There’s a big debate raging whether content marketing or inbound marketing is more effective. Many companies believe that content is more important than inbound marketing, but they disagree. It really depends on what you are trying to achieve. Here are some points that will help you decide on which one is right for your business.

The short answer: Inbound marketing far outweighs content. Content marketing is simply one of the best, most useful, and practical digital promotion strategies that you can utilize to get more inbound quality leads and clients for your brand. However, the key to content marketing success is SEO, or search engine optimization.

SEO is the core component to achieving higher Search Engine Optimization results. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO as it’s often referred to, is a set of techniques used to improve the quality and relevance of web pages through on-site analysis and changes to the site structure and content. Content Marketing is extremely important in SEO, because it drives qualified traffic from search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Content Marketing helps your website stand out above the rest, but SEO is also necessary to drive targeted visitors to your blog and website.

Social Media – Content Marketing and Social Media go hand in hand when it comes to promoting your brand on the Internet. Content Marketing efforts often times include the use of social media, which are websites where people can upload content that can then be reviewed by other users, vote on content, or comment on it. Social media sites are great because it allows you to connect directly with your consumers, while at the same time providing you with another venue for sharing your message with the world.

Traditional Marketing Strategies – Content Marketing and Social Media provide an inbound marketing solution that provides a more effective way to promote your company and brand to the consumer. Because these marketing strategies are both new and relatively new to the realm of traditional marketing, they are being tested by traditional marketing experts. In most cases, it is not uncommon for marketing gurus to be using both Content Marketing and Traditional Marketing Strategies. This new approach to advertising allows marketers to focus on creating content, while their budgets are being reallocated towards marketing and promoting their product. Many inbound marketing professionals are using these two strategies in tandem for increased online exposure, which can ultimately lead to higher conversions.

Traditional Advertising – Content Marketing and Social Media are both new and innovative ways of reaching your audience. However, traditional advertising often times involves an expensive TV commercial, radio commercial, or print ad. With Content Marketing, there is no need for an expensive marketing campaign. Content Marketing is simply sharing information with your audience, while engaging your audience in real-time via social media sites. Traditional advertising can be costly because of the amount of time and effort spent on creating and airing commercials, radio ads, and print ads. By incorporating Content Marketing into your budget, you are able to increase your investment, while also creating a measurable engagement with your audience.