Content marketing is a powerful digital marketing tool to address the demand for engaging content that traditional forms of advertising are struggling to create. DemandMetrics Content Marketing produces 3 times more traffic and sales compared to paid search advertising. This shows how essential content marketing is in the digital landscape, especially for small businesses.
If you're a small business owner, you know how challenging it can be to make content marketing work. Engaging your audience with valuable and relevant content takes effort and expertise. That's why we're here to share 9 highly actionable tips that will help you create engaging content and boost your online presence. These effective content marketing tips are tailored specifically for small businesses, so keep reading to discover how you can take advantage of this essential element of digital marketing.
In this article, we'll cover everything from defining your target audience to leveraging social media platforms effectively. As a bonus tip, we'll also share some creative ways to repurpose your existing content and get the most out of it. So whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your existing strategy, these powerful content marketing tips will help you achieve tangible results for your small business.
Effective Content Marketing Tips for Success
Content marketing is a term that refers to publishing online content that draws people's interest by sharing information about relevant topics with a specific audience. It's a generic term, but different content types fall under it, including news articles, blogs, social media copy, Instagram channels content and more. In essence, content marketing doesn't directly sell your product or service but creates an experience online that brings awareness to your brand.
To create an effective content marketing strategy, you need to focus on your target audience's needs and interests. You have to identify what they're looking for so you can provide them with the right content piece. Once you know who you're targeting, create different types of content that will appeal to them. This includes audio-visual information like videos and animations.
To succeed in digital marketing agenda through content marketing, you need to ensure that your content is valuable and informative to your target audience. Your goal should be to offer something they won't find anywhere else. By following these tips and consistently creating high-quality content pieces, you will establish yourself as an authority in your industry and see great results in your business growth.
Effective Content Tips for Online Businesses and Authors
As we approach the end of 2021, it's important to take a look at what content marketing lessons have been repeatedly emphasized this year. First off, it's not rocket science that your content has to match query intent. You can't just write filler content anymore; you need to provide value to your readers. Also, word count is not the only thing that matters now. Readability optimization is key.
In November 2019, Google released an update that affected a big chunk of websites - 22 study sites to be exact. Tophatrank conducted a correlative study and found that the criteria mentioned in the update did not lead to significant improvements in organic search traffic. However, in November 2020, another update rolled out and ecommerce websites saw changes in their rankings due to this "Core Web Vitals" announcement. We can safely assume that user experience will continue to be a top priority for SEO teams.
If you're an author or blogger writing lifestyle or travel content, take note of these November updates as well. The study showed that these types of publishers were also affected by the changes made. It's important to stay up-to-date with the latest updates from Google and make sure your content is optimized accordingly. With these effective content tips in mind, you'll be able to create quality content that resonates with your audience while also improving your search engine rankings.
1. Match Content to User Intent
One of the most important things you can do in content marketing is to match your content to user intent. This means that you need to effectively understand what your users are looking for and create content that meets their needs. For example, if you're a real estate agent in Los Angeles, and your target audience is people looking for rental apartments, you'll want to create content that's helpful for them. Instead of just listing actual apartment listing websites, consider creating journey-based content that helps users decide what type of apartment they want to rent.
When it comes to SEO industry, there are different page types that match user intent. For example, if someone is performing broad queries like "red marbles", they may be looking for general information about red marbles. In this case, an inventory landing page with information about size, weight, manufacturer and other details would be appropriate. On the other hand, if someone searches for "10mm red marbles Google", they likely have a specific product in mind and would benefit from seeing product pages with pricing and availability information. To create effective content that matches user intent, use competitive research tools and analyze SERP filled with different types of pages related to your keywords. By doing so, you'll be able to do an excellent job at matching your content to user intent!
2. Prioritization of Content for Publishers
When it comes to content marketing, prioritizing your topics and focus is paramount. With recent Google updates penalizing filler content and bad advice thinking that long-form content wins publishers started beefing, article word counts have been on the rise. However, increasing content length can sometimes have a reverse effect. Instead, focus on your topic and keep query intent in mind. For example, if you're writing about grilling portobello mushroom steaks, don't go off on a tangent about your self-discovery trip to Costa Rica. Keep the focus on the awesome recipe story at hand.
Prioritizing content for publishers means focusing on quality over quantity. Don't feel pressured to pump out endless articles just to fill up space. Instead, take the time to research and write about topics that will truly engage your audience. By keeping topic focus in mind and avoiding filler content, you'll be able to deliver high-quality articles that resonate with readers and drive traffic to your site. So next time you sit down to write an article, remember: it's not about the length of the piece; it's about the value it brings to your audience.
3. Stop the Over Optimization
One of the biggest mistakes that content marketers make when creating content is over-optimizing it. This means that they focus too much on including their primary keyword in every sentence and paragraph, and even resort to keyword stuffing to try and rank higher in search engines. However, this approach can be detrimental to the quality of the content, making it difficult for users to understand the main topic.
To avoid over-optimization, it's important to focus on creating high-quality content that provides value to your readers. While you should still include your focus keyword in your page headings and throughout the article, don't force it into every sentence. Instead, aim to create a natural flow of information that will help users understand your main topic without feeling like they are being bombarded with keywords. For example, if you are writing a recipe post for potatoes h3s, include beef kabobs as an optional addition instead of repeating "potatoes" over and over again.
Another area where over-optimization commonly occurs is on product pages. While it's important to include relevant keywords in your product descriptions, stop including them repeatedly and unnecessarily. Focus on providing valuable information about your products and how they can benefit your customers instead of trying to manipulate search engine rankings through excessive use of keywords. By following these tips, you can create high-quality content that both search engines and users will appreciate.
4. The Technical SEO Side of Things: Organizing Content
When it comes to publishing fantastic content, it's not just about the writing - it's also about how that content is organized. Adequately organizing your content can be the difference between putting gas in a car and fixing a broken transmission. To ensure that your website is super clear and easy to navigate, pay close attention to your information architecture breadcrumbs categories. By creating topically relevant clusters of content pieces, you can create navigational paths that communicate logical organizational hierarchy breadcrumbs.
In 2018-2019, Google updates placed an even greater emphasis on quality relevancy natural language processing core web vitals. To keep up with these changes and avoid technical issues, conduct regular SEO audits on an annual basis. Make sure to tag pages correctly, canonicalize page-2 and-on for category pagination, and create category pages for products assets. Additionally, consider creating round-up style posts or tag pages to increase broad query matching. The key takeaway? By decreasing technical issues through proper organization, you'll be able to boost your website's SEO ranking and drive more traffic to your site.
(Lisa Buyer)
Powerful Content Marketing Tips for Your Small Business
Let's dive into some efficient content marketing strategies that can help your small business reach a large audience. First, focus on creating high-quality, valuable content that resonates with your target audience. Second, use social media to share your content and engage with your followers. Third, incorporate SEO tactics to improve your website's visibility in search engines. By mastering these tips, you can create a successful content marketing campaign for your small business.
1. Determine Your Target Audience
In order to have a successful content marketing strategy, it is important to identify your target audience. This means understanding who your content is intended for and tailoring it to their needs and interests. Knowing your target audience will help you make informed decisions during the content creation process and ensure that the content you create resonates with them.
One way to identify your target audience is by creating marketing personas. These are fictional representations of your potential customers that include demographic information such as age, gender, and location, as well as psychographic information like interests and values. By creating these personas, you can better understand how each persona feels about your brand and what kind of content would be most relevant to them. Ultimately, knowing your target audience will help you create more effective content that resonates with them and encourages engagement.
2. Focus on Specific Topics and Solve Real-World Problems
One of the biggest problems with content nowadays is creating duplicate stuff that doesn't work. To avoid this, focus on specific topics and tackle real-world problems by providing beneficial solutions. Your end goal should be to create content that your audience trusts and remembers.
For example, if you run an online store that sells fitness equipment, think about the industry you'll be attracting. Health-conscious people, newbies, and fitness enthusiasts are all potential customers. Instead of writing a general topic like "10 Ways to Lose Weight," try tackling specific ideas like "Top 5 Workouts for Quickly Losing Weight" or "Your 2020 Weight-Loss Journey: A Comprehensive Guide." This will make for a great blog post idea that readers will want to apply immediately and share with their friends. Remember, quality over quantity when it comes to content marketing!
3. Create a Variety of Engaging Content Forms
Creating a variety of content forms is essential for effective content marketing. Long-form and short-form content, social media copy, small snippets, animations, and other content forms should all be considered when planning your content marketing strategy. Long-form content is one of the biggest marketing tools available, but it takes more time to create than short-form content. If you're going to invest in long-form content, pay special attention to its structure by adding headings and subheadings that help readers navigate the article easily.
Adding media elements such as charts, quotation blocks, tables, and images can make long articles more interesting without breaking your budget on fancy illustrations. However, if you have the resources to invest time in long articles that ensure back things up with claims data or research sources while using supporting ideas from experts or quoting authority sources such as a fitness trainer from a fitness equipment online store like Maximum Muscle in a blog post on your website that you'll link to on social media - they'll surely share it! In conclusion, don't forget to mix up your content forms and use the ones that work best for your audience!
Content Tips From a Mobile Perspective
With more people accessing the internet from their mobile devices than ever before, it's crucial for content marketers to consider the mobile perspective when creating content. Mobile users are often in a hurry and have a hard time focusing on lengthy articles or videos, so it's important to keep your content concise and to the point. This means cutting out extra fluff and getting straight to the heart of your message.
Another factor to consider is that many mobile users have extra tight data plans or limited storage space on their devices. This means that they may be hesitant to download large files or open videos that require a lot of mental overhead. To make sure your content is accessible to as many people as possible, try offering text-based alternatives to videos or images, and keep file sizes as small as possible.
Finally, remember that many mobile users are making purchase or subscription decisions while on-the-go or in frustrating circumstances. They may be waiting in line at the grocery store, dealing with a difficult life situation, or facing extra risk factors due to their location. To make decisions easier for these users, focus on providing clear information and easy-to-follow steps for making purchases or signing up for subscriptions. By keeping these tips in mind, you can create content that resonates with mobile users and drives conversions.
1. Focus on More Passive Mobile Marketing Channels: It May Lead to More Benefits
Mobile content marketing is an important tool for businesses looking to engage people on-the-go. With the current health situation, people are feeling disconnected and often turn to their mobile devices as a source of relief. This means making sure your mobile content is accessible and provides clear information and reassurances.
One way to achieve this is by focusing on more passive mobile marketing channels, such as creating interactive community-oriented campaigns or providing access to business information through your primary website. While these channels may not provide direct financial benefit immediately, they can lead to higher levels of brand loyalty in the long run. By investing in these channels now, you can build a stronger relationship with your audience and be better equipped when things change in the future.
2. Content Mobile Tips for Brick and Mortar Businesses with Examples
With the trends pandemics have brought, it has become a continual task for brick and mortar businesses to adapt to mobile devices. Customers are now parking lot wondering if store hours changed or state/county/city restrictions noted. Businesses can address this by creating mobile-friendly interactive COVID maps or COVID shopping lists based on store policies such as social distancing. Olive Garden, for example, has a downloadable mobile Progressive Web App (PWA) checklist that provides safety reminders when planning family visits to their business locations temporarily or permanently closed like Pier 1.
To engage customers further, businesses can use a mobile content idea like an appointment deep link where they can make appointments and receive specific store instructions such as store maps through calendar invites. However, there may be increased wait times, lines, and service delays affecting most urgent care facilities. Using a mobile content idea like a store leader-board that shows the lowest estimated wait time and actual wait times, average wait times using live-stream cameras in waiting areas can be helpful in managing stock shortages or worker shortages experienced in grocery stores. Supplement stores have adapted by allowing customers to check their stock inventory before making a trip ahead of them through chat-bots or home-helping guides.
Businesses may also need to update their exchange policy due to changes caused by pandemics. Using fun mobile-friendly side-by-side comparison charts linked with returns/exchange policies on product pages or shopping carts that allow social media sharing helps customers figure out the best options while waiting for curb-side pickup phone services or online ordering services from stores like Joannes Fabric who have digital project kits that compile options for people who want to easily pick up multiple items shipped/picked-up in-store.
Finally, adding online grocery shopping features by including family-style meals on your mobile menu is one of the core aspects of making mobile shopping easy while skip grocery trips and having groceries delivered along with meal orders. These mobile marketing tips will help businesses stay ahead of the game and adapt to changing times.
3. Content Mobile Tips for Online Businesses
For online-only businesses that sell physical products, digital products or offer online software services subscriptions, having mobile content is crucial. One of the biggest struggles businesses face is helping costumers find answers when they have lost access to their account information. By optimizing your website for mobile devices and creating content accessible to subscribers, you can make these struggles easier. Offering temporary relief, such as grace periods on insurance payments or car payments can help people increase their chances of being able to afford your services.
Mobile Content Idea Examples
Subscription gyms like Audible are a great idea for people who don't want to commit to a long-term commitment. Including calendar invites, text message reminders and other mobile features can make it even easier for people to choose your service over others. With family demand for home entertainment connectivity increasing, easily add month-by-month increases or movie and educational channels to increase complete customer satisfaction. Up-to-date tutorials and a customer service line can also help with DIY home projects or craft table inspiration.
Key Takeaway
Creating mobile content is key in building trust with your customers and keeping them engaged with your brand. As Arsen Rabinovich, founder of TopHatRank suggests, "Mobile has become an integral part of our daily lives... if you're not creating mobile content and making sure it's easily accessible by your audience, then you're missing out on a significant opportunity." By following these tips and providing valuable content accessible through mobile phones or tablets, you can improve the customer experience and drive growth for your online business.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to create a content marketing strategy?
To create a content marketing strategy, you should define your target audience, set clear goals, choose the right channels and formats for your content, and measure your success regularly.
What is the Content Marketing Institute?
The Content Marketing Institute is a leading global education and training organization for content marketing, founded in 2007. They provide valuable resources, research, and best practices to help companies create effective content marketing strategies.
What is small business content marketing?
Small business content marketing is the practice of creating and sharing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience. It's an effective way for small businesses to build trust with their customers, increase brand awareness, and drive sales.
What are the best marketing tips for small businesses?
Some of the best marketing tips for small businesses include optimizing your website for search engines, utilizing social media platforms, and creating valuable content for your audience.
What are the best content marketing resources?
Some of the best content marketing resources include Content Marketing Institute, HubSpot, and Moz. These websites provide valuable insights and tips on how to create compelling content that resonates with your target audience, improves your search rankings and drives traffic to your website.
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