content

brand genieus knowledge series

Why is Content important?

When the term content is mentioned, what comes to mind? As an entrepreneur running a small enterprise, you may have come across the notion that the ultimate growth of your business hinges on the creation of exceptional content, enabling you to reach a broader spectrum of potential customers.

On the other hand, you might have come across data that presents facts such as for every dollar invested, content marketing produces roughly three times the number of leads compared to conventional marketing or an overwhelming 78% of Chief Marketing Officers perceive personalized content as the forefront of marketing.

What defines the quality of content? Is it a large marketing budget amounting to a six-figure sum? Or perhaps a comprehensive marketing strategy that requires considerable time and effort? Disappointingly, findings from a survey conducted among small business owners indicate that less than 20% of them consistently create and distribute content that drives traffic.

Fortunately, when it comes to boosting your business’s profits, a exorbitant budget is not necessary in order to create exceptional content. Surprisingly, all it takes is a tiny dose of wisdom from industry professionals. Within this piece, we will reveal eight of these pearls of wisdom that will assist you in generating outstanding content, regardless of your financial constraints!

Fresh Ideas for Small Business Content Creation in Marketing

1. Determine your desired outcomes for the content at the onset

Have you ever come across the popular adage that suggests a goal devoid of a plan remains nothing but a mere reverie? This saying seamlessly resonates with numerous aspects in the corporate realm, encompassing the realm of content creation as well.

To formulate an effective content strategy for your business, it is crucial to commence with a specific objective in mind. Establishing a goal brings forth two significant advantages: it provides a concrete objective to focus on and serves as a clear indicator of achievement.

When aiming to maximize the effectiveness of your content marketing objectives, consider adopting the SMART framework. This implies that your objective should be detailed, quantifiable, attainable, practical, and time-sensitive. As an illustration, a SMART content goal would be achieve a 20% surge in organic website traffic during the month of March.

Setting SMART goals is not the sole criterion to aim for when it comes to defining your content objectives. In order to create exceptional content, it is imperative to establish quality benchmarks that align with your brand. For instance, you may establish criteria such as all statistical data must be sourced from 2020 onwards or all images must possess an image quality of 300 DPI or higher.

Real content standards, which have been proven effective, can be utilized as well. In other words, your content needs to meet the criteria of being:

  • Catering to the target viewers
  • Captivating and intriguing
  • In line with the principles, clientele, and brand vision of your business
  • Appealing to a wide range of customers

2. Familiarize yourself with your target market (as well as your rivals).

HubSpot researchers conducted a comprehensive study in 2019, surveying 2,700 individuals across the US, Europe, and Latin America. Fascinatingly, the study unearthed intriguing dissimilarities in consumer preferences among these regions. Notably, a striking 80% of respondents from Latin America expressed a desire for brand videos, while the appeal of videos dropped to 59% among US consumers and even further to 51% among European consumers.

The importance of that particular statistic becomes evident: without understanding your audience’s preferences, it is impossible to create content they will truly appreciate.

When formulating a content plan for your company, it is imperative to clearly identify your target demographic using customer profiles. These profiles are concise and descriptive portrayals that outline the key characteristics of your devoted customer base. Such attributes may encompass, but are not confined to:

  • Academic background
  • Aspirations 
  • Consumer behavior
  • Earnings 
  • Hobbies 
  • Occupation 
  • Place of residence
  • Youth

It would be optimal if you could develop 3 – 5 customer personas targeting specific segments of your customer base. After outlining these customer profiles, utilize them as the foundation for generating content that your audience will find irresistible.

Once you have identified your target audience, it becomes crucial to closely observe and analyze your rivals. Prior to generating any content, carefully observe how your nearest competitors craft their website and social media posts. Pay special attention to techniques that effectively engage their audience, while also identifying their weaknesses that you can exploit in your unique approach.

3. Discover the content structures that resonate with your preferences

Rather than investing extensive time and effort in generating various forms of content, which is neither cost-efficient nor feasible, it is advisable to concentrate on developing content specifically tailored to meet your business needs.

Creating content can be classified into three main categories: top-of-the-funnel content, middle-of-the-funnel content, and bottom-of-the-funnel content. These categories are commonly referred to as TOFU content, MOFU content, and BOFU content respectively.

Information and educational content related to various issues, like the creation of high-quality video content, is highly sought after by individuals looking for general knowledge. Frequently, businesses adopt the strategy of generating a blog to engage with their target audience, utilizing this type of content known as TOFU. Additional examples of popular TOFU content comprise…

Instructions on various topicsPromotions Web pages for attracting visitors Visual representations of information Advertisements on social media platforms

MOFU content caters to individuals seeking in-depth information, such as recommendations for the finest free Excel alternatives. Well-received variations of MOFU content encompass:

  • Campaigns through emails
  • Digital books
  • Genuine social media updates
  • Interactive online seminars
  • Virtual and physical conferences and gatherings

BOFU content is specifically designed to capture the attention of individuals who are in the last stages of their research process and are on the brink of making a significant purchasing decision. Some examples of commonly favored BOFU content encompass:

  • Cultivate robust connections
  • Endorsements
  • Evaluations
  • In-depth examinations of real-life scenarios
  • Pages that compare and analyze products (such as the one provided by ClickUp)
  • Targeted advertisements reoriented towards specific audiences

Nurturing a lasting connection with your audience is the ultimate strategy to boost your earnings from content production. Customers who are deeply committed to your brand have a minimum 40% higher chance of converting into a sale compared to new customers.

Among the various methods to establish connections with customers via content, let us divert our attention towards three potential avenues: harnessing the power of Facebook groups, collaborating with influencers, and harnessing interactive tools for your benefit.

Maximize the potential of Facebook communities

Every Facebook user is bombarded with over 1,000 posts in their newsfeed at all times. This excessive amount of posts makes it challenging for social media marketing to capture the attention of Facebook users alone. Considering the fact that 18.3% of adults in the United States have purchased products directly from Facebook, it is evident that this platform holds significant importance.

One way to enhance your connection with others is through the creation of a business Facebook group. These online communities provide an open space for individuals to engage in discussions pertaining to a particular brand. Moreover, brands themselves contribute to the group’s dynamics by sharing various content, such as news articles, thought-provoking queries, humorous memes, and informative resources. Consequently, this cultivates an intimate and tightly-knit community among the members.

Brand Facebook groups offer a unique and personalized space, fostering lasting connections with your customers. To witness the real impact of such communities, explore Elementor’s thriving Facebook Group with an impressive 115k members.

Here’s an alternative approach: Enhance the productivity of your Facebook group by incorporating Facebook ads within it. Afterwards, establish a seamless connection between Facebook Lead Ads and MailChimp to effortlessly add your group members to your email marketing list.

Collaborate alongside influential personalities

Collaborating with influencers presents an extraordinary avenue to establish a connection with a target audience, given that a significant 89% of marketers affirm that the returns yielded from influencer marketing are either on par with or even surpassing those attained via alternative marketing platforms.

For those considering influencers! Instagram should be your ultimate preference, according to research revealing Instagram as the foremost influential marketing platform. The reason behind this rests in the abundant possibilities that Instagram presents for influencer content. One could explore a vast array of options, including:

  • Complete articles
  • Referral hyperlinks (an exclusive link provided to influencers who receive a commission for each purchase generated via the link).
  • Snapchat updates
  • TikTok clips

Rachel Ibbison’s sponsored post is a great example to witness the impact a macro influencer can have on a brand. Instagram influencers come in various forms, ranging from nano influencers with less than 1,000 followers, to micro-influencers with 1,000 followers, and macro-influencers with an impressive 100K following.

Utilize the interactive features provided by each platform to optimize your experience.

To effectively reach out to their audience, the most efficient marketing tactics make use of the distinctive tools offered by different social media platforms.

One way to establish the credibility of your business is by obtaining verification on Facebook, which designates your business page as the official representation. With the verification process completed, potential customers can easily locate your page and the blue checkmark will serve as a symbol of authenticity.

Another way to boost engagement with your audience is by resharing content created by your followers on your stories. By tagging the original creator and implementing the $1.80 tactic on Instagram, you can not only widen your reach but also establish direct communication with each follower.

4. Stay vigilant regarding emerging patterns and changes in the landscape.

Good content creation heavily depends on staying ahead of current events and trends, considering that research indicates that 36.5% of individuals between the ages of 16 and 64 who use social media primarily do so to stay up-to-date with news and current events.

Certain trends in online shopping may vanish quickly, but others exemplify a gradual transformation in consumer behavior. Consider the utilization of augmented reality (AR) in content, the inclusion of chatbots to improve website content, and the optimization of content for voice assistants. These trends are enduring and will persist in the digital realm.

According to studies, a vast majority of 79% of individuals prefer customized promotions tailored specifically to their preferences, highlighting how personalization has emerged as a crucial trend in the industry.

When devising your content strategy, it’s essential to factor in the potential application of these prevailing trends. Take, for instance, L’Oréal, a cosmetics company that ingeniously developed a revolutionary augmented reality (AR) tool named Modiface. This remarkable tool empowers individuals to experiment with various makeup and hair shades virtually.

5. Harness the power of content frameworks.

Although it is essential for content to be innovative, generating it entirely from scratch is not always necessary. By utilizing two fundamental frameworks, which are overarching principles that dictate content creation, you can effectively streamline the production process.

The primary requirement is the establishment of a content framework. This framework acts as a guiding force, dictating:

The configuration of your call-to-action (CTA) influences the effectiveness of your message. The utilization of different hooks, content structure, image presentation, source linking, and tone greatly impact your overall communication strategy.

Employing a content structure offers a magnificent avenue to expeditiously generate content, as one can effortlessly insert new elements into an empty framework. Moreover, it serves as a splendid approach to cultivate content that remains in harmony with one’s prior endeavors.

The essential component required next is a framework dedicated to Search Engine Optimization (SEO). An SEO framework sets out the guidelines and principles that govern:

  • Utilizing keywords effectively within your content
  • Crafting SEO meta tags strategically
  • Leveraging internal links intelligently
  • Optimizing image labels for enhanced search engine visibility

Boost your content’s visibility by deploying an SEO framework, guaranteeing improved search engine rankings across Google, Bing, and Yahoo. SEO-optimized content transcends barriers and expands the horizons of your reach.

Important tip: It is essential to verify that your website is not suffering from frequent technical SEO problems such as broken links, an erroneous robots.txt file, or an ineffective sitemap! Tackling these issues will greatly enhance your website’s search engine performance and significantly boost the reach of your content.

6. Generate your content in batches.

When it comes to content marketing, it is commonly said that content is king. However, if you expect to find inspiration before you start creating content, you may end up waiting for a considerable amount of time. Although creativity is essential in developing good content, preparing and organizing your content in advance will enable you to consistently publish it without much difficulty.

Rather than generating content haphazardly, experiment with these guidelines to efficiently create content for an entire month ahead by batching:

First week of the month: Generating content ideas

Conduct research and develop concise outlines for each content piece, outlining target keywords, necessary tasks, and relevant sources.

Utilize a content calendar to strategically schedule the publication of each content piece.

Craft your content gradually, dedicating 1-2 weeks for its complete production.

Thoroughly review and enhance your content by utilizing grammar and plagiarism checkers.

Schedule your content on the content calendar, ensuring timely publication.

Employ automation tools to effectively publish your content.

Regularly monitor the performance of your content and make necessary adjustments for future creations.

By employing this method of batch creation, you can relieve yourself of the burden of content production. Consequently, you will be able to generate meticulously planned and extensively researched content well in advance, allowing you to stay ahead of schedule.

Make sure to give new purpose to your top content.

Remember to repurpose your previous content periodically. Although it’s not possible to simply publish old material as if it’s fresh, you can utilize your top-performing content to lessen the demand for new creations.

To recycle content, you integrate new material into 30 – 60% of your existing work. This can encompass various elements such as:

  • Enhancing data representation
  • Refreshing visual elements
  • Eliminating faulty hyperlinks
  • Introducing fresh content
  • Substituting the call-to-action with your latest offerings
  • Revamping the opening and closing sections (if applicable)
  • Incorporating supplementary material
  • Modifying typography, tones, and layout
  • Integrating dynamic animations

Crafting an engaging infographic

Another approach to revitalizing content involves repurposing existing material into diverse formats. One potential method is converting a previous blog post into an engaging infographic. Similarly, an informative video can be transformed into a captivating series of GIFs. Additionally, a possible adaptation could involve reissuing an eBook as an absorbing audiobook.

Discover the key to exceptional content development.

Many small business owners harbor numerous undisclosed practices, yet concealing the methods behind devising an exceptional content marketing strategy is not one of them. There exists no enigmatic formula within the industry for crafting top-notch content. Instead, superior content merely entails being educational for customers, meticulously planned and researched, and tailored to optimize its visibility on search engines.

If you’re an entrepreneur with a small business, overwhelmed by the thought of creating content, our professional advice aims to alleviate your concerns.

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