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Pub Res Q (2012) 28:116123
DOI 10.1007/s12109-012-9264-5
Joe Pulizzi
Published online: 17 March 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012
Abstract More and more large and small brands are engaging in a marketing activity called content marketing: the idea that storytelling is key to attract and retain customers. Content marketing expert Joe Pulizzi details the history of content marketing, the opportunities, and six differences that separate good to great content marketers for publishers.
Keywords Content marketing Corporate storytelling Content marketing
institute Content marketing strategy Joe Pulizzi
According to Google Trends, one of the fastest growing search terms in the business marketing space is something called content marketing. Content marketing is the idea that all brands, in order to attract and retain customers, need to think and act like media companies.
Yesstorytelling, in all its forms. Opposite to advertising, which is generally transmitted around someone elses content, content marketing is the creation of valuable, relevant and compelling content by the brand itself on a consistent basis, used to generate a positive behavior from a customer or prospect of the brand. Today, we see content marketing in many forms, including corporate magazines, newsletters, blog posts, videos, webinars, podcasts and even fully functional media sites.
Content Marketing is not New
Content marketing has been around for hundreds of years. Credit is often given to John Deeres The Furrow magazine as being the rst example of corporate
J. Pulizzi (&)
CEO, Content Marketing Institute, 3317 West 155th Street, Cleveland, OH 44111, USA e-mail: [email protected]
The Rise of Storytelling as the New Marketing
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storytelling. John Deere leveraged The Furrow, not to directly sell John Deere equipment, but to educate farmers on new technology and how they could be more successful business owners. Because of this vehicle, John Deere became an expert source of information for farmersand when many farmers had equipment needs, they indeed turned to their informational expert, driving John Deeres revenues.
The same strategy was used to fuel JELL-Os growth in the early 1900swhere the now billion-dollar brand gave away free recipe books to consumersand Sears in the 20s, with their launch of the Worlds Largest Store (WLS) radio show for the farming community.
The Barriers to Entry are Gone
There were...