Content Marketing for Small Business = Survival in the Age of Digital Marketing
Content marketing for small businesses is essential to survive and thrive in the new digital age.
What is content marketing? It's actually old school advertising and marketing techniques, without all the print ads and cocktail parties.
Content marketing is any marketing strategy that involves the creation and sharing of media (this is the cocktail party, or business lunch) and publishing content (this is the writing and getting the words and pictures in front of people, like print ads have done in the past) in order to acquire customers.
Acquiring customers, of course, is the point of creating content and putting it in front of people.
Good Content Tells A Engaging Story
These homegrown strategies level the playing field for small businesses who need to compete with larger corporations and franchises, because any sized business can tell the story of their product, people, or industry in a way that grabs the attention of potential customers.
Yes, it's true, if your company sells products that involve cute, small, animals or toddlers, it's a bit easier to get people's attention. (Please don't take this as an invitation to check out the latest YouTube video of that cat riding a Roomba.)
See what we just did there? We got your attention, maybe even made you laugh.
If your company has not adopted a content creation strategy it may be because of an out of date perception about how to come up with the right content.
Warning, good news and bad news ahead.
Content marketing for small business requires collaboration if the business does not have a designated person on staff responsible.
No designated person appearing next to you and reading over your shoulder yet?
The reality is that marketing with content will require an investment from people within your company. And, it's not easy to adopt or implement within most small businesses-- because it requires both a goal and a framework, or strategy, and the ability to flex, collaborate and listen to everyone from the people at the front counter to your current customers and maybe even your business partner and marketing team.
Automated cookie cutter content is not a solution. There is no set it and forget it, or cruise control. Developing fresh content that resonates with your customers is an ongoing process. Originality cannot be automated. Content that is not genuine will not be effective in your marketing strategy.
But, once you begin the conversations and put some ideas down on paper (oops, we mean, on your tablet or other computer-type device) the organic content will develop fairly easily. Better than that, it will resonate with your customers, building your relationship with them while simultaneously strengthening the relationship with your internal team.
More good news: expense is relative and content marketing has a long term return on investment. Effective content marketing is not inexpensive, it takes people, time and technology, but will yield results for years. Consistently developing your conversation and putting your story and information "out there" will build your brand and its reach.
Okay, we get it. You get it. You are absolutely going to begin a content marketing campaign, as soon as you watch this.
Looking for more insight in development in your Content Marketing for Small Businesses Strategy? Schedule a free 15 minute consultation today.
