An Inside Look: Content Marketing for a Small Business

You’ve heard it time and time again, “create content that converts.” But, what does that really mean for a small business owner? How do I create content my consumers will be interested in?

Knowing the power behind small business blogging is the first step towards monetizing your business via content marketing. Whether you’re a health, automotive, finance, real estate or food industry business you can benefit from knowing how to content market for a small business.

Who’s Your Audience?

Get out a notebook or word document and think about who you will read your content. Will your consumers read your blog and website descriptions? Figure out how to help them.

Depending on your industry you can provide helpful tips and advice for your consumers. Answer their questions and become the go-to for industry questions. For example, if you’re a baker write a blog post about how to make a gourmet handmade icing.

Your consumers want to feel connected to you and your brand. They want to know you’re both knowledgeable and trustworthy. Successful content marketing for a small business begins with this step.

Provide Insight or Advice to Market Effectively

The blog for your small business should provide some kind of advice for your audience. What are their problems? What do they want to read? How can you solve their issues? Are there any helpful tips you can provide?

These are questions to ask yourself before initiating your blog. Helping your consumers and readers is the main goal. For instance, if you’re a wellness coach/business you need to provide content with motivational tips or subjects.

Small business owners can utilize and leverage their blog for massive web traffic and brand expansion.

If you specialize in helping clients with sales and marketing then give them tips on valuable software and trends in the marketing world.

Content marketing for a small business begins with finding an issue and solving it for your target audience.

It’s Time to Promote

You know who your audience is, you know their problem and you figured out how to solve it. Now it’s time to find a freelance writer to write your content. The right freelance writer will be in the same or a similar industry as you.

You wouldn’t hire a freelance writer experienced with the law for a life coaching blog right? Maybe you own a business which sells products such as candles, clothing or shoes.

It may be difficult to find a writer in these exact industries, so find one who knows how to market individual products. A copywriter may be your best bet.

While finding a writer for your content marketing needs, consider their research. Will they need to research this topic? How much research is involved?

Finding an experienced freelance writer who knows how to do credible research is huge for your brand. They will find you the most up to date information for your niche.

Content Marketing: Social Media

Now, let’s dive into how social media can help promote your blog and brand. Your company blog is an extension of your company’s brand.

All the work you’ve put in doesn’t matter if you don’t have subscribers and readers right?  Promoting your blog on Social Media is one of the easiest ways to find viewers. Nearly any social media platform will do.

To start, you definitely want an Instagram, and Twitter account. These two platforms are especially helpful for a brand that seeks to expand country and worldwide. If your brand is focused on local consumers try Facebook and LinkedIn first.

As you create your brand on each platform, the number of viewers will go up. You will soon realize that promoting your content for the company is quite the task.

Ideally, you should post relevant content on your platforms at least 3 times a day or more. For Twitter, you will want to post at least 5 times a day.

It’s a great idea to hire a social media manager to help with this. They will post on your behalf while increasing your followers and traffic to your blog.

Marketing Takes Time

Having a blog is just the beginning of content marketing. Your blog and social media accounts are two key ways consumers can connect with you.

You will find that new customers and leads are able to find you through your website, blog and social media accounts. Over the last few years, social media for marketing purposes has exploded.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at this article on the critical information surrounding content marketing and social media marketing.