Engaging content is a cornerstone of success for small businesses, whether the copy is for brochures, websites, blogs or social media. However, it’s not uncommon for small business owners to face challenges such as limited staffing or budget constraints that make it hard to develop compelling content.
AZ Media Maven’s team shares these practical strategies to overcome hurdles, emphasizing the power of user-generated content among other cost-effective solutions. Through expert creativity and by leveraging available tools, there are ways for small business owners to produce impactful content that engages with their target audience and creates business growth.
So, how can a small business create engaging content with limited resources?
Leveraging user-generated content
User-generated content (UGC) refers to any form of content—be it text, videos, images, reviews, or social media posts—that is created by people, rather than brands. For small businesses like your own, UGC presents an invaluable opportunity to engage customers without the hefty price tag typically associated with content production.
One of the primary advantages of UGC is authenticity; content created by real users enhances trust and credibility among potential customers. It also significantly boosts engagement, as people are more likely to interact with posts that feature real-life experiences from fellow consumers.
How can you implement UGC?
Getting started with UGC can be straightforward and rewarding if approached correctly:
- Run Contests and Challenges: Engage your audience by organizing contests or social media challenges. Prompt them to share photos, experiences, or videos using a specific hashtag related to your brand. This not only generates content but also spreads brand awareness.
- Feature Customer Reviews and Testimonials: Make it a regular practice to share customer reviews and testimonials on your platforms. Highlighting these can persuade new customers and give existing ones a platform to share their voices.
- Utilize Hashtags to Gather Content: Create and promote brand-specific hashtags. Encourage your audience to use these when posting about your products or services. This not only helps in collecting user content but also makes it easier to track and analyze the engagement around your brand.
- Showcase Customer-Created Content on Your Platforms: Regularly feature user content on your website, social media, and other marketing channels. Make sure to ask for permission and give proper credit to the creators. This practice enriches your content while honoring and motivating contributors.
By integrating these strategies, your small business can leverage the authentic voices of your customers to enhance brand loyalty, increase content volume, and enrich your overall marketing strategy.
Repurposing existing content
Repurposing existing content is a savvy and cost-effective strategy that allows small businesses to maximize their resources while maintaining a robust online presence.
By transforming a single piece of content into multiple formats, you can extend its lifespan and reach without the need for significant additional investment. This approach saves time and money while also helping to reinforce your message across various platforms.
Different strategies to repurpose content
- Turn Blog Posts into Video Summaries: Videos are highly engaging and can dramatically increase your content’s reach. Take key points from your written blogs and create short video summaries to share on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. Check out our guide on how to create compelling short form video content.
- Create Infographics from Data-Heavy Content: If your blog posts include data or detailed analyses, convert these into infographics. These visual representations make information easier to digest and share, ideal for platforms like Pinterest and LinkedIn.
- Develop Podcast Episodes from Interviews or Discussions: If you have content that involves interviews or expert discussions, why not repurpose these into podcast episodes? Podcasts can capture an audience that prefers audio content and are perfect for consumption on the go.
Making the most of free and low-cost tools
You don’t need to splash out on expensive tools to create compelling, engaging content. Check out some cost-effective tools below that can help to enhance your digital marketing efforts:
- Canva: Ideal for creating professional-looking graphics, social media posts, and marketing materials without needing extensive design skills. Canva offers a user-friendly interface with a vast library of templates, images, and fonts that can improve your visual content. Canva can be used for free, although the paid version (which will set you back $120 per year) includes additional features.
- Buffer: A tool for managing social media posts across multiple platforms. Buffer allows you to schedule posts, analyze performance, and manage all your social media accounts from one dashboard. Its free plan is perfect for small businesses starting out with social media management. Paid versions of Buffer start at $6 per month.
- Google Analytics: Essential for tracking and understanding your website traffic. Google Analytics, a free tool, provides insights into visitor behavior, traffic sources, and content engagement, helping you refine your marketing strategies based on real data. Access through your company’s Google Account. (If you don’t have one, read our blog on using Google Business Profile to get started.)
- Mailchimp: An email marketing tool that allows you to design, send, and track email campaigns with ease. Mailchimp’s free tier offers basic email marketing features, making it suitable for small businesses looking to begin their email outreach. The paid version starts at just over $10 per month.
- Hootsuite: Similar to Buffer, Hootsuite offers comprehensive tools for social media management, including scheduling, monitoring, and reporting. Unfortunately there is no longer a free version, The cheapest plan starts at just over $90 per month, which supports multiple social media platforms, making it a great option for centralized social media operations.
Trello: A free project management tool that helps you organize your content calendar and marketing activities. Trello’s board and card system is intuitive, making it easy to track tasks, deadlines, and team assignments. The cheapest plan starts at $5 per user, per month.
Good luck creating engaging content for your small business!
Creating engaging content doesn’t have to be at the expense of your bank account. By using free and cheap tools, in combination with UGC and effectively repurposing content, you can create engaging, compelling and creative content that your audience can connect with.
Alongside creating engaging content, there are other key factors that contribute to small business success, be sure to check them out here.
If you’re struggling to know where to start with engaging content, don’t hesitate to get in touch with AZ Media Maven.
AZ Media Maven is based in Laveen, AZ, a suburban village in the greater Phoenix area. Owner Rose Tring has more than 30 years of journalism experience as an editor and writer, many of those years in business news. She created AZ Media Maven in 2012 to help other business owners succeed by effectively telling their stories through public relations and social media. Reach AZ Media Maven at azmediamaven@azmediamaven.com or call (602) 373-8371.
