The Difference between Content for Marketing and Content for Products

Content marketing and product content are commonly used terms that are often applied in similar circumstances. But if you look closely – are they unique ideas? Do they have common elements? Or are they fundamentally the same thing?

Let us explain this with an example. Suppose, you get a new instant dessert mix that promises to help you bake a cake more conveniently than the conventional recipe. The ingredients used in the mix are there on the box, the weight, price and manufacturer’s information is also available. But the packet has a rather vague note on the way to use the mix. It says "Add milk and your favourite essence to the cake mix and blend in well before keeping in the oven for 30 minutes." That’s it? What about the quantity of milk to add? At what temperature do you need to set the oven before keeping in the cake?

The packet has a little more to offer. It says "For detailed recipe, go to our website www___________ and watch the demo video." But when you are in the kitchen with your apron on and your slab messy with other work, do you have the patience to go and watch the video online?

This leads us to the thought- is the video for the cake mix recipe a content marketing effort to encourage someone for trying the product, or is it product content telling you how to use the product?

Some marketers feel that differentiating between content marketing and product content is counterproductive. They propose the integration of pre-sale and post-sale experiences. They author instructional content for products calling it to be "very important for purchase decisions." There is no denying the fact that some co-relation can exist between content for pre-sales and content for post-sales needs. But it is still incorrect to proclaim that the distinction between pre- and post-sales content has disappeared.

Before the advent of digital marketing, there was a clear difference between these two forms of content. While marketing content such as advertisements on TV and radio made people desire a product, the support content told them about the ways to use it.

The terms content marketing and product content have emerged with the growth of web based marketing to address new concerns. The core of genuine content marketing is focused on highlighting the value of using a product or service considering the background of a customer’s current situation. It is not about making unclear promises or creating hype about pointless advantages as was common in marketing content. Product content on the other hand points towards the options available, instead of having a counteractive focus as customer service content has been through years.

Product content should be ideally embedded in the product itself, instead of being published separately. For intangible services, the product content can be integrated into smartphone apps or a printed brochure that helps consumers use the service, and choose options.

When you develop content using blogs, videos, or infographic design services be clear about the purpose from the point of view of your customers. Do not confuse your support content with marketing content. The former is even more important if you produce items that need specific instructions on " how to use". Do not be misled by marketers who say "all content is for marketing." They can make you deliver the wrong content to your audiences.

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