If you’re a small business owner like me, you’ve probably heard about digital marketing. If you’ve looked into it, there are a lot of layers hidden within the term ‘digital marketing’. One of them is content marketing.
Maybe you’ve even been told you should be doing content marketing. Then you’re left wondering, what is content marketing? Why does it matter and, more importantly, why should you, a busy entrepreneur with limited time and resources, care?
I am, of course, in the business of content marketing and business is good—for me, and for you. Here’s why.
Content Marketing, Simply Put
Basically, content marketing is a way of creating and sharing useful material that is relevant and important to your brand. It’s a message that you’re making clear through carefully crafted content like website copy, blog posts, social media posts, and even downloadable guides.
Content marketing, unlike paid ads, is not telling your customer to “Buy now.” Its purpose is to attract your target audience naturally. It’s more like saying, “Here’s something that might help you.” Think of it as a friendly suggestion or a referral from a friend. It’s about building trust and loyalty in the hopes that you’re audience will want to stick around and get to know you a little bit better.
At the end of the day, people buy from brands they know and believe in. In my experience, content marketing is still all about humans connecting with other humans. That’s why all of Pueo Creative Studio’s content is still human-written.
This content might take the form of:
- Blog articles
- Email newsletters
- Social media posts
- Lead magnets (like free guides or checklists)
- Website copy
- SEO-optimized content
Each of these forms of content have one goal in mind: to create connection and to let your audience know why what you have to offer matters to them. Done well, content marketing is all about letting people know what you care about and how you can help them. You want your content to linger in your audience’s mind, like a favorite memory, and to establish a relationship with them.
Why It Matters for Small Businesses
At this point, you might be wondering if content marketing even works if you’re not a big brand with a huge label. I’m here to tell you it does. In fact, I believe it’s even more important for small businesses and brands.
When a customer or client stumbles across your services or products, they may have few or even no preconceived notions about who you are. You’re a blank sheet of paper to them. You get to tell them who you are and why they should care, and a content marketer can help you do it well with words.
Maybe one of the most important things to note is that content marketing can be one of the most cost-effective and impactful tools for small businesses when it’s done with purpose. Small budget? Content marketing can and should be your best friend.
1. It Builds Trust Over Time
As a small business, your brand stands out because you have the chance to be real, authentic, and grounded. You’re relatable because, like your audience, you’re an actual person with values, personality, and expertise. You’re not a big corporation whose voice gets lost in the constant battle to use the most effective (and sometimes robotic) marketing language. You get to be yourself. And that creates trust in your brand.
2. It Helps You Get Found (Without Paying for Ads)
Optimizing your content is a great and, again, cost-effective way to get your brand noticed by people who are looking for what you already offer. This is called Search Engine Optimization (or SEO) and it generates website traffic, social media impressions and engagement, and brand awareness just by using language people are using to search for what you have.
Blog posts and optimized web pages can work for you all day, every day. Done correctly, they can bring in traffic long after they go live. Think about the last time you searched for something on Google. How did you word your search? The websites that contained the most relevant information to your search popped up for you. That’s the magic of optimizing your content.
3. It Establishes You as an Expert
You might be a florist, a life coach, an author, or a baker. In every case, content gives you the opportunity to let your audience know that you understand what you’re offering. If you can prove you’re an expert in your field through carefully written material reflective of your unique, heart-led branding, you can build trust and credibility. You position yourself as someone they want to work with.
4. It Strengthens Customer Relationships
Blog posts, newsletters, and social media are a great way to keep in touch with your audience. It should feel like you’re in constant conversation with your target audience, working to get to know them as they get to know you.
Think about a friend that calls or texts you just to see how you’re doing. You’re probably closer to them than that other friend who only sends a Christmas card once a year. Consistency and engagement is key when creating customer loyalty.
5. It Supports Your Bigger Business Goals
What are your goals as a small business owner, first-time author, or organization? Do you want more leads? More engagement? A more cohesive brand image? Content marketing is like a staircase building up to them–each step just as important as the last, because each gets you closer to your goal. You want long-term growth for your brand, and guess what? So do we!
Start With a Human Touch
Warm, genuine, and original content is where it’s at. You want to provide content that makes your audience feel like they’re sitting down with a friend. Your idea for your business was created by you—someone with emotions, heart, and a purpose. Your content should be written in a way that puts that on display. Machine-written words are glaringly obvious these days. Words written with a human touch are what will make you stand out!
If you’ve been wondering how to connect with your audience in a more meaningful way, I’d love to help you create content that is inviting, authentic, and true to your brand’s values.
Content marketing isn’t just another task to be checked off your to-do list. It’s the foundation of a brand that is built to last.
Ready to create content that matters?
Let’s build something that gets your message out there—click to connect!
Pueo Creative Studio 
Leave a comment