Small businesses often have a limited budget to operate with. But having a budget constraint should not stop you from promoting your business online. There are several ways available to promote your business with less investment. Content is created to achieve a variety of goals.
According to a study conducted, it was observed that 89% of the participants benefited from content marketing.
It is hard to deny that content marketing works, but one should know the correct approach to creating content. Good quality content engages the audience. It decreases the bounce rate.
Moreover, the audience must keep coming back to your page. Higher user engagement has a high chance of conversion for your business. Here in this article, let’s discuss some of the most effective content marketing techniques, which would be beneficial for your business.
Maintain good quality content: Great content always works. If writing is not your strong point, don’t worry as there are several freelance writers available who would draft good quality content for you. Start posting this content in the form of blogs. Use social media to share the content. This will increase the visibility of your business.
Moreover, it also helps in building the brand image of the business. Remember, content is the king. Only quality content can get the audience for you.
Let the content narrate a story
Storytelling is the new preferred form in content marketing. The fact is people like stories as they find them intriguing. Storytelling can be powerful, but it might not be the only thing why people are visiting your brand. But great storytelling is a form of marketing channel. Try to answer the queries of the customers in the stories. This would generate interest in the audience. They would refer to your content every now and then. The information would be provided in a different way that would appeal to your audience.
Create videos
Videos are highly impactful. Through videos, it becomes easier to engage the audience. The audiovisual format of the content provides information and keeps you hooked. Videos that are short and with crisp content tend to find wider audience reach. The videos could be directly posted on YouTube or could be shared on social media pages. Both the mediums would get the audience to increase the visibility of your business. Videos tend to deliver information effectively. If you find the video a challenging option, you can try to opt for slides and share the same on Slideshare.
Contest alerts
Contest is a fun way to engage with your audience. The contest alert could be easily shared on social media pages. This is considered one of the most effective ways to attract an audience. The number of participants is your potential customers. The contest could be targeted at different segments of the audience. You can also educate them about your product and services. You don’t even require expensive prizes to offer. Simple offerings will also get you, participants. These participants would get to learn about your business. They could also post some of their queries. Resolve the questions for them. The more they know about your business, the better it will contribute towards creating awareness about your business.
Go for email marketing
Email marketing allows users to subscribe to the content. It is great to engage users and also build relationships with them. Slowly nurture the subscribers with your email content to convert them to buy your products and services. Remember here; the user can unsubscribe the emails if they don’t find the content relevant.
It has been estimated that around 55% of the emails are opened on mobile phones.
This makes email marketing user friendly.
Moreover, through emails, you can send personalized messages to subscribers. This would make them feel more valued. In email marketing, try to address those subscribers who usually remain inactive. Identify that segment and create content to improve their overall involvement. Another point to consider over here is whether the emails are sent at the right time or not. It is not every time of the day that people open emails. Search for the appropriate time and then send emails accordingly.
Promote your business through LinkedIn
According to a study, it has been observed that around 300 million people use LinkedIn.
That provides a vast range of audience for your content. As the owner of a small business, you can easily create a LinkedIn page for your business. Share posts regularly on LinkedIn.
Get connected with the audience here and try to build a network. Actively interact with them and share your blog posts. LinkedIn could act as a great platform where you can share your content and ideas with the audience. It would also help in building a brand name for your business. Moreover, it also increases the visibility of your business. The achievements and recognition which your business has achieved could be shared with your connections here on LinkedIn
Business cards
For your small business getting some fantastic business cards could be the cherry on the cake. Every person that you interact with could be handed one of those business cards. As more and more people would be aware of your business, the better will be your returns. And it is okay even if they glance through the card. Impressive business cards work well for the business. And the initial investment amount is also relatively less. Hence a small business with a budget restriction can easily go in for distribution of the business cards.
Use hashtags
When promoting your content on Twitter or Instagram, try to use hashtags while posting on it. Try creating your hashtags, as this would be specific to your business. A hashtag is a label used on the posts made on social media that segregate together similar content on a particular topic. Most businesses employ hashtags to attract potential customers and improve their online presence.
So when a user types in a hashtag, content related to it is displayed. Hashtags do not apply to email marketing. The easily targeted audience is the younger demographic, who are quite frequent on the social media pages. There is a hashtag, which is also called the trending hashtag. It is a hashtag that has been used by a large number of people. This happens when there is breaking news or some big celebrity gossip. Indulge in trending hashtags to take your business to a larger set of audience.
Host a class or event
The expertise you have gained in your business should be shared by hosting a class or an event. If you cannot host an event, try associating with an event you can share about your business. This will make people aware of your business. Plus, these audiences, in some way, are your potential customers. The more you engage with them, the better it will be for your business.
These events provide you with the opportunity to grow your business. Inform people about the event using social media networks. Invite people through various different forums. Reach out to as many people as possible. A broad audience will give better conversion. If the classes turn out to be really impressive, the popularity of your business shall grow through word of mouth communication.
Use infographics in your content
Blog posts usually contain a complex mix of information. People typically have to devote more time to read the entire content. Infographics represent the statistics in pictorial form, which is easier to grasp. Moreover, this kind of information remains in the reader’s memory for a more extended period. Different colors are used to depict the information.
Even if you lack designs, there are numerous templates available online that you can use. Try to include keywords and searchable titles so that it shows up whenever a search is done. And while doing all this, remember to put in your business name for reference. Small business requires branding, and infographics come as a handy tool to help the company achieve.
Read More: 5 Ways how Content Marketing and Social Media work together
