Why a Content Marketing Strategy is a Must-Have for any Small Business

There once was a time when content Marketing was something you did to set yourself apart from everyone else. Because nothing said “look how cool/different/trendy our business is!” like a blog. You were considered revolutionary, ahead of the curve for taking the time to write fun and helpful posts for your customers.

But that was then. And this is now.

Content is still king, and these days content marketing is more of a necessity than a luxury for business owners who want to stay competitive. Here’s why.

Content boosts your SEO efforts

SEO is an ever changing game. You’ve really got to stay on your toes to do it and do it well. The one thing that stays constant, though, is the need for quality content.

The whole point of Search Engine Optimization is to get your business in front of the right people at the right time, and it’s all about keywords. Content is the best way to create more keyword opportunities.

There’s only so much you can do with the static pages of your website –– your product descriptions, about page, the alt-text for your images, etc. With articles, blog posts and other guides, the possibilities are endless. You can get tons of keywords onto your site this way and that’s only going to help more people searching for businesses like yours find their way to you.

Content builds links

You know what else helps your SEO efforts? Backlinks. Know what a great way to get them is? You guessed it! Content marketing.

We’ve mentioned before how Google’s algorithms are starting to place more weight on backlinks rather than keywords. No one is going to send their hard-earned traffic your way unless you’re legit. By creating content that is both interesting and helpful, you’ll increase your chances of having influencers share and link back to your content.

Content generates new leads 

When it comes to generating leads, most business owners turn to Search Engine Marketing and Paid Advertising. There’s nothing wrong with that! Both have proven to be effective at drumming up new business and both should play some role in your marketing mix.

However, if you want to maximize your search results, investing some time and energy into producing ongoing, high-quality content is a wise choice. Yes, IT DOES take time to develop all that content and, yes, IT WILL take some time before you’ll see the results. But even if you can spend just 1-2 hours each week on content marketing, the payoff can be significant.

Content supports all of your other digital marketing strategies

The best thing about content marketing is that it is so versatile.

Looking for something to share on social media? Need something for your next email newsletter? Want to spice up the landing page for your upcoming ad campaign? Your latest content –– whether it’s a blog post, video, e-book or anything in between –– will do the job.

Investing in content marketing ensures you have a gold mine of resources to use whenever and however you need. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

So do yourself a favor, and set aside just 1-2 hours this week to develop some new content for your business. If you’ve got a case of writer’s block or are just feeling otherwise uninspired, don’t worry. As always, we have you covered. Just head over to this post: Need Some Inspiration for Your Content Marketing? Try these Six Sources! or just give us a call.

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