As a business owner, you’ve heard that you need to jump on the content train before it leaves the station – but you’re struggling to run, and it looks like you’re going to miss it.
We’ve all been there – nervous and unsure about content creation and sceptical about the value it brings to the business or the brand.
You can read about the hidden rewards of a social presence and why your business actually needs a content strategy in 2024.
But not before you learn about 5 quick ways in which you can leverage content marketing for your small business.
Use AI – but skilfully
We live in a world where 328.77 million terabytes of data is created every day. And according to HubSpot’s Annual Inbound Marketing Trends Report, 45% of marketers are increasing their investment in AI-driven content creation tools in 2024.
These stats are only going to trend upwards. And while there may be nothing you can do to stop this; you can start creating a dent for your brand presence by intelligently using AI to assist in your marketing efforts.
Don’t ask ChatGPT to write you a 500-word blog post. Not even an Instagram caption. As tempting as it is to outsource this work to the machines, let this be the arena where your talents reign supreme.
Let AI generate a draft and go to work on polishing it with a human touch. In the long run, this is what will help your business retain its authenticity and build trust with your customers.
Experiment with Content Format
With an increase in decreasing attention spans of a significant section of the population today, it is becoming crucial for brands to meet customers where they are rather than waiting for them to come looking for services / products.
For a lot of small businesses who do not have massive budgets like the bigger brands do, nailing the right content format for their audience can be wonderfully rewarding.
This is where bootstrapped businesses and owners need to be mindful of using limited resources to get the highest ROI from their marketing spend.
If you are a local cookie dough manufacturer, think about using video content to draw in customers. Shoot long form videos and break them into shorter reels, TikTok posts and YouTube shorts etc and repurpose your content.
While this is one example of experimenting with content format, you could run a similar play with written content across multiple platforms.
Personalised and Interactive Content
An average person spends over 60 minutes on social media. And approximately 23-90% of the people are passive users – who consume content rather than interact with it. To ensure your brand or your business gets the engagement it needs, work with an experienced team to include personalised and interactive content into your marketing mix.
Interactive content enhances user experience, captures attention, increases engagement, and provides personalized and dynamic interactions. It often encourages users to share opinions, gather information, receive tailored recommendations, or solve problems.
Some types of content that are interactive include polls, quizzes, interactive assessments, and calculators.
Influencer and Micro-Influencer Marketing
The quickest way for a new small business or bootstrapped start-ups to build authority in the online world is by collaboration and partnerships. And there’s no shortage of genuine influencers who will help you leverage their audience in a personalized commercial deal.
Look at what beauty brand 82E has achieved in a relatively short span of time. Deepika Padukone is the face of the brand but when it launched, the brand leveraged micro influencers to spread the word. Their Instagram is the perfect example of creating and harnessing the power of community to create a strong hold in an already crowded (beauty) market.
Some examples of how influencer marketing plays out in the real world – giveaways and contests, product collaborations, sponsored posts and affiliate campaigns. For a detailed read, check this article by Sprout Social.
Integrated Approach to Content Marketing for Business
In an omnichannel approach, there is seamless transfer the context of a conversation from one channel to the next meaning that customers are provided with a smooth and consistent customer experience.
Integrating online and offline marketing is a step in that direction. Think of the last time you called your mobile phone provider where first spoke to them over the phone and then continued the conversation in store. How was that experience? Did the consultant ask you about your problem and how far along you were in the resolution process? Or were they able to gather that information and pick up from where the previous consultant left off?
That’s the power of omnichannel approach to marketing. Small businesses can leverage this approach to ensure they provide an exciting brand experience that fosters loyalty and trust with their customer base.
While content marketing can help your business stay close to and connected with your customers, it can also play a significant role in helping you bring in warm leads and close trailing sales calls.
Have you used content marketing to enhance your marketing mix? If yes, let us know how that has worked for your business thus far.
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