Content marketing can attract an audience much more effectively than traditional advertising.

If you have a product you want to share with the world, then you have to attract buyers. Now, the traditional approach to marketing mainly focuses on advertising – but, these days, people are all but buried under an avalanche of ads. This makes it hard for advertisers to stand out.

So, if advertising isn’t as effective as it used to be, what’s the best way to get your product noticed?

Today’s customers are drawn to creative content, not advertising.

The Content Council is a global non-profit organization focused on content marketing. Their studies show that 61 percent of people are more likely to buy a company’s products when that company provides content that is uniquely tailored to a specific audience.

These statistics are supported by the marketing hub, Content+, whose research indicates that 70 percent of consumers prefer becoming familiar with a company through articles and content rather than advertisements.

While this shift from advertising to creative content is a significant change from traditional marketing practices, it’s actually great news for small business owners and start-ups.

Back in the day, if a company wanted to reach millions of people, they’d have to run a costly advertising campaign. But today, even the smallest companies have access to the technology and platforms needed to create and use the kind of content that can build a large and loyal customer base.

These methods also afford you the opportunity to get a competitive advantage by better understanding your customers’ needs.

Unlike traditional advertising, content offers important and immediate insight into what your potential customers connect with. Pay attention to how potential customers engage and respond to your content by, for instance, reading the comments they leave and tracking how they share it.

You can even do this during the production phase of your product. By creating content and keeping an eye on what your potential customers are most excited about, you can focus on those aspects. This will help ensure its success when it goes to market.