One of the best pieces of advice I’ve received in my own career is to surround yourself with the right people.
Especially when it comes to the people you work with. One of those people is Kristian Scharling, who for years has led content strategies and communications for many of the companies I’ve worked with.
That’s why it felt natural to invite Kristian to share a bit about his passion—content marketing and offer his practical tips on how to improve your content marketing.
Welcome Kristian!
Whether we’re buying a new sofa, taking out a mortgage, or booking a summer holiday, most of us don’t act before we’ve done some online research. We research the products and services we want to buy before we actually buy them. That means the relationship between the customer and the company starts long before the purchase.
This is where content marketing comes into play. My name is Kristian Scharling, and I run my own company, Somera, which specialises in content marketing.
Content marketing is a powerful way to attract traffic, strengthen customer relationships, and position you as an expert in your niche – all of which lead to more customers.
With content marketing, your business shifts from being a seller to being an advisor, allowing you to engage the customer early in the buying journey and increase the chances that they’ll remember you over a competitor.
In this blog post, I’ll walk you through how your business can succeed with content marketing and share four practical tips you can start using today.
They’re for those of you just getting started and those who are already in the game but need a push.
What is content marketing?
Content marketing differs from traditional advertising because it focuses less on you—and more on your audience. Instead of shouting about how great your company is, you let the audience discover that for themselves.This creates a stronger impression when it’s time for them to make a purchase decision.
At the same time, it improves the online experience for everyone when we replace intrusive ads with content that actually provides value.
At its core, content marketing is about creating content that’s valuable to your target audience. It can take many forms—from blog posts and whitepapers to podcasts and webinars, and beyond. Since the content comes from your own channels, you have full control over the message and timing.
The past and future of content marketing
Content marketing has been around long before it became a buzzword. It dates all the way back to the late 1880s, when Johnson & Johnson published a guide targeted at doctors. And there are likely even older examples.
One you’ve probably come across is Karolines Køkken, launched in 1962 by what was then called Mejeriforeningen (now Arla). It’s one of the earliest examples of successful Danish content marketing still relevant today.
The goal was to get more Danes to buy dairy products. So they created Karolines Køkken, aimed specifically at those preparing meals in Danish homes—mainly housewives at the time.
They produced tons of recipes that fit into everyday life. Not all included dairy products, but because the audience developed a relationship with the brand and used the recipes regularly, the company was able to introduce new products more easily. Sales grew by offering content that connected with people’s daily routines.
Fast-forward to 2022
The core idea remains the same, but digital distribution has fundamentally changed the discipline. On one hand, it’s become easier and cheaper. On the other, it’s more complex because Google’s algorithm is constantly evolving. Today, success in content marketing almost always involves thinking about search rankings.
That’s why SEO has dominated the last decade. There’s been a strong focus on writing for the algorithm. But a shift is happening. Terms like “keyword density” are being replaced by “topical authority,” and the focus is moving from individual texts to the relationship between multiple pieces of content.
This doesn’t mean SEO is obsolete. SEO optimisation is still a vital part of content marketing. But it does mean that high-quality, well-written content comes first—and we’re rewarded for writing for people, not machines.
Why invest in content marketing?
Because it works. Companies like LEGO and Apple have embraced content marketing (and don’t worry, you don’t need an Apple-sized budget to join in).
Content marketing is effective at:
- Increasing brand awareness
- Boosting website traffic and attracting leads
- Generating leads
- Improving conversion rates
- Strengthening customer preference
- Creating long-term customer relationships
In short, content marketing helps attract, convert, and retain customers—and that’s something you’ll notice on the bottom line.
So let’s dive in.
My 4 tips to boost your content marketing:
1. Create content your audience will love
Whether you’re new to content marketing or struggling to come up with new topics, there’s always inspiration within your industry.
Review websites and blogs that focus on similar themes. Are there specific topics that others have had great success with? Look at blog posts, videos, or other content that have received strong engagement—many shares, mentions, or comments. These are known as proven topics or proven content.
Proven content shows what your audience cares about—and what you can write about to attract traffic. Study what has worked for others, then add your unique take.
Proven topics differ depending on your business type. But in general, social proof is among the most effective content types across industries. That means case studies and customer testimonials are a great place to start.
2. Match content types to each stage of the buyer’s journey
To turn content into conversions, it needs to address the specific needs of your customers. Depending on where they are in the buying process, different types of content will help move them forward.
The buyer’s journey is usually broken down into four phases:
Awareness: This is the phase where the customer realises they have a problem. They aren’t yet looking for solutions, just information to understand what’s wrong. Use content to help them clarify their challenge and show how you solve similar problems. Examples: blog posts, whitepapers.
Consideration: The customer understands the issue and is exploring their options. This is your chance to build a relationship. Use gated content—resources that require something in return (like an email address)—to convert visitors into leads. Examples: webinars, guides.
Decision: The customer has decided to buy but is choosing between providers. Your content should now demonstrate why you’re the best choice by showing what it’s like to be your customer. Examples: Q&As, free demos, case studies.
Retention: The customer has bought from you—now you need to keep them. Show ongoing value and relevance after the purchase. Examples: industry reports, events.
By aligning your content with each phase of the journey, you meet the customer exactly where they are—and help them move forward.
Using the buyer’s journey as a framework also ensures your content remains relevant over time.
3. Attract the right traffic with long-tail keywords
A key first step in content marketing is identifying the keywords you want to rank for. This helps you target and optimise your content effectively.
But many find it hard to rank for their desired keywords because the competition is so intense.
This is often because they’re targeting very broad keywords, known as short-tail keywords. For example, trying to rank for “bike” is extremely difficult, as it covers everything from rentals to kids’ bikes and repair services.
Instead, dig into long-tail keywords—more specific phrases with lower competition. Instead of “bike,” it might be “women’s electric bike” or “mountain bike for forest trails.” These have a better chance of ranking well.
Ranking for long-tail keywords also helps improve your position on short-tail terms. That’s because you build topical authority—Google sees you as an expert when you cover related subtopics in depth. So writing about electric bikes and mountain bikes will also help your visibility for “bike.”
Another bonus: long-tail keywords tend to convert better. That’s because people searching with specific terms are further along in the buying process.
4. Repurpose your best content
Written the perfect blog post or a killer newsletter? Don’t just send it once.
One of the biggest challenges in content marketing is the time it takes to create great content. But here’s the secret: you don’t need brand-new material every time.
Published a blog post two years ago that’s still relevant with a few updates? Remove outdated information and add new insights—then promote it like it’s brand-new.
Worried readers will notice? Maybe. But probably not. And even if they do, as long as the content provides value, they won’t mind.
Another way to refresh content is to present it in a new format.
Turn a blog post into a webinar. A webinar into a whitepaper. This helps you reach even more people with knowledge you already have.
FAQ: Getting started with Content Marketing
How do I get started with content marketing without a huge setup?
You don’t need a big setup to start; you just need to start answering your customers’ most frequent questions.
Sit down with your sales or customer service team and grab the 5-10 questions they hear every single day, then write a dead-honest blog post for each one.
When you shift from being a “salesperson” to a “trusted advisor”, you build trust long before the first purchase.
It’s not about the format, it’s about whether your content actually solves a problem or clears up a doubt for the reader.
How long does it take to see results with content marketing?
Content marketing is a marathon, not a sprint, and you shouldn’t expect the world after just two weeks.
Typically, you’ll start seeing the first signs of success, like increased organic traffic and better rankings, after 3 to 6 months, provided you’re consistent.
The real beauty is that the content you create today keeps working for you year after year, unlike paid ads.
You’re building a library of content that grows in value over time rather than just burning cash for a moment of attention.
Should I write for Google or for my readers?
Always write for the human first but make it easy for the search engines to understand what you’re doing.
Today, Google rewards “topical authority,” which means if you write the most helpful and in-depth content in your niche, the rankings will follow.
Forget about stuffing keywords into every other sentence; focus on providing the best possible answer to what people are searching for.
If your visitors love your content and stick around, Google will figure out that you’re a source worth sending traffic to.
How do I know which content is actually driving sales?
You have to look at your buyer’s journey and accept that not every piece of content is meant to sell directly on the first touch.
You need “helpful content” at the top of the funnel to create awareness, and “proof content” like case studies and pricing further down the line.
By linking your articles to small guides or downloads that require an email, you can see exactly who is ready for a conversation.
Quality traffic isn’t just about numbers; it’s about visitors moving from learning about their problem to choosing you as the solution.
What do I do when I run out of content ideas?
When creativity hits a wall, look at your competitors and find “proven topics” – themes that are already working in your industry.
Don’t copy them but give your unique take on the things people are already sharing and commenting on.
You can also dig into long-tail keywords, those specific searches, where the competition is lower.
Often, the best ideas are hidden in the small nuances of your customers’ daily lives that no one else in your industry has bothered to explain properly yet.
How do I make sure my content doesn’t just get lost on page 2 of Google?
You have to be just as good at distributing your content as you are at producing it.
A great blog post makes zero difference if it’s just sitting there gathering dust; it needs to be in your newsletters, shared on LinkedIn, and maybe boosted with a bit of ad spend.
Use long-tail keywords to dominate specific niches and build authority in Google’s eyes.
Once you “own” the specific, niche searches, it becomes much easier to win the battle for the big, broad keywords later on.
How do I reuse my content without my followers getting tired of it?
The secret is to change the format, not just the message, so your audience gets the value served in new ways.
A popular blog post can be turned into five punchy LinkedIn posts, an infographic, or a short webinar without feeling repetitive.
People consume content differently, and many of your followers likely missed your post the first time around.
By updating old content with fresh insights and resharing it, you save time and ensure your best work gets the attention it deserves.
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