10 Easy, Free, and Effective Small Business Content Marketing Strategies You Can Implement Today

Content marketing is a great way to gain brand awareness and increase leads. And because there are so many ways to do it for nearly free if not completely free, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be adding content marketing to your strategy. But what exactly is content marketing?

What is content marketing?

In the simplest sense, content marketing uses content to spread brand awareness. There are different kinds of content you can use to do this. You can create blogs and articles, videos, podcasts, and even books as part of your content marketing strategy.

But the sole purpose of it shouldn’t necessarily be to sell immediately, but rather to get your name out there, get people to feel like they know you, gain their trust, and maybe even get them interested in you.

Why do I need content marketing?

Again, the main purpose of content marketing is the gain brand awareness, and content marketing does that in several ways.

For starters, having content on more than one platform means you can be found through more than one platform as well. So for example, if you’re an accounting business, people might find you by word of mouth or doing a Google search. But if you have a YouTube channel or a podcast that offers videos on accounting tips, that’s two more places where people are likely to stumble upon your business.

Content marketing is also excellent for SEO, which helps you rank higher in search engines. This is because the more content and links that are associated with your business, the better and more legit Google thinks you are. And, the more regularly you update content such as blogs and articles on your website, the more likely Google is to pick it up for its search rankings.

How do I get started with content marketing?

Determining whether you should start a blog, Youtube channel, podcast, or any other form of content marketing is an easy question to answer, the answer to which is usually a resounding yes. But the hard part is figuring out what kind of content to create within these.

What do you write about in your blog? What kind of videos should you make? What should you talk about on your podcast?

These are the golden questions that we happen to have the answers to! We have 10 easy, free, and effective content marketing strategies here for you. And most of them can be put into whatever form you choose, from blogs and books to videos and podcasts.

10 easy free and effective content marketing strategies

1.  Answer your most common questions

You know the questions people are most likely to ask about your business or the type of business you’re in. For every person who is bold enough to ask their question directly, you can bet there are several others who had the same questions but didn’t want to speak out.

So, provide all the answers up front and make them easy to find!

2. Teach a new skill

This is a great content marketing strategy because it not only helps people by teaching them something new, but it also showcases your business’s knowledgeability.

Some would argue that teaching people how to do what you do convinces them that they don’t need you. But the genius of it is that most who try it on their own are going to realize how difficult it is. And when they do, they’ll know who to turn to clean up their mess – you.

3. Share your favorite tools

If you have software programs, organizational tools, or even physical tools that you use in your business, share them! This tactic works similarly to teaching new skills. It gives people guidance while also granting you the opportunity to show your face and showcase your business’s talent and professionalism.

4. Turn business presentations/meeting notes into content meant for everyone

You already work hard behind the scenes of your business, preparing presentations and taking notes. So why not take what you got out of it and make it into content meant for everyone?

Share what goes on behind closed doors so your clientele can feel like they know you and can trust you. People love knowing the inside scoop – it’s why we love gossip so much!

5. Turn white papers into intriguing blogs

White papers are chock full of helpful and interesting information. If you already have them on hand, all you need to do is reformat them a little, maybe add in some keywords, and you’ll have yourself an impressive blog.

6. Share testimonials

If you recently received a great review, share it! Testimonials aren’t just feedback for you – they let others know how good your products and services are. So others should know about it!

Better yet, you can even write a personal response to the customer who left the testimonial, then make it public. This not only showcases how much others love you but also reveals your personable and caring side.

7. Share great sources for more information (books, sites, people)

Sharing trusted resources that you’ve come across over the years is another fantastic way to share your expertise. By doing this, you make the search easier for others while also affirming that you know what you’re talking about when it comes to your field of business.

8. Relate to your audience through pop culture

Most of these content marketing strategies focus on professionalism and expertise. But there are also other important aspects to marketing – personality and relatability.

One effective way to add personality and relatability to your business’s reputation is to bring pop culture into the picture. You can do this by making little movie or book references here and there, or even sharing your excitement when new tv show episodes come out.

The key here though is to know your audience. For example, if your main demographic is women in their 30s, they’re probably not going to care much about an action-packed gangster movie (unless of course, your clientele is specifically women who are into gangster movies).

9. Point to relevant influencers

When you think of influencers, you probably imagine Insta-famous fashionistas. But there are other kinds of influencers too. For example, YouTubers and podcasters. The bottom line is if someone with a big following is using or mentioning your business, products, or services, share it.

Let your clients and customers know they can follow these influencers to learn more and gain other great insights into what they’re looking for. Sharing this information not only shows how relevant you are for making it onto an influencer’s content but also makes it clear that you’re here to be friendly and share, not compete with others.

Don’t get influencers mixed up with competitors though. Pointing people in the direction of a good influencer is different than handing them off to your competitor.

10. Steal from your competitors

Speaking of competitors, if you find that one of your competitors has a content marketing strategy that’s working for them, it might work for you too. My mom always said, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. So, go with what you know works!

Obviously, you won’t want to do exactly as they do. Remember you’re stealing content ideas not actual content. So if they have great success with listicle articles, consider doing some listicle articles yourself, but write them so they are completely unique.

I hope this article has provided you with enough ideas to feel confident in getting started with your own content marketing strategy. Your business has so much to share, so it’s time you started!