5 Online Content Ideas for Small Businesses
Your online activity can have a huge effect on the success of your small business, but it can be difficult to come up with unique content regularly. Consistent posting is key, but how do you create fresh and exciting content to keep your audience interested? If you need some new ideas, here are five options you can use to liven up your company’s web presence.
1. Updated FAQ
The FAQ is one section of a business website that is easy to set and forget, but you should consider regular updates to offer the best value to your audience and save you some headaches. Any time you make changes to your operations, platforms, or any procedures that can impact your customers or clients, you need to edit your FAQ page. This one simple task can help educate your customers and keep angry emails out of your inbox. This is also a page on your website that is likely to receive a lot of traffic, so you should take extra care to make sure it looks professional.
2. Debunked Myths in Your Industry
Every industry has classic tips and tricks that show up in online content time and time again. This might be in articles for new hires or customers outside of the industry just getting started, but there’s a tendency for repetition. You can make some waves and snag some attention by challenging the norm if you’ve found a better way of doing things. Even if your audience doesn’t agree, they may appreciate your unique take on a subject and appreciate your personal experience. This is also a great place to incorporate new business trends.
3. Weekly Highlights
To offer the most valuable content you can without taking up too much space, consider writing up some weekly highlights to draw attention to the main points of all your recent content. This way even the busiest people in your audience can stop by, take a quick glance, and then go seek out the content that appeals most to them. You don’t have to make this about your content, either. You can create weekly highlights about your industry and spark some conversation. Controversial content can definitely spark a conversation, but consider the type of community you want to build and stay on top of moderation to keep everything thoughtful and respectful.
4. Behind the Scenes Posts or Videos
People enjoy seeing how the sausage gets made. If you create products or have a unique job, chances are a lot of people will be interested in seeing the details of your daily life. You can demonstrate techniques, unique procedures, and share industry insights that others may not have been aware of. It can also be interesting to share your face, voice, and what you find most enjoyable during the day to help foster more genuine connections. You don’t need to reveal trade secrets, but a peek behind the curtain helps your audience feel like they have exclusive access.
5. Guest Posts
Guest posts can make great content for multiple reasons. If you don’t have time to create more content, you can offer your platform to someone else to utilize for a bit. This can be one post, or a series that lasts several weeks. They provide content that you don’t have to make yourself while expanding their own reach. This is also a good way to collaborate with others in your field. In the future, you can take advantage of their platform and curated audience. You can also consider partnering up and creating content together. If you have good chemistry, a podcast episode or some brief videos can be a fun change of pace for your audience.
Staying fresh and relevant in online spaces can be difficult, but the engagement is well worth the time and effort. As your industry evolves, the desires and problems of your audience will also evolve, leaving room for you to create valuable content they will visit again and again.
