It took the major CPG brands some convincing that content offered solutions to consumer reach and engagement that neither display advertising nor search could, and these are the companies with “exploratory” budgets for new strategies and ideas. Where does that leave SMBs who lack that luxury in the content marketing landscape?
Ironically, content marketing has become something of an equalizer for SMBs competing for consumers’ attention. As the cost of Adwords skyrocket, the old dictum that you get what you spend is no longer the case. When it comes to search in fact, the opposite is true. Increasing bids on keywords is a losing a strategy for many SMBs because a bigger brand who can afford to spend more in the cost-per-click market is always lurking around the corner. Direct competition over an asset like a keyword poses a serious challenge to sustainability.
What makes content so attractive is that it’s truly ownable. Creating, commissioning, or otherwise earning content provides SMBs the opportunity to extend their branding in a more meaningful way to consumers. Content creates value for consumers where other forms of digital advertising like display seek to extract value with direct-response cues that consumers have now been trained to ignore, a likely explanation for why display has hit a wall in recent years…
A blog is a perfectly simple way to engage consumers with content they find interesting, educational, or entertaining. Rather than sell them on what a product can do for them, SMBs should consider what they as a company –and member of the digital community—can offer consumers. What is their subject matter expertise? What is the source of inspiration behind their company? What makes them laugh? Bringing a smile to someone’s face may not directly result in a sale, but it can increase that person’s affinity for the brand or create a share on Facebook that extends reach to a new audience.
Previously, SMBs seemed unaware that this kind of engaging content could produce lasting, positive results for their business. Understandably, content marketing requires a shift in mindset from “how can I get customers to buy this?” to “how can I engage this customer today?” but it’s one that can and should occur organically. We are all consumers, after all. SMBs should ask themselves “As a consumer, what would I want to click on? What would interest me?” An honest answer probably wouldn’t involve a display ad.
Nowhere is this empathetic approach more needed than in the Quality department. Content is an experience and should be as engaging, immersive and pleasurable as possible. Skimping on design may not diminish the impact of the content’s substance, but it can diminish the impact of the experience, and that could be the difference in repeat visits, brand recall and social sharing. Including multimedia assets like video, pictures and illustrations when possible can go a long way at a minimum cost in projecting sophistication, which can help SMBs distinguish themselves from their competition.
In addition to owned media, earned media is a valuable component to any content marketing strategy. News coverage, press mentions or products reviews from third parties can go a long way in educating consumers without a brand’s direct involvement—which is to say consumers often trust earned media more than branded content. Look no further than the holiday season to see the role of earned media in consumer spending.
With the price of paid traffic getting steeper and the returns diminishing, SMBs should take comfort in the fact that increased organic traffic is well within reach thanks to content marketing. The popular SEO practice of link-building is at the mercy of Google’s algorithms, which continue to evolve in the direction of more natural, human results. Consistently producing great content that actual human beings interact with and share, on the other hand, creates quality traffic opportunities, including social, search, and viral. The greater the content footprint, the stronger the SEO.
For more content marketing tips, download the Dos & Donts of Content Marketing here
Natalie Chan
Latest posts by Natalie Chan (see all)
- Small Business Content Marketing: 2013 Trends & Insights - May 8, 2013
- 5 Steps to Creating High Quality Content - March 11, 2013
- How Content Levels the Playing Field for Small Businesses & Brands - February 19, 2013
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10 Responses to How Content Levels the Playing Field for Small Businesses & Brands
I love what you say, Brandon, and am all for the promotion of high-quality content – but I must put my hands up here and admit that, as a producer of high-quality content both for myself and my clients, I am biased. Nonetheless it encourages me to read articles like yours that promote good content which, in the context of inbound marketing in particular, is what makes the world go around. Thank you for sharing how it triumphs over the old-fashioned model of “get-’em-off” marketing and sales.
Suzan St Maur recently posted..OK. Hands up! Who stole SOCIAL?
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Social media together with qualitative content can play really important role and can help anyone to achieve success
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Brandon,
Great post. Your insight about content leveling the playing field for SMB’s is spot on. I agree that content marketing is just different than any other type of online marketing. Traditional display and search marketing were “product marketing” and the use of content is all about “engagement or audience marketing”. Since anyone can find every detail of any company or product with one or two clicks, product marketing just doesn’t work that well online. Its not what consumers want or need.
There are many new business models and technologies that are just developing that will make engagement marketing even more accessible to SMB’s and larger enterprises alike. The changes afoot in the world of marketing are profound and we at the very beginning of some exciting times for those of us in either the marketing industry or the technology industry that supports it.
Gregg Freishtat
CEO, Scribit
Twitter: gfreishtat
Hello Brandon,
Great article!
I think this sentence sums it all up perfectly: “Content is an experience and should be as engaging, immersive and pleasurable as possible.”
Touché!
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This is quite the post Brandon. Thanks for making the summation for us. I’m definitely interested to see more of your work. Great job on this.
A very impressive post!!! Content is the fundamental thing which keeps the blog going. An engaging and impressive can take a blog to a great height. Thanks for sharing this brilliant post.
SMM and SEO definitely work hand-in-hand to achieve maximum out put of whatever marketing strategy you have in mind.
Kristine recently posted..How to Use the Backstage View in Microsoft Word 2013
It’s odd how people just use the comment section to share their links and have nothing real to say. At the end of the day it’s important that we show hosts that we’re humans and not robots
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You’re definitely right Brandon, owned media IS earned media. I really love your insight on the matter. Bookmarking your sight now.
Great share Natalie. Quality content and knowledge of the best niche can work wonders for SMBs if they wish to make use of online marketing and social media etc.