According to HubSpot, companies that blog have 55% more website visitors than those that don't. Yet consistently creating valuable content is a constant challenge for small service area businesses. This post will help you overcome limited time and resources to establish a content strategy that drives real results.
5+ Pro Tips to Help Small Businesses Generate Valuable Content
1. Know Your Audience
- Define your target audience specifically. Use data to understand their needs and pain points.
- Keep up with industry trends and news relevant to your audience.
Fictional Examples:
Business Name: Paul's Plumbing
Suggestion: They could survey clients and discover homeowners care most about fast response times and transparent pricing. This guides them to create content about their arrival guarantees and upfront quotes.
2. Create Compelling Content
- Craft catchy yet descriptive headlines that spotlight the value. For example, "5 Carpet Cleaning Tips for Pet Owners."
- Use visuals like infographics, stats, and images to make your content more engaging and shareable.
Fictional Examples:
Business Name: AC Mechanic
Suggestion: This vehicle Air Conditioning mechanic could use attention-grabbing headlines like "Keep Your Cool This Summer" and "5 Auto Tips to Save You Green" and then provide seasonal AC maintenance tips in the content.
Business Name: Roof Rx
Suggestion: They could use headlines like "Is Your Roof Ready for Hail Season?" and "Do You Really Need a Roof Replacement?" to grab attention.
Business Name: Sparkle Cleaning Service's
Suggestion: Their blog posts could feature before-and-after photos of cleaned carpets, windows, etc., to showcase their services visually.
Business Name: Ledger Accounting
Suggestion: They could create an infographic with "10 Tax Tips for Small Business Owners" for their annual tax services content.
3. Promote and Repurpose Content
- Turn one piece of content into multiple formats - blog posts, social posts, videos, etc.
- Partner with local influencers and businesses to expand your reach.
Fictional Examples:
Business Name: Lawn There, Done That
Suggestion: This landscape services company could turn a "Spring Lawn Care Guide" long-form blog post into shorter social media posts focused on each season prep task.
Business Name: Deck Decor
Suggestion: They could turn a YouTube video tour of a built deck into shorter clips for Instagram and TikTok.
Business Name: Help at Home
Suggestion: As an assisted living service, they may turn a blog post like "10 Safety Tips for Seniors" into a visual social media graphic or slideshow.
Business Name: Poolside Services
Suggestion: They could repurpose a pool maintenance checklist blog post into multiple social media posts focusing on each checklist item.
4. Track Performance
- Use Google Analytics to monitor metrics like page views and engagement. See what content resonates.
- Leverage insights to improve future content.
Fictional Examples:
Business Name: Detailing Pros
Suggestion: They could use Google Analytics to see if their most popular content is related to car interior cleaning tips. This informs their content calendar.
Business Name: Digital Docs
Suggestion: As a marketing agency, they may look at email open and click-through rates to identify underperforming email campaigns and subject lines.
Business Name: Plumb Level
Suggestion: As a finish carpentry contractor, they can track website traffic sources to understand if new content drives growth in organic searches.
5. Avoid Common Pitfalls
- Maintain a consistent publishing schedule to keep audiences engaged.
- Don't ignore feedback - use it to improve.
- Analyze performance to create better content.
Fictional Examples:
Business Name: Maid My Day
Suggestion: This house cleaning service area business should maintain its blog publishing schedule so readers know when to expect new posts. Missing weeks will disengage their audience.
Business Name: Shine Window Cleaning
Suggestion: They should have a consistent monthly newsletter rather than sending it sporadically. This prevents disengaged subscribers.
Business Name: Legal Eagles
Suggestion: They are a law firm with some negative reviews. They shouldn't ignore them; instead, they should respond professionally and learn from client feedback.
Business Name: Payroll Plan
Suggestion: They are a CPA firm that needs to monitor the performance of their tax tips blog posts so they know what content resonates each tax season.
6. Consistency is Key
Posting valuable content regularly shows your commitment to audiences. With these practical tips, you can start publishing content that boosts your reach, improves engagement, and drives more clients.
Fictional Examples:
Business Name: Fence Co
Suggestion: This fence installation consistently provides value to homeowners through weekly posts like "How Much Does a New Fence Cost?" which helps them to build brand trust over time.
Conclusion
Content creation is no small feat, especially when managing limited time and resources. But with these practical tips, it becomes a much more achievable task for small service area businesses. You can create a consistent content strategy by understanding your audience, crafting compelling content, promoting it wider, and tracking performance. With limited bandwidth, this focused approach makes effective content creation manageable. Remember to engage with your audience, leverage insights, and avoid common pitfalls. Consistency and quality will set your content apart.
If you need help with your content creation, reach out to me. I am here to help you and your small business grow!
