Content Marketing Made Simple

Small Business Content Marketing: Move Over, Big Boys

If you're a small business thinking you can't compete with big businesses in the world of content marketing, think again. You may have substantial advantages you don't even realize. 

Firstly, for those business leaders new to the world of content marketing - a quick primer. In short, content marketing involves creating and distributing useful and valuable content that aligns with a specific target audience. If you build in-ground pools, for example, you may offer resources on the intricacies and details of selecting the shape and features of an in-ground pool. You could do this through blog posts, downloadable FAQs, or even videos on your business website. 

Secondly, you, as a small business owner, are an expert. You've built your business from the ground up for a very good reason - you know your stuff, your content. Whether your company repairs cars or sells mobile apps, you have value in your organization's collective head. Capitalize on this content by sharing it with others. 

Finally, if you're not sharing useful, relevant content on your website, on Facebook, or through email - your competitors certainly are. And they might well be funneling potential customers away from you. Don't be a laggard in the content marketing game. As marketing guru Seth Godin notes - it's the only marketing left. 

Getting Starting with Content Marketing

There are number of ways to ramp up your content marketing efforts. You may want to start a regular blog on your website offering readers insight into how your product or service differentiates itself in your industry. Start by being helpful and by describing solutions your audience may be seeking. Given that you're a small business and already have close relationships with many of your customers - tell them about your blog or website, and encourage them to visit it regularly. Don't be pushy or gimmicky - let the content you present show your true value.

Not a great writer or don't have the time to tap out the type of content you think would be useful? Try your hand at offering content in videos. Most smartphones these days have video capture capabilities. Video sharing sites like YouTube allow you to distribute your videos quickly and globally. Give yourself some good lighting and have a co-worker record you while you give your business elevator speech, discuss the latest release of your product, or describe a successful client experience. The personal nature of a video may appeal to a valuable segment of your audience. 

Advancing Your Content Marketing 

After several months or a  year into your content marketing journey, you may be generating so many qualified leads and sales that you need to spend more time assuring your new clients' success and less time creating content. You also realize, however, that you can't stop creating the content that's helped expand your business. So what's next? 

Consider getting some help. That help could be in the form a product expert who gets assigned some blogging duties, an intern who is a digital native, or perhaps even a dedicated employee from your marketing team. If you don't feel you have the right folks to support your content development internally, you may want to outsource your content marketing.

Benefits to outsourced content marketing include access to regularly rated professional writers (some of whom may have experience in your industry), paying writers only if you are satisfied with their work, and probably one the most important benefits - freeing up your valuable time as a CEO or company leader to identify and guide your content strategy to align with your business goals. 

Regardless of how you decide to initially implement your content marketing, it's important to start sharing and creating that valuable content sooner rather than later. Remember, content marketing is the only marketing left.