Why Every Company Needs to be a Media Company

This morning, I read an interesting blog post by Joe Pulizzi, author, speaker, and content marketing strategist and the founder of Junta42. The post, "Starting a News Service for Your Industry," asserts the notion that every company must be a media company, and I have to say, I could not agree with him more.

Here at S2EO, we spurt the importance of content all the time. Not just any content, but quality content. Content that engages your customers, makes them smarter, and helps them to lead better lives. Why is this so important?

In the first wave of web development, experts touted the importance of having a website. People likened it to having an address—if a company did not have a website, they might as well not exist, at least as far as their potential customers were concerned. Well, today, it is not just about having a website. With the endless amount of information available on the Internet via various websites, social networks, blogs, and other online publications, businesses need a way to engage their customers to distinguish their message from the messages of others and to separate their brand from their competitors.

By becoming a media company, businesses essentially become a news source for their customers, offering them the latest industry news, information, and advice. Take, for example, a company that sells cars. While the company’s website might be a good resource for people interested in buying a car, customers are unlikely to revisit the website once they have made their purchase. But if the website offers other resources—articles on car safety, a video about what to look for in a used car, and blogs on the latest car regulations—customers will begin to value the company as a trusted industry expert and come back to the site over and over again.

Developing a content marketing strategy does not mean throwing all of your other marketing initiatives out the window. However, it does mean that companies should consider their content as a reflection of their brand and as an important part of their overall business and marketing goals.

To read Joe Pulizzi's full post, click here. You can also check out S2EO's own Resource Center for more information on content, social media, and marketing here.  

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