Once upon a time (actually, not that long ago) content marketing was a niche business. The internet was still in its infancy and Mark Zuckerberg was still toying with “the Facebook” at Harvard. As search engine technology evolved and social media blossomed, some had visions of what it could be, but the prevailing thought was “throw up something optimized and let Google do its thing.” Few invested any significant time or resources.
How times have changed.
“Content marketing has moved from marketing tactic to business model”-Carla Johnson
Even just six years ago, content marketing was an “edge,” a little-used tactic used by start-ups to overcome the traditional media dominance held by established organizations. Eventually, even the established brands saw the obvious and began shifting their considerable resources into developing digital marketing content. Now, everybody’s in the game. No longer is it enough just to be present in the digital space. Businesses of all sizes have to be ready to compete!
As this decade dawned, having any digital content gave organizations a boost in their marketing efforts. Those who were blogging, those who were using the new social media platforms to market their product or service were well ahead of the game. With little competition in this new space, quality was an afterthought. “The more the better” was the mindset to get those Google algorithms working in a positive direction. But competition and changes to the algorithms has pushed the demand for quality and diversity of content.
“There is so much noise these days. You have to make sure that your content is relevant to your prospects, engaging, and informative. Five-hundred word blog posts don’t cut it these days. You need long-form, definitive pieces to grow your brand’s reputation as a thought leader in the space.” Travis Wright
What does this all mean for the small business owner?
For small business owners, content marketing is the key to competing with the bigger brands. Even though some of the ground rules have changed in the last decade, digital content marketing still remains the most efficient, cost-effective means for small businesses to promote their brands. If you’re new to the digital marketing game, here are four tips that can help you get off on the right foot.
1. You’re late. That’s okay, but you’ve got to get in the game to survive.
This article isn’t a plea for you to consider content marketing. That would be like asking an NFL team to consider acquiring a good quarterback. It’s not an option. The digital space is where the eyes are and where they’ll remain for the foreseeable future. The numbers who are going to view your “traditional” ad buys in print or TV/Radio are diminishing daily. The good news is that even though you’re late to the party, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to get your efforts up to speed.
2. You probably need some help.
If you haven’t figured out yet that digital marketing has moved from “future” to “now” then you probably don’t have a great deal of awareness of how the space works. You’ll need some help. Just because you have a personal Facebook account doesn’t mean you’re ready to navigate the waters of digital content marketing. As Neil Patel points out, “The reality of content creation is that it’s like fixing a car. The simpler stuff, you can probably do on your own. But once you start dealing with more complex issues, you’re better off leaving it to professionals.”
3. Learn what content marketing is and isn’t.
Neil’s article on the myths of content marketing is a good place to start. Right off the bat, know these things so you can manage your expectations and investment:
- It’s not instant. Content marketing is all about momentum, and it takes some time to build speed.
- It’s less expensive, but it’s not free. Good writers, developers and strategists, like any talent, don’t work for free.
- It’s not “falling out of bed” easy. It’s constant, quality production. It’s attention to details and feedback. It’s intentional. It takes more than signing up for a free WordPress blog and a Twitter account.
4. You need a plan.
Content marketing is now a highly competitive field filled with talented creatives and strategic thinkers. You’re not going to bootstrap your way into this space. Yes, content marketers put in their own version of “sweat equity,” but effort alone won’t do it. You need some talent.
That’s where Knuckleball Digital comes in. Like you, we’re a small business. Unlike you, we’ve been at the digital marketing game since its inception. We’ve seen all these changes, and as members of teams that helped guide major brands toward global audiences, we know what works and what doesn’t.
We formed KD specifically to help small business owners and nonprofits. We saw the need and how “boutique” digital marketing agencies weren’t filling it. While they were giving free lattes and scones to compete for major brand clients, the smaller brands and not-for-profits were left to fend for themselves.
KD understands these may be smaller organizations, but collectively, their the backbone of our country, and we want to help them succeed. We won’t offer you a scone or free latte, but we will offer you world-class digital marketing services at a fraction of the cost the boutique agencies charge.
Contact Knuckleball Digital today. We’ll happily provide a free assessment of your current brand status in the digital space and put together a customized plan to help you not only get in the game, but start winning at it.
Remember, it’s not a choice any more. Start using content marketing to promote your brand or start looking on monster.com for a full time job.