The newest and latest buzzword circulating in the world of digital marketing is content marketing. When exactly did content merge with marketing? Why is it important and how does it affect a company's social marketing strategy? Let’s first see where it all started… Content marketing strategies took priority after Google updates wiped a number of web pages from search results. You can thank the spammers for that one. What happened was that search engine optimization Internet marketers found a way to manipulate the functionality of the search engine into believing that the website offered great value to the end user, when in reality it only benefited the website owner. This technique is known as Black Hat SEO. Tell me something I don't know, it's probably what you're thinking right now. The idea of ​​curated content as a way to attract attention to a brand's website first emerged in the digital world about a decade ago.*In a 2003 article by Jakob Nielsen, titled " Information Search: Why Google Makes People Leave Your Site Faster," says: "The two main strategies are to make your content look like a nutritious meal and to signal that it's a easy to grip. These strategies should be used in combination: users will leave if the content is good but hard to find, or if it is easy to find but only offers empty calories. » He was already on to something BIG! The first big thing Nielsen discovered is that Google affects websites, search, and user interaction. The second was that any content offered on the website design had to appeal to the reader's voracious hunger and need to devour valuable information. Third, if the content provided did not meet this need, the reader would jump ship and start searching middle of paper...... According to one study, “Interesting content is one of the top three reasons why people follow brands on social media” and 60% of consumers are more likely to recommend brands they personally follow on social media. Check out the infographic below to learn some interesting statistics about content marketing and its effects on social media. High-quality content is a proven way to build trust and brand loyalty. Through social interactions on social media, brands are able to truly engage with their target market, thereby increasing customer loyalty (if properly cultivated) and ultimately producing a brand advocate. Do you like this article or know someone who might benefit from it? Pass it around and share! Follow us on Twitter, G+, Pinterest or Facebook for more information on all things digital marketing, including content marketing, social media, organic search and digital PR..