Think Differently about Content Marketing for your Local Business

Where as big brands can cast a wide net with their content marketing, small and local businesses need to be more creative and think a bit difference to reach maximum exposure for their own area or region.

With that being said, many small business are thinking too narrow with their own unique “content” they have at their exposure.

When we think of “content,” we typically think of articles, webpage text, and imagery. This is one of the greatest reasons for failure within content marketing campaigns. Having a very linear and restricted view of what content is will only restrict and inhibit results.

Content is the staff within your business.

Content is the design of your shop/office.

Content is your products and services.

Content is the menus on your tables.

Content is your company values.

Content is your customers.

Content is EVERYTHING.

Using this understanding of “content”, these are my favorite ideas:

Encourage creativity from you staff and create a working environment that promotes spontaneity—take a look at this article to see what I mean.

Have your staff speak at local events.

“Socialise” your shop front by including your social media accounts within the décor. For example, having your Twitter handle stenciled on the wall.

Offer free WiFi to customers on the condition that they “like” your Facebook page.

Have a live feed of the shop/office running all day on your website.

Run themed nights where you decorate the whole place up in a unique style. Make sure you take loads of photos and share them across your FB/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest.

Offer discounts on your products when a customer shares them via social media.

Create seasonal product range themes that will get mentioned.

Run some promotional coupons and submit them to coupon/discount offers directories.

Run product giveaway competitions that require social engagement to enter. You can also do these to gain feedback on products and then share your results within a short blog.

Spice up your menus and include social media links within each of them.

Sponsor local events.

Create a unique and recognisable slogan for your business.

Run surveys and polls with your customers and publish the results on your website and social media accounts.

Encourage customers to engage with your brand on social media whilst they're with you for an incentive.

Run weekly giveaway competitions on Facebook that involve your customers having to tag a friend in the comments of the post and sharing it to their friends. When they receive their free product/service—get a photo of them and post it across your social media page.