Content Marketing – How long does it take to work?

June 5, 2010 By 33 Comments
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If you’re starting a new online business – or transitioning your existing business to the web – and have decided to use online content marketing to promote your business and build your brand, you’re probably hoping it will yield results very quickly. Or even immediately!

online content marketing

Build for success

The bad news is it won’t. After three months you probably wont’s see much return on your investment, after 6 months you might see a glimmer of results, after 9 months your approach will start to be discovered by more people, and after 12 months you’ll know for sure that it’s working. And that’s if you commit to a plan, regularly create excellent online content for your marketing initiatives and track your metrics to know how you’re doing.

You Need to Be in it for the Long Haul

Online content marketing takes time because your business is coming out of nowhere. Google simple won’t put you on the first page of their search results – unless you’ve got money to throw at a pay-per-click campaign.

My personal recommendation for building your presence online is to start a blog as blogs do pretty well in terms of search engine optimisation (SEO). However, no matter what blog marketing gurus might tell you, even though blogs are great for SEO, you don’t get to the top of Google’s search results overnight.

It takes time and commitment, regular writing, a bit of tweaking to your code, and bloody-mindedness. I could also add a unique voice, an ability to vary your content with different media (text, video, audio) but I don’t want to scare you away.

The Economy of Links

To do well in Google search you need to get quality links to your site from other established websites – and that doesn’t just mean buying them from some crappy link farm. And getting links is much harder than it used to be.

The best way to get links is to ensure that your online content is:

  • really useful
  • helps people with a specific problem or issue
  • answers a question people have
  • entertains visitors to your site
  • engages them
  • and is presented well (hint: visitors to your site make judgements based on your site design within seconds)

Outstanding Content

To get links, build an audience of readers and hopefully turn them into a community of clients who return again and again for your services or products, you’ll also need to invest in words, audio – say, a B2B podcast– and video.

Professional freelance content providers or agencies can help bring a professional edge to your online content marketing if you don’t feel able to handle it yourself or don’t have anyone in-house.

As I’ve said before, businesses often focus too much on the tools and technology when starting out with online content marketing; however, you mustn’t lose sight of the fact that it’s your content in conjunction with the quality of your design and SEO that will win you business.

Free, No Strings Online Content Marketing Appraisal

If you’re not sure how your current online content marketing is working for you, or you feel you’re not quite getting the results you want, get in touch and I’ll provide a no-strings 1-hour review of how you’re doing. I’m happy to provide feedback on Skype, in person if you’re in the Stockholm region or by email. To get in touch, drop me an email

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About Jon

Owner of Jontus Media, marketing consultant, lifelong Liverpool FC support and podcaster. Guarded by basset hounds .

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  • markwilliamschaefer

    One of your best posts, my friend. On target, well-written and so very helpful!

  • http://www.facebook.com/royjaywells Roy Wells

    Jon,

    As someone who just started blogging a week ago, I appreciate your insights. Too many people view social media as a quick fix, as opposed to a platform for building relationships. All valuable relationships take time to mature in order to blossom. I look forward to reading your blog in the future. Thanks to Gini Dietrich for the introduction.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mark, Thanks so much for this. It's comments like this that keep me going. Means a lot to me.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Roy,
    Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment (and for the follow). It's one of the great things about social media that we can connect with different voices from around the world.

    Share a link to that blog when you're ready !

    Very best wishes,
    Jon

  • http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au Mel

    Hi Jon
    Great article! I read a log of blogs related to how people become successful, fast, but in my experience the time you mention is far more realistic.
    Do you think that there is a certain number of articles that people should aim for before their blog takes off?
    Thanks
    Mel

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by! rnrnI do think it’s important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They’re the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks. rnrnThey can also help it take off. rnrnI’d also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you’re targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly. rnrnSo I don’t think it’s about the number of blog posts; it’s more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

  • http://www.jontusmedia.com/ Jon Buscall

    @Mel, Thanks for stopping by!

    I do think it's important to have a number of pieces of key “pillar content” very early on to start growing your blog. They're the kind of things you can refer back to in posts, promote in your sidebar, etc. That generates more clicks.

    They can also help it take off.

    I'd also identify a good keywords strategy (say using something like Market Samurai). If you're targeting the right keyword phrases from the beginning, your site is optimised for search engines, and being indexed by Google you can get noticed fairly quickly.

    So I don't think it's about the number of blog posts; it's more about the content marketing / web strategy that you have in place when you launch.

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