An Introduction to Content Marketing and What It Means for Small Business

Content marketing is a smart, affordable method for small business owners to promote their products and services. Simplicity is at the heart of content marketing (which is just a fancy term for promoting a business with information). Marketing a business by providing desirable information targeted to a specific niche or audience has become popular in recent years. In the internet age, it's a logical conclusion for what happens when the DIY ethos, limited budgets and a simple publishing platform meet a global audience hungry for solutions to their problems.

Why Marketing With Information Makes Good Sense

The internet is the place everyone goes to find out more about a product or service before they buy. By providing answers to potential customers’ questions, a small business owner can begin to build a relationship based on expertise and trust. The more information your website offers to address the issues your potential customers care about, the more traffic and quality leads you'll attract to your site. If you offer visitors a reason to stay on your site and get to know you - with a free gift in exchange for your newsletter, for example - you can deepen the relationship you've initiated based on your proven expertise. Visitors to your website will gain the solutions to their problems and feel they can buy from you with confidence. You'll in turn grow a bigger audience, which will lead to more sales and more profit.

How To Introduce Content Marketing Into Your Business

Some of the most common approaches to content marketing are blogging, publishing articles, and creating free information reports. A great starting place is to create a well written website that establishes what your business is about. After all, if someone finds your blog and wants more information, your website should be there to inspire confidence and reinforce credibility. With your website in place, you can establish a blog that addresses the problems that concern your customers. As an added bonus, the more frequently you update your blog, the better its rank in search engine results, which will make it more likely new visitors can find your site. Newsletters are another popular way to stay in touch with your audience, giving you another opportunity to provide them with helpful information. Many businesses offer a free gift in exchange for an email address - another opportunity to provide content that is relevant, useful, and desirable. As you start to collect subscribers to your newsletter, you'll develop a responsive audience to whom you can market new products and services, including paid information products.

Start Your Content Marketing Campaign Now!

If you are new to content marketing, blogging is the easiest place to get started. All it requires, in addition to an internet connection, is a plan and the time to implement it. Do a bit of market research before you start to find out the kinds of information your audience is looking for. Develop a content calendar on a schedule you can stick to. Then start writing, publishing and sharing!