You know how those banner ads flash across your screen on just about every single web page in existence? Well, they’ve been pretty much unchanged since 1995. Inc. reported last month that content marketing is the wave of the future as part of its series on How (and Where) to Make Money in 2013 (and Beyond). And your friends at your favorite Florida advertising agency just want to say… Duh! Earlier this year at an industry conference, I heard from a range of speakers who suggested that if brands are treating themselves as media companies, they are going to fall behind. As the traditional media outlet dies, branded content will reign supreme. And, while there’s always going to be a place for hard-hitting, unbiased journalism, branded content is really just an extension of television networks that make money by selling relevant ad time during popular television shows. Perhaps this is a bit confusing for some people. But the Internet made it possible for brands to independently establish media companies as part of their digital identities, outside of the confines of the Viacom empire, NBC Universal, CBS, Disney, ABC or the stronghold of Rupert Murdoch. In this digital world, brands no longer have to rely on such media companies to push their content – they can create their own. Hence, branded content is taking the place of “traditional” media. One example is The Zoe Report, a lifestyle blog from celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, which tracks back to her own commerce site. The Zoe Report also soups ups your inbox with daily tips and deals to subscribers’ inboxes, which leaves her with a solid email marketing platform to boot. [featured] Speaking of creative blogs, check out the rest of our blog posts! Be prepared to be inspired. [/featured] Escape My Life, a web series from Ford Escape, stars comedian Natasha Leggero, perhaps most notable for her stint as a judge on NBC’s Last Comic Standing. In a sense, it’s like an extended commercial, but the story drives the content and keeps it interesting with humor. Does it still seem so far-fetched that content marketing is the wave the future (or even the present)? [quote]Digital content is relatively inexpensive to make, and doesn’t have the added shipping and printing charges of direct mail marketing.[/quote] Companies who engage in content marketing have the power to reach millions of people, and can keep them coming back for more. Marketers can reach out to people using tools as varied as Facebook to Reddit. Even with items as simple as sponsored posts on already-popular websites such as Gawker counts as content marketing, which is the younger sister of the sponsored pull-outs you see in major newspapers across the country. Many times, there is little difference between the type of content that the publication would typically publish and the sponsored content. Conversion Planet is vying for the top space in this growing digital field, with real-time content and analytics that help measure success. Marketers can latch on to this field by developing interesting content strategies that involve text, blogging, social media and video content. Our Florida marketing agency encourages your team to develop an integrated content strategy this year in order to help solidify your team as leaders your field, and to keep people coming back to you for more.