Content marketing: It’s a hot topic in marketing circles these days. But what exactly is it, and is it a legitimate marketing method or just a trendy buzz word?

Wikipedia defines content marketing: “Content marketing subscribes to the notion that delivering high-quality, relevant and valuable information to prospects and customers drives profitable consumer action.”

Sounds simple in theory, but when it comes to real-life implementation, organizations often find content marketing difficult to execute. Why? Because effective content marketing, which is a tried-and-true marketing practice, takes a lot more time, effort and brainpower than simply throwing together and posting keyword-laden text on a website or in an email.

Content is just content. But good, strategic content is what fuels content marketing.

So what exactly makes content ‘good’? Among the common denominators of compelling content are:

• An immediate connection — Now more than ever, consumers of content make split-second decisions about what information is worth their time and what is junk. As Hubspot blogger Shaun Pinney says: “Put yourself in your leads’ shoes when creating your emails; they are bombarded by messages all day long and are looking for an excuse to delete your email.”In email communication, it often is the subject line or the from field that makes or breaks a first impression. Give these elements of your email as much thought and attention as the body of the email. And speaking of the email body, be sure its layout is visually pleasing and intuitive for readers. Marketingprofs.com blogger Ryan Morgan asks:

“If you looked at your email for only two seconds, would it catch your eye? Does it have a good mix of graphics and text? Is the text separated into chunks that are easy to read?”

If you answer “no” to any of the above, keep trying. It’s worth the time to get it right.

• Validity — Companies are widely judged by the content they create. As readers digest content, they often subconsciously evaluate the content’s sponsor: Is the organization or author a credible source? A thought leader? An expert in the field? Your content, no matter its format, must clearly communicate that your company is the real deal.

From the subtle details like subject lines and CAN-SPAM compliance to the more obvious elements like concise writing and graphics, your content should elevate, not tarnish, your image as a valid business.

• Value — Remember the old Peanuts cartoons when Charlie Brown’s teacher spoke, and all the class heard was “blah-blah blah-blah blah-blah”? Poor content has the same effect on its audience. Content must contain valuefor its intended audience.Such value may be a monetary discount, but it doesn’t have to be. Value can be in the form of an educational article, a useful tip, a timely statistic, access to an exclusive white paper or a free trial. If content fails to offer anything meaningful, it is merely space filler that will never be read by — and therefore never resonate with — prospects and customers.

Providing content to prospects and customers is nothing new. That’s information dissemination. But providing content in a thoughtful manner to strategically engage an audience at different stages of a sales cycle … that’s content marketing. From in-depth eNewsletter feature articles to follow-up eFliers, pure content marketing establishes solid and lasting relationships with those who will ultimately grow your business.