would draw attention by including free gifts or cleverly worded product descriptions rather than relying on sales numbers or discounts.
The internet changed everything for marketers, opening up rich opportunities for content creators. Video platforms began popping up everywhere and gave people even more ways to spread awareness of their businesses via unique visual messages. With this digital transformation came targeted campaigns involving blogs articles, infographics and more with links directing traffic right back to the company website. This allowed brands to track metrics like click-through rates while fostering real relationships with engaged audiences across all sectors of society.
Today we have social media marketing giants –– like Instagram influencers –– who are leveraging the power of storytelling through stunning visuals and relatable anecdotes to promote increased brand awareness. Content can also be used in email campaigns that nurture leads generation throughout various sales funnel stages without appearing overly promotional or slickly commercialized (aka spammy).
As technology becomes more deeply rooted in our lives every day (we’re talking AI bots now), so does the need for a well-thought-out approach when developing effective content strategies — because just randomly putting stuff out there won’t cut it anymore! Exactly how this will shape our future remains unclear… but one thing is certain: Content sure isn't going anywhere anytime soon!