By now most small business owners know that running a blog takes time; that maintaining a consistent social media presence requires discipline; and that creating copious amounts of compelling content is ultimately going to cost some money. Nevertheless, content marketing is a great investment—and one that small business owners should double down on in 2015.
For proof, you need look no further than to this recent survey, which finds that a whopping 89 percent of businesses that use content marketing find it to be effective.
And then there is this recent post from Pratik Dholakiya, with a title we can really get behind: “10 Reasons Why Small Businesses Should Invest More in Content Marketing.” “Aside from cutting back on cake,” he writes, “the best resolution small business owners can make this year is to invest in content marketing.”
Dholakiya goes on to list his ten reasons; all of them are worth exploring, but we want to highlight just a few of them in particular:
- “Everyone is doing it… But not necessarily well.” One of the biggest objections to content marketing these days is that it’s so omnipresent that it’s impossible for small brands to distinguish themselves. Dholakiya argues that, while most companies do content marketing these days, not many of them have really mastered it, so there is ample room to develop a competitive edge.
- More content leads to higher search engine rankings. Though Google’s search algorithms are notoriously fickle, one thing is consistent: The search engine likes to honor companies that invest in fresh, relevant content. Dholakiya lists a couple of companies that exponentially grew their online traction and boosted their website hits through content marketing. “Clearly, content is where your company should be investing a significant amount of its time,” he contends. “After all, more web visitors equals more sales.”
- Content marketing increases brand awareness. Even if you develop a brand new search engine that’s ten times more powerful than Google, it’s unlikely you will ever be able to topple Google. This is for one simple reason: Google has brand awareness; its very name is a slang term for online searching. Brand awareness is key, and remains the foremost goal among B2B marketers. Content marketing is how you develop it.
- Content marketing establishes your brand as an authority. When customers trust you—when they view you as an expert in your field—that only helps your business. Content marketing can develop this reputation for expertise. “Clearly, frequent postings are key to getting your audience to trust you and follow your content with a keen interest,” writes Dholakiya.
- Customers prefer to buy from companies that create custom content. 61 percent of consumers say they were more prone to buy from a brand that does content marketing—and really, what else is there?
There are plenty of reasons to invest in content marketing, including some great bottom-line effects for your business. To learn more, we invite you to contact our content marketing experts today at www.grammarchic.net, or 803-831-7444.
The Red Ink 