The term “content marketing” just sounds expensive, and for many businesses it can be. After all the majority of startup or small businesses are not rolling around in piles and piles of money.
The Cost of Good Content
Up to 65 percent of companies think that content marketing is too costly; however, at the same time it is an essential part of an effective marketing strategy. The majority of small businesses can’t justify the high costs of content with their current financial situation. This is a huge obstacle, leaving a large number of great businesses unable to succeed in a digital space simply because they are not able to afford the content marketing they need.
There is Good News
While this is difficult to take, the fact is that content marketing does not have to be scary or expensive. There are a number of ways you can do content marketing that will cost much less than the conventional methods. Launching a content marketing campaign that will provide you with results, without breaking your business is possible, and explained here.
The first things you need to do is create an area on your website to create a blog and post content at least once a week.
What to Do: The Bare Minimum
The fact is that content marketing does not have to be overly complicated. However, too many companies that are unfamiliar with content marketing will become intimidated by the complexity of this concept and wind up doing nothing at all. In order to create an effective content marketing strategy use the following tips.
Start a Blog
You can find a number of ways to do this for no cost at all and you will not even have to call it a blog. This can be a page on your site where you are posting content. Tips to do this include:
- Post the blog on the same root domain as your primary website.
- Utilize WordPress, which can be used for free.
- Link to your new blog from your main website page.
The cost of creating a blog in this manner, with WordPress, is nothing and takes practically ten seconds. With a custom theme it may take 15 minutes, but this is time well spent.
Post Regularly
Once you have created your blog, you are almost, officially, doing content marketing. This is when you need to begin developing your content. You can begin to refine your message, get link backs and work to make it to that first place ranking.
However, with a limited budget, and the inability to create the content on your own, you may wonder how you can afford the material necessary to fill your blog. While completing the writing yourself will be the most affordable option, with other responsibilities, you may not have time to do this. Some other affordable options to consider include:
- Assign one of your team members or employees to do the writing.
- Hire a freelancer.
- Use a content mill.
These are the most affordable options; however, you can also hire a content marketing firm. While the cost will be more, you will receive better results as well.
Strive to Continue Improving your Blog
As you begin to see interest and success with your content marketing efforts, you should not become complacent. Instead, take steps to continue improving what you offer.
- Increase the quality of content.
- Increase the number of blogs you publish.
- Vary your content.
- Integrate social media marketing and content marketing.
- Leverage this content marketing in order to develop and grow a mailing list.
- Develop a free product.
The fact is that over time content marketing will wind up paying for itself. Even if your budget is limited at first, you can create a snowball effect that will turn it into something that will totally transform your company. With patients, effort and time effective content marketing can turn an unknown brand into a national sensation.
