Here is a portion of a letter to the editor for the most recent Fast Company. The submission comes from Eric Schultz in response to Fast Company’s March, 2008 cover story featuring Google as the most innovative company in the world.
“Maybe it’s time to get off the Google bandwagon. It’s all expansion of one good idea, some smart acquisitions, and lots and lots of cool, free, unprofitable stuff that allows the old idea to make more money.“
Google, by creating such free services as Google Co-op, Google Apps, Gmail and others, has created a number of opportunities for customers to get more involved in the Google brand. It’s not news that this is pure genius.
What Can Marketers Learn from Google?
Smart marketers can learn a lot from what Google has done. Now, very few of us have the resources to create a bunch of free online services, but we can take their example with our content marketing.
By generating consistent, valuable and compelling content, delivered to our customers and prospects, we can drive the same type of results as Google.
Not Apps and Gmail, but White Papers, Blogs and Articles
Let’s go back to our letter to the editor. Google creates “lots of cool, free, unprofitable stuff” that generates revenues through other products. That’s the essence of content marketing.
When you deliver ultra-valuable information to your customers, and not just product pitches, it drives customers to your “paid” products.
Free doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. Actually, your free content that you deliver must be the best stuff around, or why would they consider buying what you actually have to offer? I’ve heard renown copywriter and entrepreneur Bob Bly state this many times in his audio recordings. Bob is adamant that the very best information you have to offer should be what you give away for free, which will ultimately create demand for your real products.
What You Must Do Now
Recognize the fact that, regardless of what you sell, you are a publisher. Start looking at your customers and prospects from the perspective of the information they need to have to do their job faster, better, cheaper.
Once you do that, start creating the content and pick a consistent schedule. If you stay the course, the results will be impressive indeed. Unfortunately, most companies start and stall when in comes to their content marketing. In today’s marketing environment, and the way consumers engage in information online, you can’t afford to stall. Be like Google. Be relentless. Good Luck!
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6 Comments
Don’t have much to say accept that you’re totally correct! Nice work, Joe.
I mean “except” – how embarrassing…
Thanks DJ…no worries.
Hey Joe,
This is absolutely true. People buy from a company if they believe its product or service will really help them solve their problems. However, ads and traditional marketing do little to instill belief. If your website can help the customer before he gives you a penny, he will be far more likely to believe other claims you make. Free services, like educational articles, allow potential customers to build a relationship with you with zero financial risk.
It’s funny, today I just wrote a post about this same topic: http://www.ayoswebdesign.com/2008/04/how-can-freely-sharing-articles-you.html
Best,
Ayo Ijidakinro
Owner & Operator
Ayo’s Website Design
Branded utilty
Branded Utility is a great concept. Junta 42 points out that this is what Google do, but calls it content marketing. (It seems to me that there are quite a few people creating different terms to describe the same concept
Absolutely right Ayo. There still is a place for traditional advertising, no question, but content marketing must be a core component of all marketing plans – and should be integrated with your overall strategy.
Just checked out your blog. Nice work.
Best
Joe