The world is brimming with content. Sometimes content creation is spurred by spontaneous moments, like the time when your dog stood up on its hind legs and howled along to Cyndi Lauper. Usually, it’s spurred by money. And there’s tons of it to be had. From influencers to podcast hosts, everyone is hoping for a cut. So, why not you?

With content marketing, you have the opportunity to cultivate a community based around your naturally interested supporters. You do this simply by making relevant content. In creating and sharing valuable blogs, newsletters, videos, and podcasts, small businesses can capture attention, build trust, demonstrate expertise, and ultimately, drive sales.

Put most plainly, content marketing is a kind of digital marketing that uses a mix of written, visual, and audio content to engage a target audience. Unlike traditional advertising, which focuses on directly promoting products or services, content marketing offers something of value beyond your normal sales. This value could come in the form of information, entertainment, or insights. This approach helps businesses establish and maintain their brand personality, showcase their perspective, and resonate organically with potential customers.

When executed well, content marketing can serve several business objectives.

The beauty of content marketing lies in its versatility. What kind of content could your business do best? Here’s a look at some of the most effective types of content:

Relevance, Usefulness, and Authenticity

Oh my! For content marketing to work, the content itself must resonate with your audience. This means selecting topics that are not only relevant but also genuinely useful or interesting. Avoid content that feels too outright promotional. Instead, focus on building a relationship with your audience by providing information they can use, insights they could benefit from, or a little chuckle on their lunch break. Be true to your brand and don’t be afraid to have a little fun, if it works for your business.

Stretch Content Across Platforms

Once you put in the time to create your valuable content, make the most out of it. Repurpose it across multiple platforms. For instance, chop up a blog post into quotes for LinkedIn or a turn a short video into a longer blog version. Podcast episodes can inspire infographics or maybe even a whitepaper deep dive. Hello, lead generation! This approach ensures that your content reaches a wider audience while driving home key messages across different channels.

Leveraging Your Team

If you’re struggling with what to post about, your company’s own team can be a great source of inspiration for behind-the-scenes type content. What does X process look like at your company? Who is best at doing X? Talk to your team and learn more about what things your clients have the most questions about or get most excited by. Those topics could be content jackpots and work to market your service offerings.

Content is something we consume like fistfuls of popcorn during a slasher flick. We just can’t get enough. Take advantage of that, meet your audience where they spend time – online. Content marketing can organically build your business’s growth and success. If you need support creating the best content for your business, our team of creatives is waiting in the wings to help your business win.