There is an old adage in writing that says “Show, don’t tell,” and that can also apply to advertising. This, perhaps, is why content marketing is eclipsing traditional advertising and is becoming the wave of the future. Traditional advertising is typically about making a claim, telling the consumer that a product or business is No. 1, guaranteeing satisfaction or declaring such and such or so and so is “America’s favorite …,” but without actually providing proof to back it up. This can be disadvantageous to a business because when a statement or claim is inauthentic, the intelligent consumer will know instantly.

Content marketing, on the other hand, better shows that a product and/or service is authentic and lives up to its professed claim. It is also more closely related to what a business actually offers, and educates consumers so that they trust you well enough to give you their business, thus building more long-lasting relationships. According to the Content Marketing Institute, content marketing’s purpose is to attract and retain customers by consistently creating and curating relevant and valuable content with the intention of changing or enhancing consumer behavior. In order to achieve this, however, you must know the difference between traditional advertising and content marketing.

Traditional advertising is more about the fast sale, which is why so many traditional advertisers don’t take the time to show how their product is worthy; rather, they simply tell the consumer. Traditional advertising is built around a campaign that is usually quite expensive. However, these campaigns are typically designed for short-term appeal, and disseminated on television, radio and in print publications. Additionally, the media is not owned, so the window of exposure is narrow, meaning once the commercial, radio spot or magazine and/or newspaper ad campaign is over, the target audience typically forgets about it.

Conversely, with content marketing, you own the media and its content; therefore, you have the ability to show how your product and/or service is beneficial, and for any length of time you desire. Again, according to the Content Marketing Institute, it is an ongoing process that is best integrated into your overall marketing strategy, and it focuses on owning media, not renting it.

As a small business owner, when you utilize content marketing, you are essentially the advertiser as well as the publisher. You build your own audience and determine what to sell; however, the product and/or service is not the main focus, as you are creating content that educates and inspires your target audience, showing why it is of value. Content marketing is a long-term endeavor, and the trust you build and expertise you project does the selling for you.

Of course, the goal of both traditional advertising and content marketing is to ultimately sell a product or service. However, with content marketing, by publishing quality content on social media and enabling people to comment on your product or service, you are also opening up a dialog with consumers and giving them a voice, thus showing them that you respect their intelligence and opinion.