We know how important it is for small businesses to create killer content. For many small business owners, however, the idea of content creation is a daunting one. And why not? Blogging isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have the manpower or in-house talent to help craft your content. When times are tough for small businesses and money is tight, allocating resources to content creation doesn’t necessarily seem like the smartest move, does it?
With this sort of mentality, it’s easy to let content marketing slide on your list of priorities. It may be more appropriate to think of a business’ content as an entity that does most of its work “behind the scenes.” While an article or two every few months won’t rake in the dough for the average small business, a steady stream of blogs and articles will develop a flux of new visitors and increased web traffic; such traffic ultimately leads to, well, leads.
Still, many skeptics continue to see the benefits of content marketing as somewhat of a fairytale. Where’s the proof? What’s the point? Where are the numbers?
The numbers do indeed exist, and here are some points for starters:
- 91% of business-to-business marketers are now using content marketing.
- Businesses that blog actively generate 67% more leads per month versus those that don’t.
- 79% of businesses are using content marketing for brand awareness, 74% for customer acquisition and 71% for lead generation.
What can we take away from such statistics?
- Nearly every business today is taking part in some form of business blogging or content creation.
- The more a business blogs, the more likely they are to create new leads.
- Businesses are creating content for multiple purposes, not just to draw in leads or sell a product.
In short, most businesses are blogging and they’re seeing results. If your business isn’t blogging, chances are that you’re part of the minority. Furthermore, there’s a good chance that your competitors are creating content and therefore leaving your business a step behind.
There’s plenty we can take away from 2012 in terms of content marketing that will put small businesses on the right foot heading into 2013. Whether your business has already developed a content marketing strategy or you’re just getting started, take the following four tips into consideration. The marketing world is one which changes rapidly; staying ahead of the curve will help maximize your returns in terms of content creation.
Diversify Your Content
Gabriel Catalano® 