Whether you’re experienced in marketing or not, there’s no denying the benefits of content marketing for small businesses. Not only can it help position you as an authority figure and a source of valuable information, but it allows you to rank for competitive terms and push visitors through a sales funnel. But what sort of content should you be posting on your website? Below, we’ve rounded up ten things to blog about before the year is out!
1. Your success
Success and growth stories can be inspiring and show that your business is the business to choose. Don’t be afraid of showing off how you’ve grown this year.
2. A review of your product/service
Help your customers make the right decisions by publishing a review of your product or service, and mentioning competitors, too. It’s important to remain impartial in a post like this, otherwise it’ll look overly promotional. Don’t be afraid to highlight the weaknesses of your product or service, and say some positives about your competitors’ products.
3. A round-up
Big event or news story in your industry? Take the iPhone X announcement, for example. As a business owner, you could publish a round-up of big stories, making it easier for people to find out what’s happening, and increasing your chances of a backlink from a journalist.
4. A guide or tutorial
Put your knowledge to the test and write a tutorial or how-to guide relating to your niche or industry. This type of content is instantly shareable and can help you secure backlinks.
5. A case study
Show off your success with a customer case study. Highlight how your product or service has transformed your customer’s life, and give real-world experience and examples.
6. A guest blog
Not every blog post needs to be featured on your own website. Contribute your content to another website and get a backlink and exposure in return. It’s one of the best ways to grow your business in search engine results pages, and it’s usually free if you do it right.
7. An event
Hosting or attending an event that’s relevant to your industry and audience? Blog about it, or better still, host a live blog on the day of the event and embed tweets, videos and presentations into one easy-to-consume blog post. Perfect for networking and positioning your business as an authority figure.
8. Your future
So many businesses are scared to open up about their plans and aspirations, but doing so can help you on your road to success. Blog about your five-year plan, your road map or your dreams, and customers will see you as an ambitious and inspirational business.
9. Resources
Do you have a list of websites and tools you use that customers would find useful? Bundle together a list of your favourite resources into a blog post and offer value that way.
10. Something random
Not every blog post has to be relevant to your business and industry. An occasional blog post on office life, your local area or personal projects can set your business apart and increase engagement levels. Post something random when you’re running low on ideas.
About the Author
Max Greene is the Managing Director of Muffin Marketing, a marketing agency specialising in content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimisation.