According to recent studies, content marketing is one of the most effective ways for businesses to connect with new customers.
Some Important Stats:
82% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing, (HubSpot).
40% of B2B marketers say they have a documented content marketing strategy, and 64% of the most successful B2B marketers maintain a documented content marketing strategy (CMI).
65% of B2C marketers prioritize the audience’s informational needs over the organization’s sales/promotional messages (CMI).
Let's dive in if you are interested in learning more about content marketing and how it can change your small business marketing strategy.
What Is Content Marketing?
Content marketing is the process of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.
When done correctly, content marketing can help you:
Generate Leads
Nurture Prospects
Establish Thought Leadership
Build Brand Awareness
Strengthen Relationships With Customers & Partners
1. Answer Industry FAQs
Answering frequently asked questions (FAQs) can be an effective content marketing strategy for small businesses.
By providing answers to common questions, businesses can establish themselves as experts in their field and build trust with potential customers.
Additionally, FAQs can be used to drive traffic to the business's website or blog, as well as to promote products or services.
When using FAQs as a content marketing strategy, it is important to ensure they are relevant to the business and its target audience. The answers should also be accurate and up-to-date.
Moreover, businesses should consider using SEO best practices when creating FAQs, such as including key terms and phrases that potential customers are likely to search for.
2. Feed Tips And Ideas
Small businesses can use tips and ideas as a content marketing strategy to engage potential customers and drive sales.
By providing valuable information that solves a problem or addresses a need, you can build trust and credibility with your audience.
For example, a home improvement store may create DIY articles and videos that include tips and ideas on how to complete simple repairs around the house.
This type of content not only helps the store build credibility with its audience but also drives traffic to its website and can lead to sales.
3. Elevate Video Marketing
Video content can help to reach and engage potential customers, build brand awareness, and generate leads.
Almost 93% of brands say they got new customers due to the videos posted on their social media accounts.
Nearly 61% of companies say that video content is a major part of their marketing plan.
In fact, as of 2022, an average person is predicted to spend 100 minutes per day watching online videos. (Invideo)
There are many different types of video content that businesses can create, such as product demonstrations, tutorials, customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes footage, and more.
When creating video content, it is important to keep your audience and objectives in mind.
For example, if you want to increase brand awareness, you might create a series of short video clips that feature your company logo or tagline.
If you want to generate leads, you might create a longer video that showcases your products or services.
Whatever type of video content you create, make sure it is high quality and aligns with your overall marketing goals.
Source: Muscle Food
4. Produce Hight Quality Infographics
Infographics can be a valuable tool for businesses of all sizes. They can be used to convey complex data in a visually appealing way, making them ideal for use in presentations, reports, and other marketing materials.
Additionally, infographics can be used to tell stories, highlight key facts and figures, or simply add some personality to your brand.
With so many potential applications, it's no wonder that infographics are becoming increasingly popular among businesses of all kinds.
If you're looking for creative ways to use infographics in your business, here are a few ideas to get you started:
Use an infographic to summarize the key points of a lengthy report or document.
Create an infographic timeline to illustrate the history of your company or product.
Highlight the advantages of using your product or service with an eye-catching comparison chart.
Share customer testimonials and success stories with an engaging infographic.
Use infographics to add visual interest to your website or blog posts.
Promote upcoming events or special offers with an attention-grabbing flyer or poster.
Give your social media posts a boost with share-worthy infographics.
5. Host Interviews
As a small business, it can be difficult to compete with larger companies that have more resources at their disposal.
One way to level the playing field is to conduct interviews with industry experts or influencers and use the resulting content as part of your marketing strategy.
This can help to establish your company as a thought leader in your industry and give potential customers valuable information that they can use.
When conducting interviews, be sure to focus on topics that are relevant to your audience and that will showcase your company in a positive light.
Make sure you promote the interviews across your social media channels and other online platforms.
By taking advantage of this content marketing strategy, you can help your small business to compete with the big boys.
6. Create Interactive Content
With so much noise on the internet, it can be difficult for small businesses to get noticed.
One content marketing strategy that can help a business stand out is to create interactive content.
Interactive content is any type of content that requires the reader to take some action, such as clicking, commenting, or rating.
Not only does this type of content capture attention, but it also encourages readers to engage with the brand. Here are a few examples of interactive content that small businesses can create:
Quizzes: A quiz is a great way to engage readers and generate leads. By asking questions about a person's interests or preferences, a business can gain valuable insights into what its audience is looking for.
Polls: Polls are another easy way to get people interacting with your content. By asking people to vote on topics or issues, you can not only generate engagement but also get valuable feedback from your audience.
Contests: Holding a contest is a great way to promote your brand and get people talking about your business. By offering a prize for the best entry, you can encourage people to share your contest with their friends and followers, spreading the word about your business even further.
Source: Beautiful Photo Props
7. Exhibit New Uses Or Benefits Of Your Products
A key element of content marketing for small businesses is demonstrating new uses for their products.
This will help to engage customers and prospects, build interest and excitement, and ultimately drive sales.
There are a number of ways to demonstrate new uses of products, including product demonstrations, how-to videos, tips and tricks articles, and more.
By showing customers how your product can be used in new and different ways, you can create a compelling reason for them to buy it.
Here are a few examples:
If you sell a versatile piece of furniture, like a sofa that converts into a bunk bed, show customers how to use it in unexpected ways. For example, demonstrate how it can be used as a primary bed for guests, or how it can be configured to create additional storage space in a small apartment.
If you own a pet store, share tips and tricks for using your products to care for different types of pets. For example, did you know that some dog shampoos can also be used on rabbits? Or that certain types of bird seed can double as tasty treats for hamsters?
8. Setting Up A Podcast
Small businesses have a lot to gain from starting a podcast.
By providing informative and entertaining content on a regular basis, businesses can develop a loyal following that feels connected to the company.
Podcasting is also an effective content marketing strategy, as it allows businesses to reach a larger audience than they would through other channels such as blogs.
And because podcasts are usually free to subscribe to, businesses can generate leads without spending any money on advertising.
There are a number of ways small businesses can use podcasts to their advantage.
Here are just a few examples:
Use podcasts to share expert insights with customers and prospects.
Use podcasts to produce informational content but in a light and fun way.
Use podcasts to answer frequently asked questions from customers.
9. Develop Engaging And Informative Case Studies
Small businesses should consider creating case studies as part of their content marketing strategy.
Case studies are an effective way to showcase your products or services in a real-world context, and they can be an excellent source of leads and sales.
Here are a few tips for creating effective case studies:
Pick an interesting or unique case. Don't just pick the most recent project you worked on - try to choose something that will really capture people's attention.
Be thorough. A good case study is detailed and comprehensive. It should tell the whole story, from the initial problem to the final resolution.
Use quotes liberally. Quotes from happy customers can be very powerful in swaying potential new business your way.
Keep it real. Don't try to gloss over any challenges you faced or make your company look perfect - that will just make people suspicious. Be honest about what went right and what went wrong, and people will respect you for it.
Make it visually appealing. People are more likely to read and remember a case study that is well-designed and easy on the eyes. Use plenty of white space, clear headings, and attractive graphics to make your case study stand out from the rest.
10. Produce Graphical And Video Testimonials
Create graphical and video testimonials as part of your content marketing strategy.
By featuring positive reviews from satisfied customers, you can show potential clients that your business is one they can trust.
There are a few different ways to create graphical and video testimonials.
One option is to simply record a customer talking about their experience with your product or service.
This can be done with a smartphone or handheld camera and edited into a short clip that can be used on your website or social media channels.
Another option is to create an infographic that highlights customer testimonials, using quotes and statistics to illustrate the impact your business has made.
Whichever approach you choose, graphical and video testimonials are an excellent way to showcase the positive impact your small business has made.
11. Use UGC
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful marketing tool for small businesses.
By leveraging the voices and stories of your customers, you can create content that is not only relevant and engaging but also credible and trustworthy.
Furthermore, UGC is an excellent way to build social proof.
There are a few key ways to make the most of UGC in your content marketing strategy. First, encourage customers to review your products or services on third party sites such as Google or Yelp.
You can also showcase customer stories on your own website or blog. Finally, make sure to promote your UGC across your social media channels
Source: Gopro
12. Start A Blog
A key part of content marketing is writing blog posts that are relevant to your business. By providing valuable content, businesses can establish themselves as market experts.
There are a few things to keep in mind when writing a blog post:
First, the focus should be on quality over quantity. Write well-researched and engaging posts that provide value to your readers.
Include keywords that your audience will likely search for.
Add relevant visuals to make your posts more appealing.
Once you have written a few pieces, promote them through social media and other channels.
13. Do Email Marketing
Email marketing allows businesses to stay in touch with their customers and send regular updates. It's an efficient way to deliver targeted content to customers.
Additionally, it allows you to connect with current and potential customers at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing channels.
And, when combined with other content marketing tactics, such as social media and blogging, email can help small businesses amplify their reach and improve their bottom line.
Below are a few examples of how small businesses can use email marketing as part of their content marketing strategy:
Share blog posts or articles: Email is a great way to share your latest blog post or article with your subscribers. Include a brief description of the article along with a call-to-action (CTA) that encourages recipients to click through to read the full piece.
Announce new products or services: Use email to announce new products or services to your subscribers. Be sure to include information about how the product or service can benefit the recipient.
Offer exclusive deals: Use email to offer exclusive deals and discounts to your subscribers. This could be anything from a percentage off their next purchase to free shipping on orders over a certain amount. Including a CTA that expires soon will create a sense of urgency and encourage recipients to take advantage of the deal before it expires.
Share coupon codes: Share coupon codes that they can use toward their next purchase. You could offer a discount on the entire purchase, or on specific items or services.
Conduct customer surveys: Customer feedback is essential for any business, but it can be difficult to obtain without conducting surveys. Email surveys are an easy way to collect feedback from your customers about their experience with your products or services.
14. Stay Active On Reddit
Reddit is a social news site with millions of users. And because of its vast user base, it can be a great place to share your content and get exposure for your business.
There are a few things to keep in mind when using Reddit for content marketing. First, make sure your content is high quality and relevant to the subreddit you're posting in.
Second, don't spam the site with your content - only post when it's relevant and useful. And third, be active in the community by upvoting, commenting, and participating in discussions.
15. Utilize Google My Business
Use Google My Business as a content marketing tool. By creating and maintaining a listing, businesses can share informative posts, photos, and videos that appear in search results and on Google Maps.
Customers can also use the platform to leave reviews, which can help to improve your business's visibility and reputation.
Best of all, creating and managing a listing is free. To get started, simply create a profile and start sharing content that is relevant to your business.
For example, if you own a restaurant, you could share photos and videos of your dishes, or write blog posts about your specialty ingredients.
Source: HubSpot
16. Reuse And Redistribute Content
Producing content constantly can be a daunting task. Small businesses have limited resources and they can reuse what they already have developed.
Here are a few tips:
Make a list of all the content you have - blog posts, articles, whitepapers, e-books, infographics, etc.
Brainstorm ways to repurpose that content - for example, you could turn an article into an infographic or a blog post into an e-book.
Create a plan for how and where you will redistribute your content - social media, your website, partner websites, etc.
Implement and repeat the steps.
Conclusion
These content marketing ideas should give you a starting point for developing a content marketing strategy that works for your small business.
If you want some expert assistance with developing a comprehensive content marketing strategy, contact us today. We’d be happy to chat with you about how we can help grow your business through effective content marketing.