5 Reasons Why Tech Is the Midas Touch of Content Marketing Technology's influence spans companies and industries -- and it continues to change and revolutionize everything it touches, including content marketing.
By Kelsey Raymond Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Just a few decades ago, businessmen would have balked at the idea of video chats or digital time management. But thanks to the rise of tech, it's easy to instantly connect with a colleague in Europe or develop an app. Technology's influence spans companies and industries -- and it continues to change and revolutionize everything it touches.
The content-marketing industry is no exception. Here's how technology's Midas touch has turned this service-oriented industry into pure gold:
1. Digital publications make content marketing possible.
Thirty years ago, our industry didn't even exist. There weren't many "op-eds," due to costly printing and infrequent publishing. Now, companies can publish dozens of articles every day -- and long-time print publications do.
Related: The 13 Tools You Need to Build a Content-Marketing Machine
Other companies have no history of print publishing but are actively investing in the value of a modern online publication. This shift from print to digital not only increases brands' opportunities for content development, but it also boosts non-journalists' opportunities to contribute.
2. Technology makes us stronger, better and faster.
My company, Influence & Co., has greatly improved because of the technology we utilize. Recently, we launched proprietary software to aid our clients' content creation, track social shares and gauge analytics. In our portal, internal communication about client projects and task assignments coexist. This cuts down on internal email while keeping everything centralized.
3. We can get around the world in half a second.
In the past, marketing agencies practically had to be in New York, Los Angeles or London, as that's where the clients were. Agencies such as mine can now employ freelancers and work seamlessly across offices, thanks to simple tools such as email and Google Hangouts. Slack allows our team to communicate easil, and programs such as 15Five take the place of weekly check-in meetings (which can be pretty painful across four offices) and serve as brainstorming tools for our content.
Related: How to Use Content Marketing to Build a Brand with Purpose
4. Technology rewires content.
Gone are the days of "content marketing" simply being a fancy term for press releases. Now, companies can easily create videos, infographics, podcasts and other value-adds. The Content Marketing Institute's "This Old Marketing" podcast, for example, uniquely employs technology to create a more interactive content marketing strategy. VC firm OpenView Venture Partners created a standalone portal for its portfolio companies, as well as the public, to consume content. Furthermore, the way the company uses CMS technology to combine original and curated content in a community style is both unique and indicative of the future of content.
5. Marketing can actually be measured.
Experts used to publish a print article and determine its success by whether or not sales spiked. The ability to track real ROI from one piece of content was virtually nonexistent.
Now, all that has changed. Marketing automation services HubSpot, Marketo and MailChimp let marketers track which articles garner the most engagement, leads and revenue. HubSpot, in particular, our company to measure a 151 percent increase in conversions, leading to a 474 percent positive ROI from our investment in a content marketing campaign during the first quarter of this year. Those types of success metrics are invaluable.
Tech tools that embrace the gold standard
If you're doing content marketing well, technology should touch all phases of ideation, development, distribution and measurement. To successfully implement this tech, consider what you're using in each stage of content marketing. Then, research solutions that meet each need.
Hootsuite and Pinterest, for instance, can help gauge trending topics during the ideation phase. Tools such as the Hemingway app and knowledge management templates keep writing succinct and clear throughout the content development process. Outbrain- and Taboola-style platforms assist with distribution to place your content in the "read more" sections of major publications.
Technology continues to change and rewire the way we work. It's imperative that you embrace these new gold standards to keep pace in the constantly evolving content marketing industry.
Related: How Much Should Your Content Marketing Really Cost?
