7 Steps to Successful Content Marketing for Small Business Owners

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7 Steps to Successful Content Marketing for Small Business Owners

Alyson Scott • Apr 13, 2022

Are you ready to jump in and get serious about using content marketing to promote your business? As we all continue to shift our strategies to the new world the pandemic has introduced, using content to get in front of more people, build trust, and prove your authority is becoming increasingly popular among small businesses.

What is content marketing?

Let's start at the beginning…content marketing uses online material (blog posts, videos, podcasts, social media posts) which doesn't explicitly promote a brand but piques interest in a company's products or services.

Content marketing aims to share valuable information to get more eyes on your business. It allows you to make connections, engage your audience, and position yourself as an expert in your field to stay top of mind when your audience does need to purchase your products or services.

Content Marketing for your Small Business – Where to Start?

1. Define your ideal client.

You don’t have to create content that appeals to everyone! You want to craft material that is relevant to your target market. The more you know about your audience, the easier it will be to choose topics they want to learn about.

What problems can you help them solve?
What questions can you help them answer?
How can you make their lives easier or better?
What’s top of mind for them right now?
What mood are they in - do they need a laugh, inspiration, or reassurance?

Having a clear picture in your mind helps you create content that connects, inspires, and helps.

2. Develop your brand voice.

How do you want people to see you? Your brand voice is the distinct personality of your business – are you funny, witty, serious, relaxed? The tone of your brand needs to fit within your industry, your audience, and YOU.

One of the first decisions you’ll make when defining your brand as a small business owner is whether you will be a personal or business brand. Personal brands mean you're a one-woman show (although you can have help behind the scenes); your name and brand are the same. A business brand means creating a unique identity for a company.

3. Choose your platforms.

What type of content do you want to create, and how will you distribute and promote it?

There are many ways to show up for your audience with valuable content. The type of material you create depends on your business, the topics you plan to speak about, your industry, and your audience.

Most small business owners will choose a few types of content. Some of the most popular:

Blog posts
Videos
Podcasts
Social media posts
Memes, gifs,
Infographics, e-books, case studies, white papers
How-to-guides, checklists
Tutorials, webinars, presentations

4. Create a strategy.

78% of brands successful with content marketing in 2021 said they had a written content strategy.

You want to define:

Relevant and trending topics your audience wants to learn about
A plan to ask for the sale
Looking forward to any offers, services, or products you want to promote – create content leading up to it that piques interest
A plan to repurpose content –
A strategy to get more eyes on your content – SEO or promotion through email and social media

5. Consistently create valuable content.

Show up and stick with it! Look at each piece of content you create as a seed - planted to pique interest in your brand. It takes time to see results – but show up consistently with valuable material, and you'll start to build a community around your brand.

6. Measure, track and adjust.

Keep an eye on the response you get from your audience. If there are topics that get more attention, use those as a jumping-off point and create related material. Monitor the analytics for any platforms you use to help you determine where and when to show up for your audience. And track your search engine rankings with keyword research to see what’s working and what you can build on.

7. Have some fun with it!

Content marketing can be fun – choose the things you enjoy the most; if you don't love showing up on video, write blog posts; if you're more of a visual creature, create infographics and images for social media.

Content marketing for your small businesses can help generate leads, build trust, and reach a wider audience. It's not going away anytime soon – it continues to grow, with more and more businesses focusing their marketing efforts on content creation.

If you found this helpful, you may also enjoy 7 Tips to Attract New Clients on Social Media.

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