Short answer: Yes.
Content marketing for small businesses is more important than ever before:
- 54% of businesses will increase their content marketing budgets in 2024
- Businesses that make blogging a main priority are 13x more likely to see a positive ROI
- 75% of us use social media when researching brands
As consumers, we’re overwhelmed. There’s content everywhere we go — and most of it sucks! And because it sucks, you have a unique advantage: the chance to infuse your brand with personality, passion, and purpose.
Let’s dive into what content marketing for small businesses should look like and the benefits you’ll reap when you do it well:
Content Marketing for Small Businesses
Believe it or not, content marketing isn’t about persuading someone to buy your product or service. It’s about sharing educational, entertaining, and engaging content that exemplifies you as a thought leader and strengthens the relationship between your brand and your audience. When your connections transcend transactions, you’re on the right track.
It’s also easier said than done, and there’s a lot of competition out there, and a lot of it is bigger and louder than you are.
Luckily, that doesn’t matter nearly as much as you may think…
How to Break Through the Noise
How do you make your voice heard when everyone is vying for attention? It’s not about being the loudest; it’s about being consistent.
Be consistent in your message, authenticity, and when and how often you post. When creating something, ask yourself: What do I want my audience to get from this, and is it relevant to them? You should also be consistent in your follow-through.
Being consistent makes you dependable, and being dependable makes you trustworthy. When you establish trust, you don’t have to worry about making your voice heard. Your audience will be listening for it.
Content Marketing Benefits:
When you’re consistent in your content marketing, here are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy:
Forge Authentic Relationships
When crafting compelling content, you’re also shaping perceptions, sparking conversations, and (hopefully) forging genuine connections with your audience. Blogs, social media, and newsletters shouldn’t be forms of one-way communication. They exist to open a dialogue with your audience and build relationships with them.
Increased Organic Traffic:
Paid ads can give you a boost, but it comes at a price. No, literally. They cost you money. Also, when they’re gone, they’re gone. Organic traffic won’t give you instant gratification, but it’s free and pays in perpetuity.
Organic traffic is when people find your website through natural search engine results, like Google. It’s free, and when it ranks high on a search engine query, it signals to users that the information is authoritative and relevant.
Scalability
Organic traffic generates a higher volume of quality leads, catalyzing scalability. It’s simple math: When you have more people interested in your products or services, you’ll have a greater opportunity to grow and hire more people and/or free up time by outsourcing tasks you don’t need to do.
Is Content Marketing Still Worth It?
Long answer: Yes.
Content marketing gives you a competitive advantage, creates and strengthens relationships, cost-effectively increases your visibility, and helps you scale your business.
So yeah, I’d say it’s worth it. It’s just difficult and time-consuming.
However, it doesn’t have to be difficult and time-consuming for you. Do you want to save time, increase visibility, and get your marketing done? Check out my content creation package page, or send me a message!