Everyone needs a content marketing strategy to support their SEO strategy.
We all know this. That’s why just about every business starts a blog, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and any new platform of the month. But starting on different platforms is the easy part.
The first few weeks are a breeze. You have sure-fire, slam-dunk ideas of what to post and share. But then, after a few weeks or months of regularly sharing content, you start to hit a wall. Maybe your engagement numbers are lower than expected, sapping out some of your energy to stay fresh. Or perhaps, like many, you simply run out of new ideas.
Many companies only sell a small number of products or services. They just don’t have the volume of information to share that a large multinational company would have. This is when maintaining your various platforms gets tricky.
But don’t worry! That’s what we’re here to help you with today. We know that many local businesses struggle to develop fresh content ideas. So, we’re sharing 27 ideas that you can use to get your creative juices flowing and keep your accounts active with new content.
Video
Everyone thinks about posting a photo, but many forget that many prefer video content. The good news these days is that your videos don’t have to be slick, Hollywood-level productions. Raw and authentic video content normally gains more traction with your audience. So, just start the camera rolling and get something on video to share with your target audience.
Influencers
Every industry has “influencers” who are your community’s trusted voice. Share your product or service with them or work out a collaboration of some kind.
News updates
If something happens inside your industry, share it with your audience. This helps update them and also establishes you as a trusted authority. Set up Google Alerts for keywords within your field so you’re the first to know about anything going on and share the information with your readers.
Ask for feedback
People love joining in on the conversation and adding their .02 cents. Usually, all you need to do is ask for an opinion on something, and people will be quick to share.
Stitch or Duet on Tik Tok
This just refers to reposting or sharing other’s content on TikTok. There are tons of people out there creating awesome content, and it’s more than OK to share what they’ve made with your followers.
Highlight a favorite charity
If your business supports or is involved with any charitable organizations, don’t be afraid to share that charity. People love knowing that their favorite companies are giving back or doing their part to help. Just be sure to highlight what drew you to the charity and the work they’re doing more than what you’re giving.
Share your other networks
Don’t just assume that your audience knows every place you’re active. Just because someone has liked you on Facebook doesn’t mean they know about your YouTube channel. Keep everyone updated on what you’re posting elsewhere, and maybe even give them an incentive to join you there.
Goals
Surely your business has a goal for the quarter or year. We all work towards reaching goals, and sharing your story can help humanize your brand and make your audience feel like they’re taking part.
Product photos
Everyone knows to highlight their best-selling product or service with photos. But don’t be afraid to share some less-than-perfect photos. People expect marketing photos, but seeing something closer to the real world can help sell something better at times.
Website updates
Don’t neglect to send people back to your website. You can and should use your various platforms to remind people about your website and help drive traffic back to your website. Incentivize their clicks with offers and promotions, and watch your traffic increase.
Giveaways
Everyone loves getting something for nothing. Giveaways are a great way to generate traffic, and they’re also easy content wins that don’t require much thought. You’re also likely to get a lot of shares with giveaways, which can help expand your normal reach.
Infographics
People love visualized data more than reading a spreadsheet. Infographics are also one of the content items that most get shared online. There are excellent websites available that make creating eye-catching infographics a simple drag-and-drop activity.
Facts
People love little factoids. Share little details about yourself, your business, staff members, your local scene, or anything else you think might interest readers.
Polls
Wondering about an upcoming decision you need to make about a product or service? Why not ask your loyal followers? People love sharing their opinions online, and polls are an easy way to create content that boosts engagement.
Competitions
Try hosting a friendly competition and sharing it on your social media accounts. Many enjoy trying to win against others, and some friendly competition adds a bit of excitement compared to a standard giveaway.
Challenge
We’ve all seen different challenges go viral online. You can tie your company in with a trending challenge (don’t try to join every challenge out there, it helps to find something relevant to your industry or a cause you believe in) or create your own.
How to guides
Don’t assume people know how to properly use a product or service. A lot of internet traffic is people searching for how to do something. So, create content that taps into this need.
Special offers
A big reason people subscribe to email marketing lists, social media accounts, or website updates is a desire to receive special offers. Try to space them out and be unpredictable. If you become too regular, people will learn to wait for an offer before making a purchase.
Interviews
Interviews are an excellent way to generate tons of content. You can interview others inside or parallel to your industry or get interviewed yourself. You can post the interviews in full or chop up the sounds bites into more digestible posts you share over time.
Peeks behind the curtain
A behind-the-scenes look at your processes helps humanize your brand. Once people connect with the people behind the product, they become more loyal and show a greater connection to your brand.
Events
Highlight if you’re attending or hosting an event in your industry. It helps show that you are active and involved in your community. You also open up the opportunity for in-person meetups and networking opportunities.
Q&A
Ask your followers or audience to share any questions they have for you and then answer them publicly. This helps drive engagement as your customers see you actively engaging with them. Hosting Q&A sessions also give you insights into content areas your audience is interested in.
Articles
If your business is featured or highlighted in an article, share it with your audience. If you haven’t yet been featured, write your own helpful article.
Testimonials
You want to let your future customers know if you’re solving customer problems and exceeding expectations. Ask regular customers for their testimonials and share them with your various accounts. People trust customer feedback more than what you say, so use testimonials regularly in your content strategy.
Ask open-ended questions
This differs from a Q&A, where you give your audience answers. When you ask open-ended questions, you’re asking questions of your audience. What are their opinions or something? Show them you value their thoughts as much as your own.
Quotes
Search Google for quotes relevant to your industry or brand’s identity. You can get more personal by sharing quotes that helped drive and inspire you. Or you can reach out to employees for quotes to make it truly personal.
Calls to action
This can be standalone, but it should also go with every suggestion above. Don’t forget to ask your customers to do something. Click here, sign up today, register now, etc.
Stay active online
We hope these tips will help spark your creativity and keep you active online. It’s hard sometimes to find the motivation to maintain your various accounts. But consistency is crucial with any content strategy.
It’s rare to see a sudden surge overnight because of one post (but that can happen). What’s more likely is that your content marketing strategy builds slowly over time, like a snowball rolling down a hill in a classic cartoon.
If you cycle through these tips, you almost have enough content to cover an entire month’s worth of posts.
Did we miss something you love posting? Do you have any tips for us? Reach out to us and let us know what’s working for you!
Or, if you struggle with the pressure of maintaining your SEO strategy or anything else, please let us know. We love helping small businesses succeed.
