Content creation is a critical component of marketing strategies for businesses of all sizes. But, for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), strong content can play a magnified role when it comes to standing out among competitors. 

Creative, audience-specific content helps SMBs establish an online presence, engage with their target audiences, drive business growth, and position employees as thought-leaders in their given industry. Many recognize the benefits of content creation, but for many, the challenge is figuring out where to begin. Here are some tried-and-true tips for creating content that matters for your SMB. 

Understand your target audience

The essence of compelling content lies in understanding your audience. Kickstart this process by familiarizing yourself with the content your target audience is currently engaging with. 

Dive into competitor content, with a focus on social media platforms like LinkedIn, to discern patterns in audience interaction. Identify key audience members, analyze their preferences, and take note of what captivates them—what they like, repost, and comment on. Decode the elements that contribute to the success of such content and weave them into your own storytelling. While your overall content strategy won’t solely rely on these observations, they serve as a valuable starting point to steer the direction of your content creation.

Set clear, realistic goals

Small and medium-sized businesses often fall into the trap of setting overly ambitious content performance goals. While aiming for growth is crucial, it’s essential for SMBs to establish and maintain a sustainable and realistic pace. 

Monitoring metrics like engagement rates, growth over time, and impressions is vital. To ensure attainability, break down objectives into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Consider your target audience, industry benchmarks, and your overall business objectives. Instead of pursuing broad increases in metrics, focus on enhancing engagement with specific customer segments or gaining followers in your target audience space. 

Quality over quantity

When planning out your content strategy, keep in mind that quality trumps quantity. 

Focus on producing valuable, relevant, and high-quality content that addresses your audience’s concerns and keeps them engaged. Share content that addresses how your business can help your audience with your product or service. Be direct, and include CTAs where appropriate. 

Boast your company culture and make it a differentiator among competitors. Now more than ever, prospective clients or consumers choose a provider that not only offers a solution to their need, but one that clearly values their team and fosters a positive workplace environment. Highlight team members, share staff testimonials, post pictures from company events, and show your audience what makes your brand unique. 

Promote thought leadership at both an employee and executive level. Start by identifying key topics within the industry that align with the knowledge and experience of employees. Encourage team members to share insights, case studies, or practical tips, establishing them as authorities in their respective fields.

Additionally, search engines increasingly prioritize high-quality content in their algorithms, enhancing a business’s online visibility and discoverability. This, in turn, contributes to improved search engine rankings, driving organic traffic and widening the reach of your content. 

In a world inundated with information, consumers are discerning about the content they engage with. Quality content serves as a powerful tool for SMBs to cut through the noise, leaving a lasting impact on their audience and paving the way for sustained growth and success. 

By understanding the nuances of your audience, setting realistic goals, and prioritizing quality over quantity, SMBs can navigate the content landscape with purpose and impact. Boasting company culture, promoting thought leadership, and harnessing the SEO benefits of high-quality content further position SMBs for success in an information-saturated world. Embracing these content creation strategies empowers SMBs to not only compete but thrive in their respective industries.