The document discusses content marketing and why companies are increasingly focusing on it. It notes that content marketing involves any materials a company creates to engage customers, and outlines three key trends driving its importance: 1) The online audience is much larger now with over 2 billion internet users worldwide; 2) Most people now conduct online research before purchases, empowering consumers; 3) Price transparency online has led to a 10% average price drop, making companies more commoditized and in need of differentiating content. The document suggests that content like a company blog can help educate buyers and position the company as a trusted source of information.

1. Content Marketing
3 Reasons You Keep Hearing About It
By Frank Dale

2. What is Content Marketing?

3. Hold Your Breath
For a Second
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4. Content Marketing consists
of any and all materials a
company creates and
shares to engage
customers and prospects.

5. Sounds Like Old Wine
in a New Bottle
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6. Not Entirely
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7. 3 Trends Online Make it More Important Now

8. 1

9. Audience Online
is Much Larger
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10. Internet
Population
2 Billion+
* http://www.internetworldstats.com/america.htm#us Photo used under Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4386822005/

11. 245,000,000 Americans online in 2011 or
78% of the US population
That is 2.5 times larger than 2000*
* http://www.internetworldstats.com/america.htm#us Photo used under Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/psylight/357386485 /

12. 2

13. RAWR I Eat Your Website!
Internet Behavior
Matters

14. 78% Conduct
Research
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15. Information
Empowers
Consumers
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16. 3

17. Price Pressure
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18. 10% Avg. Reduction in Prices Across
the Board Due to Online Research*
•http: http://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/publications/great_transformer/index.asp
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19. We Look Like
Commodities
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20. That Includes B2B

21. Ouch!
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22. How Can We
Differentiate?
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23. Inform the Buyer- educate
them and help them make
a better decision.
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24. If we are viewed as a trusted source
of information, our prospects will be
more likely to choose our offerings
over our competition's.
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25. If an auction site feels the need to educate
buyers with a custom magazine, we should
think about what we can do to educate our
prospective customers

26. Not Sure Where to Start?
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27. Consider a Company Blog
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28. A company blog is usually the hub for most
content marketing activities.

29. Blogging is a powerful way to provide
information in a format that is easy to
digest, easy for you to update, and
engaging- all things that a buyer
appreciates.
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30. Want More Information About Content Marketing
and Blogging?
Click Here to Learn More
@Compendium
@frankcdale