Content marketing is as crucial to businesses as ever, and investment remains high. One 2024 survey revealed that 45% of organizations intended to increase their content spending in the 12 months ahead.
However, if you run a small business and have little to no content marketing experience, developing a strategy can be tough. Where do you start? And what types of content should you focus on?
To help you start building your strategy, our Orange County SEO pros share four ideas below.
Define Who Your Content is for and How It Will Help
Before you start creating content, you must know who you’re writing it for, why they need to read it, and the value it’ll offer.
For example, you might publish certain types of content to capture data and generate leads. Invite users to submit their name and email address in exchange for a well-written ebook on a compelling topic.
Other types of content — such as blog posts and webinars — may be created to:
- Demonstrate thought leadership
- Build credibility
- Encourage engagement (e.g. comments, ‘likes’ on social media)
- Boost site traffic
- Add valuable keywords to your site
When preparing a new content marketing strategy, outline the goals you want to achieve and keep those in mind when creating your content calendar.
Include Multiple Content Formats in Your Strategy
Your content marketing strategy should include multiple formats to cater to users who consume content in different ways. Options include:
- Videos
- Blog posts
- Podcasts
- Guides/how-tos
- Case studies
- Infographics
- Whitepapers
- ebooks
Some types of content have a bigger reach than others (more than 100 million people in the U.S. listen to a podcast weekly, for instance), but they all have their own benefits and suit particular goals.
Podcasting can help you increase brand awareness, create an ongoing conversation with your listeners (e.g. through emailing or calling into the show), and establish your business as a thought leader. And it can do all that while your listeners are taking out the garbage, walking the dog, or riding the train to work.
The more content formats you incorporate into your strategy, the more opportunities you have to expand your reach and position yourself as an authority.
Study Content Published By Your Favorite Brands
Starting out on your content marketing journey can be tough. You may not know what voice or style you want to use in your content. But one simple way to generate ideas is to analyze other businesses’ work. Even if they’re not in your industry or niche, you can still take inspiration from other companies’ content.
You might love the long-form blog posts that your favorite clothing brand publishes each week because they combine in-depth, original insights with a fun voice. While you may write on completely different topics and for different readers, you can use their work as a jumping-off point for your own.
Ready to Take Your Small Business Further Online?
Content marketing is a critical part of boosting your online visibility, along with SEO, social advertising, retargeting, and other powerful techniques. Our Orange County SEO agency is here to help you reach your target audience with a comprehensive strategy tailored to your small business.
To chat with our SEO specialists, get in touch today!