By Guest Contributor Dave Bascom, VP of Marketing, Lucidpress
One of the interesting outcomes of the pandemic was a sudden boom in new startups. The U.S. Census reports that 2020 was the best year on record for new business creation since it started tracking it in 2004. And it wasn’t just a blip – there were half a million new business applications in May of 2021 as well.
Whether you are brand new or years into your small business, one important factor to your success will be your content.
A new study by my company Lucidpress shows that the demand for content is higher than ever. However, many companies — especially newer businesses who are juggling a number of responsibilities — are struggling to meet this demand and ensure their content is personalized and on-brand. Our research shows that if they can figure out how to produce more personalized content, it could boost revenue by nearly 50%.
Here are three ways for your business to capitalize on this demand for personalized content:
- Make it relevant: With limited budgets and advertising resources, it is crucial for small businesses to create relevant content, but only 29% of brands say their content is “absolutely” relevant to their audience. To increase that confidence, businesses must focus on making content timely, personalized and directed toward the right audience. This could mean tapping into market research tools or doing some grassroots research and focus groups. The point is, the more you know your audience, their needs and opinions, the better you can tailor your content and messages. Gaining this knowledge is the most important part of your content strategy.
- Make it trustworthy: Consumers are naturally skeptical of advertising. One study found that a whopping 96% of consumers don’t trust ads. Sounds pretty defeating for a small business diving into content marketing and Facebook ads, but thankfully, you’re not entirely hopeless. There is a way to create trustworthy content.
Start by creating content that builds on the trust your business has already built. You can do this by making ads, emails, and social media content that always stays true to your company’s mission and goals. Think about the brand legends out there: Nike, The Red Cross, and The U.S. Postal Service (which was ranked the most trusted brand in America) are all brands that have been consistent in their messaging, their offering and their brand for years and years.
- Keep it consistent: Speaking of consistency, the majority of businesses (68%) say consistency has contributed between 10-20% of their revenue growth. Inconsistent content is, at best, confusing for customers, and, at worst, costs companies credibility and revenue. Using tools that enable consistency across the board — like templates — is one simple way to make sure your business is recognized and making money from the brand you’ve already built.
Going back to Nike as an example, nearly everyone can recognize its symbol or say its slogan without much effort. That’s the power of brand consistency. As a small business, it’s imperative that you start right off the bat to enforce a protocol of brand consistency so that as your company grows, new employees, offices, and departments will easily uphold your content and brand expectations.
Meeting this increasing demand for content doesn’t mean companies should crank out production and lose out on quality and purpose. The companies that will capitalize on this rise in demand will be those who maintain a “content culture” based on personalization, trust, and consistency. As they do, they can expect to see more than a 50% boost in revenue, along with improved content effectiveness, engagement, and brand recognition.
About the Author: Dave Bascom is VP of Marketing at Lucidpress where he and his team thrive on helping businesses manage their brands more efficiently. Outside the office, you’ll find Dave hiking high in the mountains or at the pickleball courts.
Source: Laurie McCabe’s Blog