Have you identified your "ideal candidates" whom you want to reach with your content? Have you segmented them into buyer personas? And have you determined the ideal information needs at each stage of the buying decision process (customer journey)?

Then you have created a solid foundation for successful content marketing. Your content strategy is the crucial success factor. It precisely defines which customers you want to reach through which channels with what content offerings and key messages.

A good content strategy includes not only your online channels (e.g., website, blog, social media, emails, newsletters) but also the real world (e.g., trade shows, advertising, press, or print).

Good content is your driving force on the internet. It is the basis of your presence on Google. Essentially, it is the currency by which Google measures the authority and reach of your company or website on the internet.

Most businesses understand this. As a result, every day more content is produced on all possible topics than any person can read. Many are rightly talking about a content tsunami.

If you want to establish yourself as the number one in the perception of your buyer personas amidst this content flood, you need two success factors:

• Outstanding Content Offerings that are not only read by your customers and prospects but also shared and recommended.
• The Willingness to Take on (Thought Leadership) for your topic. Therefore, you should not only provide the best content but also become the sole authority and reference that your customers listen to and follow.

This path to market differentiation often leads to immediate business success and has a lasting impact for many companies.

Content marketing convinces with value-driven content

Always create high-quality content tailored to your buyer personas. Your content only becomes a true marketing tool when you use it purposefully—exactly where your target audience is looking for it.

Prospects reward you for good content by providing their contact details (particularly their email addresses) during the download registration process. This principle is the foundation of modern marketing: it attracts customers. This approach is better known as "inbound marketing."

In content marketing, be sure to utilize your buyer personas. They help you choose the right topics, content formats (e.g., videos, whitepapers), and messages.