Content marketing is a powerful tool for growing your business, but many people use it incorrectly, failing to turn their efforts into real results. Understanding how content marketing works—and more importantly, how to use it effectively—can be a game-changer. In this article, I’ll explain the difference between nurturing and marketing content, explore the best platforms for each, and give you an inside look at how we’ve helped one of my clients achieve real growth using content marketing.
Nurturing vs. Marketing: What’s the Difference?
One of the most common mistakes I see businesses make is confusing nurturing with marketing. So, let’s break it down:
- Nurturing is about staying top-of-mind with people who already know about you. If you’re posting content on Facebook for your friends or sending out weekly emails to your existing subscribers, you’re nurturing. The goal is to build a relationship with your audience and provide them with value consistently.
- Marketing, on the other hand, is about reaching new people—those who have never heard of you before. When you create content that people who aren’t already subscribed can find, that’s marketing. This is how you attract fresh leads and expand your audience.
While both nurturing and marketing are crucial, it’s important to understand which platforms serve which purpose.
Platforms for Nurturing vs. Marketing
Let’s take a look at how different content channels stack up when it comes to nurturing and marketing.
Podcasts: Great for Nurturing
Podcasts are fantastic for nurturing your existing audience. When you create valuable content each week, your listeners will return to hear more, whether they’re driving, working out, or relaxing at home. A podcast helps you build a consistent relationship with your audience, keeping you top of mind as you deliver ongoing value.
Email Lists: Another Nurturing Tool
Like podcasts, email lists are best for nurturing. Your email subscribers already know who you are, so your focus here should be on maintaining that relationship. Whether you’re sending out weekly newsletters or occasional updates, email allows you to stay connected and top of mind with your audience, fostering trust and engagement over time.
YouTube: A Platform for Both
YouTube is unique because it can be used for both nurturing and marketing, depending on how you approach it. For example, creators like Mr. Beast use YouTube for nurturing—they post content regularly, keeping their subscribers engaged and coming back for more.
However, if you’re using YouTube to generate leads for your business, your focus should be on attracting new viewers. Unlike platforms like Facebook or Instagram, YouTube is a search engine—people use it to find answers to specific questions. If you create content that answers the questions your target audience is searching for, you position yourself as the expert they need. This approach works particularly well because Google owns YouTube, and when your videos are optimized for search, they can appear at the top of both YouTube and Google search results.
Why YouTube is a Lead Generation Powerhouse
The key to leveraging YouTube for lead generation lies in creating the right kind of content. Instead of just posting videos to engage your existing audience, focus on creating value-driven content that solves specific problems for your ideal customers. This approach makes you stand out as the go-to expert in your field.
I’ll give you a quick example of how this works in practice. Let’s take a look at one of my clients, Chad Littlefield.
Chad’s YouTube channel is a fantastic example of how search-driven content can be a major lead generator. In the last 28 days, nearly 18,000 views on his channel came from YouTube search. This is significant because it shows that people who are unfamiliar with Chad are discovering his content by searching for topics he covers.
But here’s where it gets even more interesting: over 13,000 additional views came from Google search. By combining the traffic from YouTube search and Google search, Chad’s number one source of traffic is search. This means that his videos are not just helping him stay top of mind with existing viewers—they’re actively driving fresh, qualified leads to his business.
How It Works Behind the Scenes
So, how does Chad’s YouTube traffic translate into business growth? It all comes down to content optimization. By creating valuable videos that answer the questions his target audience is searching for, Chad is positioning himself as an authority in his niche. These videos also appear on his website as blog posts, driving even more traffic.
Here’s how we’ve set it up:
- Chad’s YouTube videos are embedded in blog posts on his website.
- Each blog post is written with the video title at the top, and the content of the post complements the video, offering additional value.
- The videos are optimized to rank high on both YouTube and Google, driving more organic traffic and generating leads.
The Power of Searchable Content
What makes this strategy so effective is that people are actively searching for content like Chad’s. They come across his videos because they’ve typed questions into Google or YouTube, and Chad’s videos provide the answers. By leveraging search-driven content, you can attract a steady stream of high-quality leads to your business, without relying on expensive ads or unpredictable viral trends.
Conclusion
Content marketing is an essential tool for business growth, but it’s important to use the right strategies and platforms to achieve your goals. By distinguishing between nurturing and marketing, and leveraging platforms like YouTube for lead generation, you can create content that drives real business results. Whether you’re nurturing your existing audience with podcasts or email, or attracting new leads with search-optimized YouTube videos, a well-executed content strategy can transform your business.
Stay tuned for more tips on how to refine your content marketing strategy and grow your business.
