10 Content Marketing Ideas For Small Businesses

We've heard it all before content is king and creating quality content will have you sitting pretty in Googles rankings. So you've given it a shot and written a few blog posts here and there, placed some keywords in your copy but it just hasn't taken off the way you thought it would. That's because content marketing has evolved and it's not just about putting words on a web page anymore. Content marketing is more than just spewing out blog posts on a regular basis. It's about creating a valuable destination for a certain audience to learn, interact and contribute to a topic that they're passionate about.

It is about contributing to the knowledge base, about creating and growing communities and finally it's about becoming an authority on a topic. If you do all of this correctly, traffic, brand recognition and of course sales will follow in their numbers. While blogging on related topics is the staple when it comes to content marketing you still need to change things up, augment your content with additional initiatives and keep things fresh. If you've run out of ideas for driving content marketing as a strategy why not try these top 10 tips and give your content efforts a new lease on life.

1. Create blog posts of lists or how-to’s specific to your niche

It's been proven millennials love listicles. Articles that are broken down into easily digested lists they can skim through to find what they are really interested in. These types of articles target instant gratification and you can be one top 10 list away from going viral, also won't heart if number 7 on the list will shock you. Buzzfeed and sites like mashable live and breathe by using listicles and their traffic numbers are in the millions so start making some lists, just like i did with this one and you're reading it aren't you? So its safe to say it works.

Protip! Use your listicles to link off to your more meaty content pieces around the topic, as listicles are known get more views it can help refer interested users to other content within your site.

2. Create a “101” guide for newbies in your industry

Create your own guides for those interested in getting into your field or knowing more about your field. Simple steps on how to get started, common issues they might run into and how to navigate safely around these. It gives you an opportunity showcase your knowledge and shows people you are an expert your field. This type of content can also open your site up to targeting a whole new type of searcher intent, improving your organic reach and ultimately lead to quality leads. Don't be afraid to share your knowledge and findings.

3. Offer free content upgrades + resources

Continuing on tip number two you may want to look at formalizing your guides and how to's. While blog posts need to be topic focused and can't be too long winded. Consolidating your guides into a PDF and offering it as a downloadable file in return for either an email sign up or a social media share can amplify your site's reach and build your email database.

4. Send out weekly emails

Creating a mailing list for your content is a great way to get instant readership and encourage initial amplification for your content. Create a weekly mail with your latest articles and send it out at the beginning of each week to allow late sleepers and email forwards from others to visit your site throughout the week. You can even add a hint of exclusivity by sending it out via mail before you post it on your other channels so mail subscribers feel their subscription is worth it.

Protip! Get started with one of these 5 free email applications. Capture email addresses, build email templates and send them by yourself at no cost to you.

5. Frequently asked questions

Instead of having to answer the same queries via mail or social media posts and repeating yourself to death, annoying yourself and wasting time creating an FAQ section on your site can be a valuable resource. General queries can simply be directed to these pages and as users become familiar with the FAQ section it can eventually turn into a self-service portal. This will reduce contact times, increase site traffic, drive community engagement and we can all do with that, can't we?

6. Give a behind the scenes peek of your process

The internet is filled with sketchy websites, show that there is a face behind the site, a human element. It will make you more endearing to your audience if they see the people and names behind the site. What they do, their personalities and why they are experts in their field. You and your employees are assets of the company so why not show off your best product offerings.

7. Show or talk about a work in progress

Creating content about exciting projects you're working on, showcasing new clients you've acquired, new partnerships you've entered into is a play on the popular reality show model, which has worked very well for the Kardashians. Giving your audience regular updates into what goes on behind the scenes and problems you face can be an endless source of content with no writer's block issues plaguing you on this topic. Giving users a look into a day in the life and times of your company shows how open you are and it's inviting to potential clients.

8. Think about your visuals

Get visual with your content and use it in a way that makes your content more digestible and easily absorbed. Create content using a variety of different mediums or in combination, break up paragraphs, create an infographic, use icons or photos, video etc. Giving visitors a richer experience will increase time on site, shareability of content and intern improve your SEO.

Protip! Have a look at what your competitors top content piece is and blow them out of the water with a better content piece using visual elements.

9. Film a quick video explaining your services

The internet is becoming a more media-rich environment and video has become a popular medium with its own ranking and competition factors. Creating a video will set you apart from your competitors and showcase your services to users who are more visual or need more convincing to visit your site and read your content. Video also has a higher probability of social media syndication and bringing on consistent traffic over time.

10. Guest blogging

Approach websites in similar or complementing industries and offer you to write a few guest posts per month with a link back to your site and offer the same in return on your site. This will help you build healthy contextual backlinks, open yourself up to a new audience and an opportunity to amplify your content, your reach, build potential partnerships and as a branding exercise.

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Tags: Content Marketing, SEO