By definition, according to Wikipedia, Content Marketing is any marketing format that involves the creation and sharing of media and publishing content in order to acquire customers.

Content Marketing’s basic premise is to “provide some valuable information or entertainment – “content” – that stops short of a direct sales pitch or call to action, but which seeks to positively influence a customer in some way.

Content Marketing differs from advertising in two fundamental ways. First, content resides on owned or earned media. If there’s a media buy involved, it’s advertising, not content marketing. Second, content marketing is a pull, rather than a push, strategy. Content doesn’t interrupt, it attracts.

The quote above is taken from a great article by Rebecca Lieb on Adage, and she answers the hard questions asked by Marketing executives on the subject. Everyone is an influencer today! If your content engages readers they will share it (as a recommendation) via their Social Media accounts, email or by word-of-mouth.

I will write about some of the trends you can expect to see in the near future but the underlying fact is “content is still king!!”