Updated January 2024

“Content marketing is a commitment, not a campaign.” – Joe Pulizzi, founder of Content Marketing Institute

I can’t think of a better way to describe content marketing that Joe Pulizzi did in the quote above. As marketers, we’re used to coming up with headlines, ad copy, and short-term campaigns to attract new audiences, bring in warm leads, and boost those sales conversions to meet goals.

However, content marketing runs deeper. It’s the effort to educate and inspire an audience to trust you first and focus on the sale later. In fact, when done well, the sales tend to come organically from the content without a lot of sales lingo needed at all.

The Content Marketing Institute reported in their B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks report that on average, companies spent 26% of their total marketing budgets on content marketing in 2020. (Source: Content Marketing Institute, B2B Content Marketing 2020: Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends.)

If I had to guess, those figures now are bound to be much higher. I know for One Nine Design, I spend about 70% of my resources (time and money) on content marketing and 0% on paid social media or Google Ads. That doesn’t mean those ratios are the only correct way to do it, but for me, I’ve learned my audience prefers to learn a little first, get to know me via my email newsletter, and then is more likely to seek out my services for accessible website design, nonprofit templates, or one of my other services.

The importance of content marketing

Industry giants were once small businesses with big dreams. What did they do differently? Today, everyone is selling something, so it couldn’t have been solely because of their innovative idea. Instead, they understood the importance of storytelling. They understood that customers want to connect on a deeper level. 

That’s what content marketing is all about. With today’s technology, anyone can create a modern solution, video, or website. However, not everyone can tell a great story that connects with people. 

Here are a few ways in which content marketing can help your business:

• Build trust with customers. Content marketing brings you one step closer to increasing brand awareness. A visitor can see your website for the first time and not buy anything. The second time, they’ll see your ad and they’ll maybe skip it. However, the third time, they’ll start recognizing your brand, which will eventually lead them to trust you. 

• Increase brand visibility.  The more consistent you are with content publishing, the higher the chances of being seen and remembered by your audience. In fact, 86% of customers would love to see more video content from their favorite brands. 

• Generate more leads and boost your conversion rates. Content marketing attracts potential customers. They might first sign up for your email newsletter or download resources. However, the possibility of them turning into loyal customers in the long run is much higher.

• Stay relevant. Even the best of the best can fall behind if they don’t keep up. Success is hard to achieve but even harder to maintain. Be consistent with your content. Keep up with customers’ trends and whether your audience’s interests have changed. That’s the only way to make sure you stay at the top of your ideal buyers’ mind.

It’s definitely not about what you’re selling, it’s about the stories you tell. Nike’s Just Do It campaign is the perfect example of successful content marketing. It wasn’t about the shoes. It was about inspiring people. Even now, this message is the link connects Nike with its customers. 

Tips for successful content marketing 

Whether you’re a startup or a small business, content marketing should be a part of your overall marketing strategy.

Understand your audience

You must understand your target audience. In fact, they yearn to be understood. There’s not a person out there that doesn’t appreciate personalized content. When you take the step toward understanding their needs and preferences, you’ll create content that speaks to them. Ask yourself the following:

• What are the primary demographics of the audience you’re targeting?

• What are their interests, fears, and delights outside work?

• What motivates them to make a purchase and what other products are they already buying?

• How do they usually communicate - through social media, email, or phone calls?

Continuous research on your target audience is essential because there's always more to discover about those you aim to engage with. As you continue to learn about your audience and how best to reach them, you’ll develop clearer insights about them, and new ways to connect with them. And, as you move forward on this continuum, your content will also bend toward a more personalized and relevant approach.

Partner with a B2B agency

Not everyone loves to create content, and that’s totally fine. If your strengths lie elsewhere, you can always leave your content marketing to professionals. That way, you can focus on what you do best without leaving your content marketing to chance. 

You can seek advice on SaaS SEO from someone like the Skale B2B marketing agency team, or request their services to help you increase rankings and traffic. Whatever you need - SaaS SEO consultancy, content strategy, or SEO optimization, using a single agency is a wise investment of both time and financial resources.

Create high-quality content

High-quality content goes beyond just providing valuable information. It must be good enough to stop a person from scrolling and engaging enough to make them want to read it. It must spark their curiosity, teach them something new, or present familiar ideas in a new way.

The content consumption of readers has changed over the years and no two readers are alike, with many preferring long-form content and some opting for shorter, more technical articles. However, content marketing doesn’t only mean publishing in written formats. You can create videos and tell your story firsthand, via a YouTube channel, social media platform, or embedding your videos inside a blog post.

Regardless of the format you choose - remember to be consistent with your content. Increasing your brand’s visibility in today’s competitive market is challenging and one good piece of content won’t do the job. It’s the ongoing consistency that helps you stand out and builds trust with your customers over time. 

Boost conversions with CRO (conversion rate optimization)

What happens when your target audience lands on your website and interacts with your content? This is the moment that decides if your content marketing efforts will pay off. Conversion rate optimization will make sure that readers move from reading your content to taking an action - hopefully, an e-commerce transaction.

As a small business, you’ve surely wondered what keeps your customers from going further with the purchase. Is it the checkout page? Or do they immediately stop at the landing page? Whatever the pain point is, CRO will help you discover it and eventually fix it. Bringing in a conversion rate optimization consultant can provide valuable insights and tailored strategies to address specific barriers, enhancing the overall user experience and maximizing the potential for successful conversions on your website.

This is done, in part, by analyzing user behavior, engagement patterns, and A/B testing. All with one goal in mind - turn the leads into loyal customers. 

The role of email marketing in content marketing

When you combine these content marketing and email marketing together - it’s a content miracle. Email continues to thrive as the main channel for communication in small businesses. It’s perfect for communicating with your customers directly when they are already in the mindset to receive information (aka not on social media for their entertainment time).

Have you ever received a customized message from your dentist or pet’s daycare? It might sound cliche at first but trust me, it works. Major companies are great at this! I love when I get those birthday emails from our local pet store, reminding me that they too love to celebrate my dog’s latest trip around the sun!

Sending personalized emails won’t cost you anything other than time, but can make someone’s day, and at the same time, build trust with your customers. As a reminder, here are some of the benefits of email marketing:

• Personalized content. This is way easier to do when you engage in email marketing. You’re not tailoring the content based on age groups or the interests of many but you customize it for each person individually. However, you can also create campaigns that target different customer segments. 

• Boosting sales. Sending personalized emails has a direct impact on your sales. This can be overwhelming for enterprises, but is manageable for small businesses. Believe it or not, email marketing is one of the biggest sources of ROI. 

• Budget-friendly campaigns. Who needs traditional campaigns when you can achieve the same and even better results without spending a fortune? Your content will reach the right person at the right time without spending money on print ads. 

• Measuring performance. You can also take advantage of email marketing platforms to help you measure the overall success of your email marketing campaign. They’ll see how it performs in real-time while measuring the open rates, click-through rates, conversion rates, and so on. 

While email marketing is effective, no need to bombard your customers’ inboxes to prove your point. Decide on an email schedule that works for you and make it possible for you to stay consistent. For One Nine Design, I send two emails per month - one mid-month with a practical tip and some encouragement and one at the beginning of the month with a new template for the Nonprofit Template Library. This is a manageable schedule for me and not overwhelming for my email friends. I also work in personalized content throughout the month for smaller segments when it’s appropriate.

Harnessing the potential of content marketing

If you’re not sure where to start with content marketing, I recommend taking an inventory of the marketing you’re already doing and ensuring you have the data to support it. For example, if you’re running ads on social media platforms, are they converting at standards typical of your industry? If you’re shelling out big bucks for Google Ads, how are those working for you? Are you bring new traffic to your website or just paying for clicks from someone who would have clicked on your website anyway?

Once you understand where your marketing budget is going, evaluate whether or not it’s feasible to bring content marketing into the mix. Can you dedicate a few hours per week to research and writing for a blog? Can you prioritize email marketing for your business and find a way to learn more about your audience’s core needs and wants?

Any new method of marketing starts with research and planning so begin there and see where it takes you!

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