Ever wonder if there’s a difference between brand marketing and content marketing?
You’re not alone! The brand marketing vs. content marketing debate has been going on for as long as people have been selling things (which is forever.) The debate raises a lot of questions—What’s the difference? Why are they important? Is one more important than the other?
Brand marketing and content marketing can be a difficult balancing act—because you need both to build an effective marketing strategy. In this blog, we’ll define the differences between the two and what it can mean for your business, your content, and your brand.
What is Brand Marketing?
When you introduce yourself, you usually say your name and maybe an interesting fact about you (if you’re the victim of a dreaded icebreaker question, that is.)
Think of brand marketing the same way. Brand marketing is the smile and handshake of your company. The nitty-gritty comes later. It’s the strategy you use to shape your identity, connect with your target audience on an emotional level, and build customer loyalty.
The objectives of brand marketing follow suit. Just like you don’t give everyone your life story when you introduce yourself, brand marketing isn’t an info dump. It seeks to:
- enhance brand awareness by being visible to its target audience.
- establish brand identity by having a strong, recognizable brand voice.
- differentiate from competitors by having unique selling points and persona
- create a strong, emotional connection with consumers through a combination of the above.
Then, the more your target audience gets to know you, the more they’ll recognize your brand out in the wild.
Brand marketing goes beyond just advertising. It’s your long-term strategy for getting your ideal audience to recognize you, resonate with your message, and become a loyal customer.
Can brand marketing be changed? Yes, it can! You’ve probably seen several brands update their brand marketing strategy over the years—sometimes the logo might change slightly, other times they may overhaul their name (think the Dunkin’ Donuts to just Dunkin’ rebrand.) However, the essence of the brand usually doesn’t change. Dunkin’ still sells donuts. X (formerly Twitter) still offers the internet’s hottest takes.
And in order to be a strong brand with a strong message, you need top-notch content.
What is Content Marketing?
Remember when we mentioned the nitty gritty earlier? Content marketing is just that—the valuable and relevant content that supports your overall brand message. These are the emails your prospect receives, the blogs that appear when they Google your brand name and every other little way your prospect might interact with your messaging
At its core, content marketing builds off of brand marketing. Brand marketing is the bedrock of your content and strategy, while content marketing is the structure that welcomes prospective customers. (And if there are cracks in your brand marketing foundation, they will be evident in your content marketing. More on that later.)
Keep in mind that content marketing should always involve:
- Engaging with your target audience through relevant content that speaks to their needs and wants
- Generating leads by targeting ideal customers and getting them excited about your brand.
- Enhancing customer experience by nurturing potential customers and rewarding existing ones for their brand loyalty.
- Building trust by producing quality content your potential clients can rely on.
Content marketing strategies often involve blogs, videos, podcasts, and social media posts.
Comparing Brand Marketing vs Content Marketing
Now that we’ve defined what brand marketing and content marketing are, how do they compare?
Brand marketing aims to create a lasting impression on consumers, whereas content marketing is about education and engagement. A few things might look different between the two, including:
- Storytelling: In content marketing, the customer is always the hero of your story, and you’re trying to help them solve a problem or answer a burning question. Brand marketing tells the larger story, focusing on the customer’s aspirations and how you want them to feel.
- Timeframe for ROI: Content marketing tends to have a shorter ROI. Most content strategies last around six months to a year, nurturing prospective clients as they go and encouraging them to take action. Brand strategies are more long haul. Most brand messaging should be refreshed every 3-7 years.
- Audience perception: Above all else, brand marketing is an awareness strategy. You won’t see direct conversions here (usually.) That’s why it’s a bedrock and a handshake. It establishes who you are and what you do. On the other hand, content marketing can be tailored to each phase of the customer journey. It can and should meet audience members where they’re at and move them to the next phase of the journey.
Integration of Brand and Content Marketing
A lot of magic can happen when you integrate brand and content marketing. Unfortunately, this isn’t always done right, even by big brands.
The key is to align your brand’s core values and identity with all the content you create. Each piece of content, from social posts to your website, should be recognizable and sound familiar to your audience.
But this can only happen when your brand itself has a clear message, and that’s easier said than done. For example, our brand ethos here at Hughes Integrated is relationship-driven marketing. That should mean that every Hughes Integrated-branded content you see points to marketing being a relationship and a journey, not a one-off transaction.
Lastly, integrating brand and content marketing can drive engagement and loyalty. Your content should be what you know your audience wants to see, like:
- Answers to their questions
- Empathy for their problems
- Helpful tips from you (the guide)
- Details about your product or service that benefit them
When in doubt, go back to your brand message. Does it reflect what your brand communicates—and what your audience wants to hear?
Brand Marketing vs Content Marketing: Challenges and Considerations
All of this sounds so simple to do, right? Yeah, we didn’t think so.
We get it—brand marketing and content marketing have their challenges. We’ve found that it boils down to consistency and adaptability.
A lot of brands struggle with consistency across their platforms. This often happens if you don’t have a designated marketing department that can monitor campaigns and check for consistency.
Adaptability is another factor. The market is constantly changing out there—you’re constantly competing with new brands and competitors and on top of that, the platforms that you’re marketing yourself on are changing, too.
Make Your Brand And Your Content Stand Out
Creating a strong content and brand strategy is a challenge many small businesses face. It’s crucial to know the difference between the two so you can make the most informed decisions. It’s important to constantly evaluate your strategies—and at times, employ the support of a professional.
Teams like Hughes Integrated can help you with the right strategy—creating consistency, clarity, and cohesion across all your platforms and messages.
Interested? Book a complimentary (and no-obligation, no-sales-jargon) consultation with us to learn more!
