Create A Simple Content Strategy

If you are a follower of any online trends in digital marketing, social media, search engine optimization or branding, you have undoubtedly heard that content creation is exceptionally important. From a website to blogs & social networking sites, high-quality content is increasingly making the biggest impact for online success. Knowing it's important isn't enough though...making it happen is the key.

So how can entrepreneurs and even small to medium-size businesses forge a path to successful content creation? It's about planning and keeping it simple!

1. Review website content
   Your website should be the most important access point for content in your online presence. It doesn't do much good to spend time blogging, Tweeting, Pinning or making videos for YouTube if your website is not optimized for quality content. So clean up your site first, then consider what off-site channels you will use.
   


2. Devote time to it
   That's the hard one, I know. For small businesses there is never enough time in any given day. However, the importance of good content can't be overlooked any longer. So consider a way to carve out some time to devote to brainstorming ideas, creating outlines for articles, taking photos of your business or products, etc. Keep all these ideas and resources in one place, then set aside some specific time to flush out the ideas to create content. The exact amount of time and how you pull it all together is going to vary, but the important point here is that you are intentional about devoting some amount of time to content creation.
   


3. Play on your strengths
   Be sure to use the channels that are providing you with the most interaction with current and potential customers...but also that you are the most comfortable with. Blog if you feel confident writing articles. Create white papers for industry specific topics if you have the knowledge. Publish press releases about your company if you have the know-how. Learn to leverage social media platforms if you use them already. Getting started with content creation can be daunting if you try to learn and utilize every possible channel on top of learning to generate effective information. Stick with what you know and expand your options as you grow.
   


4. Make a schedule
   Hold yourself accountable to publishing content by creating a reasonable plan. Consider how many sensible ideas and content posts you can create in a week/month/quarter. Then create a schedule and consistently stick to it. This is important to keep your content strategy moving but it also creates a constant flow of high-quality information associated with your business. 

Make an impact by becoming a publisher that is known for insightful, genuine and helpful content by planning and keeping it simple.

Barcodes For Small Business Marketing

With the explosive growth in the use of smartphones & other mobile devices, there comes new opportunities for small business marketing. None is more intriguing right now than the use of barcodes.

Known as mobile tags / barcodes, action codes, 2-dimensional barcodces or QR (quick response) codes, these little pictures are starting to show up in all kinds of places...from billboards to business cards and everything in between. They have been used extensively in Japan for several years & have been very successful. So what are they and how can small business benefit?

To start, these barcodes are generated using special programming. Contained within the picture that you see is information that instructs a computer application what to do & where to go. So a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device scans them (using the camera of the device, an application & a mobile Internet connection) and information is automatically pulled up on the device. These barcodes can be created to lead devices to text, photos, videos, websites and more.

A good example of this is being used in the real estate market. A house that is for sale has a special sign out front with a mobile barcode on it. An interested home buyer drives by, stops and scans the sign with a smartphone. Instantly, information is available on the buyers cell phone about the house - maybe the listing on the real estate's web site, maybe a video of the house interior, maybe details about the asking price - the potential is virtually unlimited.

So small business has new opportunities to reach customers with mobile messages. A good example is a QR code that leads mobile devices to a coupon or special deal. This QR code can be included on printed brochures, business cards, print advertising and even a storefront window. Not only is the business marketing to customers with traditional methods, they are engaging the growing mobile market. It is easy to see that the possibilities are endless!

The excitement of new possibilities should be tempered with cautious optimism. Technology is moving at a rapid pace and each new advance requires some adjustment time. While more consumers are becoming familiar with the QR codes, not all mobile users associate them with action. So while it is a good idea to consider how they might be of benefit to your business, don't pin all your marketing plans & hopes to this single aspect of technology.

Watch for more posts in the future about suggestions to implement QR codes and creative ideas for small business to use the barcodes alongside current marketing strategies.