{"id":84636,"date":"2025-04-03T16:04:41","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T16:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glossary\/content-marketing\/"},"modified":"2026-10-07T14:13:14","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T14:13:14","slug":"content-marketing","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/content-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Content marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Content marketing is a strategy that consists of creating and distributing useful content to attract a specific audience and turn those people into customers.<\/strong> Instead of advertising a product, the company answers the questions of the people who might buy it.<\/p>\n\n

An article explaining how to choose running shoes, a tax guide for freelancers or a video with seasonal recipes are all examples. The sale comes later, once the reader already trusts the brand.<\/p>\n\n

What does content marketing mean?<\/h2>\n\n

In Spanish it is called marketing de contenidos<\/em>. It is part of inbound marketing<\/a>: instead of chasing customers with ads, the company attracts them with information they look for on their own.<\/p>\n\n

The difference from advertising lies in the goal of each piece:<\/p>\n\n

<\/th>Advertising<\/th>Content marketing<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Goal<\/td>Sell now<\/td>Help, inform or entertain<\/td><\/tr>
Message<\/td>Talks about the product<\/td>Talks about the customer’s problems<\/td><\/tr>
Duration<\/td>As long as you pay for the ad<\/td>The content keeps attracting visits for months or years<\/td><\/tr>
Relationship<\/td>Interrupts<\/td>The audience comes on its own<\/td><\/tr>
Result<\/td>Short-term sales<\/td>Trust, visits and contacts that grow over time<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

What is content marketing for?<\/h2>\n\n

Attracting visits from Google.<\/strong> Every article that answers a search is a gateway to your website.<\/p>\n\n

Building trust.<\/strong> People who learn from you have more reasons to buy from you.<\/p>\n\n

Getting contacts.<\/strong> A downloadable guide or a newsletter turns visitors into subscribers. It is the foundation of lead generation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Supporting the buying decision.<\/strong> There is content for people who are just starting to research and for those already comparing options.<\/p>\n\n

Building loyalty.<\/strong> Continuing to add value after the sale brings the customer back.<\/p>\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n

Types of content marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Blog articles.<\/strong> Guides, tutorials, lists and comparisons. They are the foundation of almost any content marketing plan.<\/p>\n\n

Downloadable content.<\/strong> An ebook<\/a>, a template or a report offered as a lead magnet<\/a> in exchange for an email address.<\/p>\n\n

Newsletter.<\/strong> A regular email with your best content, which lets you talk to your readers again without depending on Google or social media.<\/p>\n\n

Video.<\/strong> Tutorials, demos and webinars<\/a>. Video marketing<\/a> works well for explaining how to use something.<\/p>\n\n

Podcast.<\/strong> For an audience that listens while driving, working out or working.<\/p>\n\n

Infographics.<\/strong> Data or processes summarized in an easy-to-share image.<\/p>\n\n

Social media.<\/strong> Short posts that spread the content and start conversations.<\/p>\n\n

Success stories.<\/strong> Real customer stories that show concrete results.<\/p>\n\n

Content marketing examples<\/h2>\n\n

A garden center<\/strong> publishes a month-by-month planting calendar and emails it to its subscribers every month.<\/p>\n\n

An accounting firm<\/strong> writes articles about each tax procedure of the year and offers a downloadable guide for freelancers.<\/p>\n\n

A language school<\/strong> shares a weekly video with useful expressions on social media.<\/p>\n\n

A software company<\/strong> publishes comparisons and success stories for people who are choosing a tool.<\/p>\n\n

You can see more cases in our article on content marketing examples<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

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Turn readers into subscribers<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create forms for your blog in Mailrelay and send your new articles in a newsletter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

How to create a content marketing strategy in 7 steps<\/h2>\n\n

1. Define your goal.<\/strong> More visits, more subscribers or more sales. Each goal calls for a different type of piece.<\/p>\n\n

2. Get to know your audience.<\/strong> Describe your buyer persona<\/a>: what problems they have, what they are looking for and where they get their information.<\/p>\n\n

3. Choose your topics.<\/strong> The questions your customers ask you are the best source of ideas. Keyword tools tell you how many people search for them.<\/p>\n\n

4. Prepare an editorial calendar.<\/strong> What you are going to publish, in what format and on what date. Consistency matters more than quantity.<\/p>\n\n

5. Create quality content.<\/strong> Useful, clear and better than what already exists. Copywriting<\/a> and storytelling<\/a> help keep people reading to the end.<\/p>\n\n

6. Distribute it.<\/strong> Publishing it is not enough: share it in your newsletter, on social media and in related articles on your website.<\/p>\n\n

7. Measure and improve.<\/strong> Visits, reading time, subscribers gained and sales. Update what works and remove what doesn’t add value.<\/p>\n\n

Content marketing and email marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Without email, content marketing depends on readers coming back on their own. Email turns an occasional reader into a contact you can talk to again:<\/p>\n\n

Capture.<\/strong> A form at the end of each article or a downloadable guide in exchange for an email address.<\/p>\n\n

Distribute.<\/strong> A newsletter with your new articles brings visits to your website every time you send it.<\/p>\n\n

Nurture.<\/strong> An automated email sequence for people who download a guide. This is lead nurturing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Segment.<\/strong> If a subscriber reads about a topic, send them more content on that topic.<\/p>\n\n

Repurpose.<\/strong> A good article can become an email, and an email that works can become an article.<\/p>\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n

Common mistakes<\/h2>\n\n

Talking only about your product.<\/strong> If every piece is an ad, nobody will read it.<\/p>\n\n

Publishing without a plan.<\/strong> Writing about whatever comes to mind each week rarely attracts the audience you are looking for.<\/p>\n\n

Prioritizing quantity.<\/strong> Ten weak articles add less than one that truly answers a question. Google penalizes thin content<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Not capturing contacts.<\/strong> Without a form or a newsletter, visitors come and go.<\/p>\n\n

Not updating.<\/strong> An article with five-year-old data loses visits and credibility.<\/p>\n\n

Expecting immediate results.<\/strong> Content marketing is a medium-term investment: the first results usually arrive within a few months.<\/p>\n\n

How Mailrelay helps you<\/h2>\n\n

With Mailrelay you can create forms to capture subscribers on your blog, send a newsletter with your new articles and automate the delivery of your downloadable guides. Open and click statistics show you which topics interest your audience most.<\/p>\n\n

The free account includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with human support by chat, ticket and phone.<\/p>\n\n

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Send your newsletter with Mailrelay<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts for free, with human support on every plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Mailrelay for free<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n

These are the most common questions about this strategy.<\/p>\n\n

What is content marketing in a nutshell?<\/h3>\n\n

Creating useful content to attract potential customers instead of advertising to them.<\/p>\n\n

How is it different from inbound marketing?<\/h3>\n\n

Inbound marketing is the complete methodology for attracting, converting and retaining customers. Content is the piece that makes it work.<\/p>\n\n

How long does it take to get results?<\/h3>\n\n

It depends on the industry and on consistency, but the first results usually appear between three and six months after getting started.<\/p>\n\n

Is it useful for a small business?<\/h3>\n\n

Yes. It doesn’t require a big budget: a blog with useful articles and a monthly newsletter are a good starting point.<\/p>\n\n

What does it have to do with email?<\/h3>\n\n

Email is the channel that turns readers into subscribers and, over time, into customers.<\/p>\n\n

Related terms<\/h2>\n\n