Small business is an oxymoron. Business is business and a small business requires juggling just as many balls but with fewer resources to do it. That means balls can get dropped. You know the first one to go? Content. Content is an elusive task for many who simply don’t understand what exactly it is, how to create it, and what it should include. So it goes by the wayside as other important facets of a business take precedence.

Here’s a tip, though: content is not only important but also vital to SEO. And, while it does take time and resources, it’s not hard to learn and once you do you’ll reap the rewards of more traffic, better placement on Google and brand recognition and loyalty.

What Is Content Strategy?

Content Strategy Defined

Simply defined, content strategy is the development, planning, creating, and sharing of media content by a brand for its customers and potential customers. This includes:

• Blog posts
• Infographics
• Video and audio
• Social media

Brands who have a content strategy see significant benefits.

Why Content Strategy Matters

Content Marketing influencer Doug Kessler said it best: “Traditional Marketing talks at people, Content Marketing talks with them.” In today’s world of Twitter and Instagram, a brand that communicates is vital. Consumers lean toward brands that are relevant, interactive, and present.

In fact, 90% of marketing department leaders believe that quality content strengthens the bond with customers and 61% of consumers are likely to choose buying from a site that offers custom content.

Add to this that Google is constantly crawling and assessing sites to find out where pages should rank and you’ve got a formula for a high rank: keyword rich, well written, SEO-centric content that is updated regularly makes and keeps Google happy, giving your site a better spot in the rankings.

The Benefits of a Solid Content Strategy

The benefits of a solid content strategy are many but here are the six biggest. Content strategy:

• Is efficient and reduces costs. You don’t have to pay an outside firm to create content if you have one person who can learn how to do it. And it is learnable. Of course, you can also check out people who will do it for you, like us!
• Boosts SEO. All content can seriously boost SEO by adhering to writing, coding, and formatting it in a way that makes Google happy.
• Increases exposure. 50% of social media posts are shared content which means if you have good content, others will share it. And that will increase your reach. And, since many people share with like-minded friends, family, and colleagues, your brand is likely to be seen by others who will be equally interested.
• Grows your audience. When brands start posting great content to their blogs and social media people put it in their internet rotation.
• Gives your brand a deeper identity. A good content strategy will start to take on a rhythm. People will not only come back but will know when to expect a funny video or a motivational post or listicle of great resources.
• Allows you to stay relevant. When you have a content strategy in place you can easily add and move content. This allows you to stay relevant and pivot to trending topics.

So, you know now what a content strategy is and how it can benefit your biz. But how do you do it? Tune in next week when we share the steps in a kickass content marketing strategy and three tips for implementing a content strategy that works.