Effective content marketing is basically a balancing act. You've got to create compelling and charismatic content, publish it, and then manage your social media while simultaneously maintaining relationships with current customers and attracting new, potential customers. Whoa!

We all know how powerful Google is – there is no need to get into that. However, what's clear about Google, and what should be understood by any company seeking more traffic and new leads, is that operative content marketing will boost your ranking in the massive search engine's results, thus providing you with what, I assume, you desire – greater reach and more sales.

Advertising is ever-evolving, and the way a business attracts new customers and maintains old ones is changing, too. Of course, some of the ol' time-tested rules still apply – ethical practices, word of mouth, and innovation will never go the way of the 8-track.

However, the way businesses spend their money is one of the main changes to more contemporary advertising approaches. In many cases it can be cheaper to focus on content marketing than it is to place a series of ads in the paper, hire cold callers, employ sign-spinners, and print out thousands of flyers. And this isn't to say that those methods are now entirely antiquated or useless – they're not. But, the beauty of this is that the playing field is, to an extent, leveled.

Without the need for so many expensive advertising methods, even smaller companies with little money to burn can keep up in the game of content marketing. As long as engaging, magnetic, charming content is being created and published regularly, and as long as the company is maintaining its customer relations (i.e. teaching and not pitching), the benefits will eventually appear. The company website will become a force to be reckoned with, attracting customers like moths to a flame.

Becoming a digital expert in your niche and then reaping the benefits of content marketing means:

• Determining what your customers, old and new, want
• Establishing a plan for content that fits in with your business\' principles, products, and services
• Organizing a team to research, write, edit, etc. – this may consist of you only, at least in the beginning
• Establishing and maintaining social media outlets, publishing platforms, websites, blogs, and the like, and then using these to promote your content
• Measuring the stats to see what works and what doesn't

A fuller understanding of your target audience will come with time. They will begin to crave your content, watching the clock day and night in anticipation. They will view your company as an adviser of sorts. And that is the idea: to be light-years ahead of interruption marketing, which, unfortunately, continues to plague us all on a daily basis.

"Have a Pawsitively Tail Waggin' Good Day!"

P.S. This information was provided by Ruff Haus Design - Your Loyal Marketing Companion. Established in 1997, we are a special breed of full service graphic design company that works with a premier pack of clients. We bring a fresh outlook and tail-wagging enthusiasm to your marketing program. Learn more about how we can help improve your brand management and support your marketing needs at www.ruffhaus.com.