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01.3.03

Content marketing for
small businesses

Get a leg-up over the competition with content marketing

Growth by Design helps small and medium businesses use content in a more structured and strategic way, turning blogs, guides and on-page copy into tools that attract the right visitors and build trust.

 

With a practical, results-led approach to visibility, we create content that improves credibility and forms a stronger foundation for long-term success.

Why you should undertake content marketing as a small business

Increase your conversion rate, build stronger relationships with customers, differentiate yourself from your competitors, build your authority, increase traffic to your website, grow your brand awareness and more…it’s all possible from content marketing!

It’s little wonder then that content marketing is a top priority for most seasoned marketers

Are you looking to generate sales from new contacts or build the lifetime value of existing customers? Then content marketing for your small business is just what you need!

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“By having a team that works with us to understand what we’re trying to achieve, we have a really good strategy and have seen an increase in both web traffic, media responses and people contacting us.”
Sussex Facilities Management logo
Lee Wells
Sussex Facilities Management

Looking for expert results and support with content marketing for your small or medium-sized business?

Content marketing agency services - just for SMEs

These are just some of the content services your small business may need that we can help with:

Blog writing

Based on thorough SEO research and an understanding of the questions your prospects are asking; the production of targeted, relevant and useful content.

Case studies

Are a great way of showing off your expertise, building trust and receiving great reviews.

Articles

Whether these be for local press, trade press or online digital publications, you will need highly engaging and interesting content produced. These not only provide valuable brand awareness but also backlinks to your website.

Vlogs and video

Not all the content you produce has to be the written word; video content (especially short-form videos) is being consumed at an ever-increasing rate.

Sharing the content across the rest of your platforms

You don’t only want this great content on your website and rely on people coming to you, you need to take the content to them! Whether that be distributed through email, social, articles, press or other mechanisms, make sure you get every penny’s worth of value out of your investment in creating content!

Set a business objective not a production goal!

Content marketing for small businesses is a highly cost-effective marketing tactic. Too often SME business owners set the target to be the production of x number of blogs per month, when your goal should be x number of leads or sales from it.

That is why we set real-world business objectives – whether it is to generate new leads, to nurture prospects, build lifetime value of existing customers or something else – and then identify the tactic that will deliver it. Check out our unique SME marketing model, The Common 10, for more on this.

Content marketing for small businesses team member in front of computer creating written content

I can do content marketing myself - can’t I?

Content marketing example of filming a presentation

Let us ask you these questions first of all:

  • Are you a qualified, trained and experienced marketer?
  • Do you have the time and inclination to dedicate to the regular research and production of high-quality content?
  • Do you have the resources to create, distribute and track the performance of your marketing?


If you answer no to any of these questions, then no you shouldn’t be doing your own content marketing! 

Many people believe if they can write well, that will be enough, but the truth is: it is not.

Content marketing for small businesses takes skill, expertise and resources to produce content that will engage and resonate with your target audience, ensure it gets found in the search results, and converts readers into leads and customers.

UK Search Awards finalist 2023
“There have been some fantastic business results…we’ve got a really nice steady rolling rate of inquiry…It’s almost becoming a backbone to what we need each month.”
Adam Bateup SFR
Adam Bateup
Sussex Floor Restoration

Work with a team, not a one-trick pony!

Content marketing overlaps with SEO, copywriting, video production, social media, email marketing skill sets and more. By working with the team at Growth by Design, you have access to all of that, so you get the greatest return for your business from the investment you make in content.

How we use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our content marketing

We are fully transparent about using AI tools in our content creation process, but our content is not written by it.

It is great for keyword research, re-writing specific phrases, idea generation, and more, but the information is not current (so you can’t use it for anything topical), uses lots of stock phrases that it believes sound grand (“delving into the dynamic landscape of…”), lacks your brand’s personality, lacks creativity and isn’t necessarily accurate among other issues.

Producing lots of generic AI content may fulfil the need for lots of regular content. Still, it doesn’t fulfil Google’s and your prospects’ need for authoritative, expert, useful, engaging, or relevant content! You won’t get any meaningful business results from it.

Content marketing for small businesses is not about quantity but regular and consistent quality.

Good for your prospects, clients and Google

One reward for investing in regular, quality, and authoritative content will be higher rankings in the search results. That means you get to speak to prospects before your competitors, have increased brand visibility and gain more traffic to your website – all giving you a better chance of generating that lead or sale!

Your brand will resonate better than your competitors with prospects, that means you are more likely to convert and retain customers.

How we’ll work with you on content marketing for your small business

Audience personas

Establish who your target audiences are and profile them in order to understand how best to engage them, and the key messages/questions they have.

Objective setting

Setting the business objectives and goals, so together we know what success looks like.

Keyword research

Undertake thorough keyword research of what your prospects are searching for, what questions they may have, and what they really want to know.

Content planning

Develop a content plan specific to you, your audience and objectives which will likely be a mixture of planned SEO-led content, as well as reactive topical and news-based content.

Upload and distribution

Whether that be uploading and optimising for SEO on your website or creating email campaigns and social posts to spread the word about your great new and useful content!

Monitor real business results

Monthly performance tracking of how content has performed and the business results it has returned.

Refresh

Using quarterly insights to refresh keyword research and re-develop the content plan for even better results!

Want to know more about how content marketing agency services can transform your business’ performance?

Frequently asked questions...

Content marketing for small businesses involves creating creating and sharing valuable, relevant content designed specifically to engage potential customers. This can include a range of formats, such as blog writing, case studies, and social media posts, all designed to address customer needs, questions, and interests.

Content marketing for small businesses is invaluable! It builds trust, establishes authority, and increases brand visibility. By consistently sharing high-quality content, small businesses can develop stronger customer relationships, attract more website traffic, and ultimately boost conversions.

Content marketing services use their expertise and professional tools to provide small businesses with high-quality content that attracts and retains customers. From SEO keyword research to producing engaging articles, blogs, and social media posts, these services build a cohesive content strategy. This ultimately drives traffic to your website, improves search engine ranking, and helps convert leads into loyal customers. All of this enables a small business to grow!

Partnering with an agency for content marketing services is one of the most effective ways for a small business to develop a successful strategy. It isn’t just about being able to write well - you need to pick the right topics, and use the right language to match your prospects / customers, optimise it so it can be found online and make it sufficiently compelling to drive action.

At Growth by Design, we work closely with small businesses to define clear goals, identify and understand target audiences, and conduct thorough keyword research. This approach allows us to create a mix of content types - such as blog articles, case studies, and videos, that answer customer questions, demonstrate expertise, and promote specific products or services. By consistently publishing content that aligns with your business objectives, we help achieve measurable success and long-term growth.

While it’s possible for small businesses to handle some aspects of content marketing, success requires time, experience, and SEO knowledge. Effective content marketing involves more than just writing; it includes keyword research (using professional tools), content distribution, and performance tracking. Hiring a content marketing agency (hello!) offers access to experts who can create impactful content, which in turn saves time and maximises results.

While AI tools can be helpful for generating ideas, performing keyword research, and drafting initial content, they can’t replace the expertise of a professional content marketing team. Effective content marketing requires an understanding of your brand, audience, and goals, along with strategic insights that AI alone cannot provide. At Growth by Design, we use AI to support tasks like research, but our team ensures that all content is high quality, reflects your brand’s unique voice, and truly engages your audience. Relying solely on AI-generated content can lead to generic or inaccurate results, while an expert-led approach drives real connections and conversions.

The most effective types of digital content for small businesses include blog posts, case studies, social media content, and email marketing campaigns. These formats allow businesses to connect with audiences, showcase expertise, and build brand awareness. Video content, in particular, has become highly effective, as it’s engaging and easily shareable across social media platforms.

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a critical part of content marketing for small businesses. SEO-optimised content helps small businesses rank higher on search engines, increasing visibility and driving organic traffic. By incorporating targeted keywords into content, such as landing pages, blogs, and social media posts, businesses are more likely to reach potential customers who are actively searching for their services.

Social media is an essential part of a small business content marketing strategy. It enables businesses to share content directly with their audience, engage with followers, and drive traffic back to their website. Sharing high-quality content across social media platforms also enhances brand visibility, builds customer loyalty, and creates more opportunities for lead generation.

Content marketing helps small businesses differentiate themselves by showcasing unique expertise, building brand trust, and developing a consistent voice. By publishing content that answers customer questions, addresses pain points, and highlights success stories, small businesses establish themselves as knowledgeable and reliable, making them more attractive to potential customers.

Case studies serve as valuable marketing content, highlighting real-world examples of how a product or service has solved customer problems. They build credibility by showcasing success stories, providing social proof, and can help overcome prospect objections. As a result, case studies are highly effective in converting prospects into loyal clients.

Measuring success in content marketing involves tracking metrics like website traffic, lead generation, social media engagement, and customer retention. Small businesses can also monitor the performance of individual content pieces to see which formats, like blogs, email marketing, or social media posts, resonate most with their audience. This data can be used to refine future content marketing strategies and achieve stronger results.

100% yes! We provide a wide range of services and packages to suit many types of businesses and budgets. We create digital marketing strategies that involve content creation and content marketing for small businesses and we love seeing the measurable results come in as a result of our work! Please visit our services pages to see the full range of marketing support we offer - marketing, websites, video services and also design and print.

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Kindest,

Growth by Design Team