Content Creation for Small Businesses

Creating content in a sound-bite world is challenging. The pressure to have content immediately digestible for your audience can be a bit overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. Quality over quantity is a winning technique. And with this post, I’ll explain the ways you can improve your content creation for your small business marketing.

To start, create content that truly reflects your why. Your why is the reasoning behind the business, the purpose for its existence. Every post and message – the content – must stem from your why, which is the core of your marketing strategy. 

For example, if you created a small business to promote environmental responsibility, it wouldn’t make sense for you to use plastic posters promoting fast fashion to present your business. To be aligned with your why, your content should be centered around environmental responsibility. Your audience could then see presentation consistency and decide if they are attracted to your business.

From Problems to Solutions

Each business solves a problem. The unique solution to that problem is what draws audiences who are looking for a solution. Marketing in its most essential form tells people who have problems that you have the best solutions to solve their problems. Your content messaging needs to be reflective of moving from a problem to a solution.

What you have on your website and GMB should indicate that you not only know how to solve their problem but you know how to do so well and affordably. Think in terms of the customers and how their problems affect them. Solving their problems should be the primary driver behind the content you make.

Static Content & Active Content

There are two types of content that you will have in your business: static and active. Static content often remains the same. Content on your website is static because you don’t often change it. You consistently create active content when you post on your Google My Business (GMB), Facebook, and other social platforms. 

Active content goes a step beyond to engage your audience. A few common ways to incorporate active content into your small business is to offer weekly social posts and monthly blogs. Learn about social media platforms you can utilize with your marketing strategy here.

Brand Consistency and Changes

Brand consistency in your small business helps create consumer loyalty. When the messaging is consistent, you create a sense of security and comfort for your audience. Being consistent with your brand also presents your small business as professional. 

What do I mean by brand consistency? To clarify, brand consistency is more than having graphics that match the colors of your business. Brand consistency is about having your messaging, down to the tone, matching your why. 

Of course, there will be times when you need to redirect your messaging or even change your brand altogether to better meet your small business goals and audience. How you transition your content creation will depend on your reasoning for changing.

GoDaddy, for example, began with a great concept but used an offensive tone and content to garner attention. As they received more negative feedback, they slowly and quietly transitioned their messaging to meet the standard tone within marketing. In other instances, directly communicating with your audience may be more suitable. 

Having a unique tone can be beneficial. But, you do have to consider if your intended audience will be receptive to your tone and messaging. You want to adjust your communication style to match what your audience will find persuasive.

Low Budget High Quality Research

Finding out what will appeal to your audience does require some research. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend the thousands that big businesses spend on their research department. As a small business, you have access to your clientele in a way that big businesses do not. Your personal relationship with your clients provides a great foundation for receiving feedback.

Ask your clients how you can serve them better and what they appreciate about your services now. This customer feedback can be used to direct your messaging in a way that more clearly communicates the value of your small business. 

To incentivize in depth client feedback (through an interview or detailed questionnaire), you can offer them a discount. That’s likely where you will get your best answers in customer research. Other ways to get research for your content messaging entails reviewing what your competitors are doing and analyzing their successes and failures. This type of research involves more time but is valuable for creating competitive strategies.

Successful Content Creation

Being successful at content creation for your small business boils down to knowing your small business’s core reason for existing, listening to your clientele, and being consistent in your presentation of that knowledge.

Content creation provides value to your customers and your business by boosting your why; it goes beyond pretty graphics and SEO-driven blogs. The content you make must provide clear value to your client. When you can communicate clearly with your audience, you increase the chances of successful leads.

Wherever you are in your small business marketing, we would love to help you succeed at your goals. We help you get back to your passion of running your business when you outsource your marketing with us. See what we have available here!