One of the cool things about working at A Brave New is that employees are supported in furthering their knowledge by taking advantage of the suite of lessons available at HubSpot Academy. This ensures we’re doing our best work, staying abreast of a quickly changing industry, and remaining at the top of our respective games.
I recently completed HubSpot Academy’s Content Marketing course and wanted to take a moment to share some of my thoughts and key takeaways with you.
What Makes HubSpot Special
You’re likely already aware of HubSpot, a software company with a heavy focus on inbound marketing. HubSpot’s inbound methodology posits that effective marketing occurs across three, cyclical stages: attraction, engagement, and delight. They call this the flywheel, and it’s all about drawing customers in by providing helpful answers to their questions, then building meaningful and human relationships with them.
Content marketing is a huge piece of this process, because content exists as the helping hand that guides potential and existing customers along their journey.
The Heart of Your Marketing Efforts
Have you ever felt, as you move through your daily life, like someone is always trying to sell you something? Whether you’re riding in a taxi, checking out at the supermarket, or relaxing in front of the tv, marketing efforts invade every experience. As promotions and advertisements grow louder and more insistent, we grow more adept at shutting them out, or, when that approach fails, complaining about them.
“Just because you are the loudest doesn’t make you right,” — Brian Halligan, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of HubSpot.
Rather than wearing people down, content marketing via the inbound methodology, takes a different approach. It suggests you utilize your knowledge and storytelling abilities to truly meet people where they are. Your goal is to understand your customers, build authentic and trusting relationships with them, and help solve their problems. In summary, you need to offer something of value.
It’s more than a philosophical approach—it’s a practical one. People are far more likely to trust organizations that are authoritative and helpful. They’re more likely to buy from companies they trust.
With search rankings playing such a large role in online traffic, it’s also important to keep in mind that the folks at Google are highly motivated to make sure their algorithm is finding and promoting the content that humans find most useful.
Top Takeaways from the Course
I really do recommend the HubSpot Academy Content Marketing course to anyone interested in elevating their content efforts. Whether you’re a copywriter like me, or perhaps a business owner interested in building your online presence, the course provides plenty of valuable information to digest, while also filling in potential gaps in your knowledge.
I particularly appreciated:
1. The emphasis on storytelling
What can I say? I live for a good story, it’s probably why I’m a writer. The instructors at HubSpot break down the elements that make a story compelling and show you how to apply those principles to your content and brand.
2. The insights into HubSpot’s search engine optimization (SEO) success
HubSpot’s blogs consistently show up at the top of search results, earning them excellent traffic and visibility. Rather than keeping their secrets to themselves, they share the exact steps they’ve taken to meet their ranking goals.
3. The section on measuring and analyzing your content
I’m not always as plugged into the metrics that occur after the copy I’ve written goes live. Gaining a deeper understanding of SMART goals, conversion rates, and attribution models will help me better engage readers while keeping the big picture in mind.
HubSpot remains focused on the future
The HubSpot Academy Content Marketing course does a great job of looking beyond the initial act of creating and marketing content by keeping one eye focused on the future. Inbound marketing really is a long game, not a series of quick wins.
That’s ultimately good news for marketers. When we create content that provides real value to readers, our efforts will have a long shelf life. Search engines will continue to promote resources that impact and engage. The course also spends a lot of time on the efforts you can take and the tweaks you can make to optimize your copy, keeping it relevant, fresh, and working for you.
I know I’ve already said you should think about taking the HubSpot Academy Content Marketing course, but you should definitely think about taking the HubSpot Academy Content Marketing course! Thanks for reading and good luck with your marketing efforts.
Read Next: You know that producing great content isn't just for fun — it's to generate leads for your business. If you want to learn more about how to generate the right leads, check out this free guide here (you don't even have to fill out a form to download it!)
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