Benefits of Content Marketing for Small Businesses

Getting noticed as a small business can be tricky. The marketplace is busy and full of noise.  So how do you stand out and be heard? Well, content marketing may be the answer.

So, what exactly is content marketing? In simple terms, it's the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. This can include but isn’t limited to, blog posts, social media posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, emails and more.

Why is content marketing so important?

Content marketing is powerful Did you know, according to Marcus Sheridan, content marketing king, 80% of the buying decision is made before going anywhere near a sales call? People love to check businesses out by consuming their content. They might do it intentionally by visiting a website and spending some time reading through blogs etc. Or they might keep seeing posts on socials or videos on TikTok and start to build rapport if they like what they see. 

For a small business, producing quality, consistent content allows you to get seen and heard without a huge marketing budget and therefore compete with bigger competitors.

Here are a few reasons content is so powerful:

1. It helps you establish authority in your industry and trust with your audience. When you show up consistently with valuable content, your audience will start to view you as a thought leader and trusted source of information in your field. This can help you attract and retain customers, as well as establish partnerships with other businesses.

2. It drives traffic and leads to your website. By publishing engaging information that’s relevant to your target market, you can direct more of your ideal customers who are looking for the solution you have to your website. Once there, you can then use calls-to-action and lead magnets (such as ebooks or webinars) to make a sale or capture their contact information and nurture them until they are ready to buy from you.

3. You’ll build stronger relationships with your audience. By providing helpful information to your audience, you’ll start to gain their trust and establish rapport with them. This can be especially useful for small businesses, as building relationships with customers leads to more business and more referrals as they become your raving fans.

4. It allows you to reach a wider audience. Using social media and other channels allows you to expand your reach and attract new customers who may not have otherwise found your business.

5. It’s cost-effective. While creating content does require time and resources, unlike other more traditional marketing routes, you don’t necessarily need a big budget. Plus, the ROI on content marketing can be significant, as it can be reused, or a well-written evergreen blog article can continue to pull traffic for years. 

Email marketing ROI is £42 for every £1 spent!

How to get started with content marketing

Can you see why I’m such a fan? The benefits are far-reaching. So, how can a small business get started with content marketing? 

Here are a few tips:

1. Define your target audience. This is the one thing many businesses avoid, yet it’s so important. If you talk to everybody, you’ll attract nobody. So, before you start creating content, spend some time figuring this out so you know who you're creating it for. Who are your ideal customers? What are their pain points, needs, and goals? Where do they hang out? By understanding your audience, you can create content that speaks directly to them, using language they will resonate with and addressing their specific needs.

2. Identify your goals. What do you want to achieve with your content marketing efforts? Do you want more traffic to your website? More leads? To establish authority in your industry? To grow your audience? Having clear goals in mind allows you to measure the success of each thing you do.

3. Create a content calendar. Whether you print off a blank monthly calendar, use something digital or just a good old list with pen and paper, having a content plan will keep you organised and consistent with your content creation and distribution. You can plan out the topics you'll cover, the types of content you'll create, and the channels you'll use. Then store everything you create in a folder, so you have it to come back to and reuse.

4. Play around with different types of content. Not just social media posts, content can include blog posts, videos, podcasts, emails, presentations, infographics, and more. Marketing is never one-size-fits-all; you’ll need to experiment with different mediums and channels to see what works best for your business and your audience.

5. Promote your content. Once you've created your content, don’t just set and forget. Share it to as many places as you can, across your different platforms, on your website, in any relevant groups or forums you’re part of, and at networking events. You may want to consider reaching out to influencers or other businesses to see if they'd be interested in sharing your content with their audience.

In conclusion, content marketing can be a powerful tool, and although it does require a time investment, it doesn’t always need a monetary one. Anyone can get started with content marketing for their own business. 

If you need further help and guidance, you can book a free Content Clarity Call with me and walk away with some easy-to-implement quick wins for your content strategy.