It is hard to survive in today’s market. For small businesses competing against already established brands seems like an impossible task. Furthermore, competition is constantly rising. While big brands can easily spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on marketing campaigns, the smaller brands have to take the smart approach.

Is Content Marketing Really Helpful?

Content marketing if used timely can allow you to become a thought leader in your industry. It can give your brand the recognition it needs, and build consumer trust. Content marketing also gives the customers an opportunity to understand your brand and products closely, without having to refer to customer care every time. 

Content marketing answers the questions your audience might have, it can improve conversions and generate leads. 

Here are a few tips you can use to market your content successfully without draining your pockets:

Blog Away

Effective blogging is a crucial tool of your overall content marketing strategy. It is profitable and reaps measurable results in terms of Return on Investment (ROI).

Blogging can:

• Increase traffic to your website
• It can generate new leads for your business
• And can help you develop and hone your knowledge of customer base
• It can give you leverage over your competition

Create a Social Media Presence on the Social Platforms Your Audience Uses

I have said it multiple times before, social media presence is really important for businesses of all sizes. It is where your audience lives, and it is where you need to be. Research has shown that 90 percent people go to social media to look for reviews before purchasing a product. They check the official page, read the comments, and then make a decision based on those reviews. 

Being active on social media is of the essence. You cannot just create a page, and hope for it to magically gain an audience in a night. It requires work, but on the bright side, it is absolutely free. 

Before you randomly start creating social media handles for your business, determine where your audience can be found. When it comes to social media, you are not targeting everyone. You are speaking to a particular segment of consumers who have particular interests. 

Develop a strategy to determine where the audience is active and execute your content marketing accordingly.

You Can Start an Email Newsletter 

Email newsletters are another great way for your business to market itself. Newsletters alert the readers about new products, upcoming events, and any relevant news that you deem worth sharing. 

• It also builds goodwill with the audience.
• Increases their value
• Promotes sales, and coupons.
• Reach new clients through online content
• Drive sales with customer loyalty program

Before starting an email subscription form, make sure there are no common mistakes such as grammatical errors, inappropriate and offensive language or the use of outdated email models. 

Create a Content Calendar

Staying organized is really important. Establish a buyer persona and deliver the content they need during their buyer’s journey stage. Keep delivering apropos content.

Organizing your content showcases professionalism. Create a monthly calendar. Include various elements such as social posts, blogs, email newsletters, etc. 

Have a Variety of Content

Do not stick to just a single content type. The world of marketing is brutal and ruthless. You need to establish your ground and work with your strengths. Do market research, see what your competition is posting, and determine what resonates with you the most. 

After you have determined your content marketing strategy, it is time for you to go wild. Be creative. Think outside the box. The limits are endless 

Opt for Customer Reviews and Testimonials

As I mentioned earlier, about 90 percent of local customers use social media and websites to search for local services. For a small business, it means that the reviews are the driving factor for the business. 

You also need to consider that you might get a negative review once in a blue moon. Instead of getting offended, handle the situation with care and attention. Resolve the apprehension of the customer, talk to them, offer them something for free, or give them a discount coupon. 

It will not only make sure that the negative reviewer remains loyal to your brand, but also turn other readers and viewers into customers. 

You can also hold a weekly testimonial session, where you post positive reviews and testimonials made by genuine customers.

Bonus Content: Bring SMART into Play

Setting business goals can be daunting for many. Especially for new entrants. For making things easy, you can opt for SMART goals to create benchmarks reachable and accessible.

Be Specific

Your goals should be specific and succinct. Do not beat around the bush, or make them unreasonably long. It allows for effective planning and seamless growth.

Make is Measurable

Don’t forget to define the evidence which will prove the progress you are making. Quantify data to understand where you stand, and reevaluate as per requirement.

Goals should be Attainable

Your goals need to be attainable within a specific timeframe. Do not overdo things, or be unreasonable with the time constraint. Everything needs time. However, avoid dilly-dallying as well. Set a time limit, and abide by it. You don’t need weeks to create one blog, however, you also can’t finish a blog in a single day.

Keep it Relevant

Your goals should be aligned with your values and business persona. 

Time Based

Execute tasks within the time frame. Be realistic with the end date for each task. 

Conclusion

Small businesses have it tough. With the innumerable options available for the customers, a newbie needs to work smartly with their business strategies. Content marketing is a cheap but effective way of garnering traffic on your website without you having to spend lavishly on marketing campaigns. Following the following 7 tips can give you a head start on your content marketing strategy:

1. Blog Away
2. Create a Social Media Presence on the Social Platforms Your Audience Uses
3. You Can Start an Email Newsletter 
4. Create a Content Calendar
5. Have a Variety of Content
6. Opt for Customer Reviews and Testimonials.