If you run a small business, you probably know that social media and blogs are fundamentals of successful marketing. You probably know that consistency is key, meaning you should try to post weekly. What you might not know, however, is what to post about. Many businesses find themselves unsure how to fill a content calendar for social media marketing and blogging. Creating weekly content can be especially challenging if no one on your team has writing experience.
That’s why many companies turn to digital marketing companies to outsource their social media and blog content–and that’s a great way to do it! At GreenHaven Interactive, one of our primary services is creating effective, unique content that boosts SEO. But many businesses prefer to do it themselves. Here, we’ll discuss the importance of social media marketing and blogs and give some content ideas you can use for inspiration.
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The Importance of Social Media Marketing and Blogging
First, it’s worth emphasizing that though social media and blogging may be time-consuming, they’re worthwhile. This content serves several important roles in your marketing strategy.
SEO benefits: Blogs are particularly useful for SEO. You can optimize blogs with strategic metadata, keywords, and link building. All these things can help you rank higher in Google results and reach more customers.
Online reputation management: Social media is a component of your online reputation. An active, optimal social media presence builds credibility with your audience.
Connection and promotion: This written content on social media and your blog is a way to connect with customers. You can build your brand identity and share your values. You can promote your products and services. Blogs and social media posts help customers get a feel for who you are as as company and what you do.
Which is More Important? Do You Need Both?
If you had to pick between only having a blog, or only doing social media marketing, we’d tell you to go with the social media in most cases. But the best option is always to do both. You might prioritize one more than the other, but they both have their own key advantages–blogs are better for SEO, while social media is better for online reputation management.
Content Ideas for Social Media Marketing and Blogging
So, you need to dedicate time and resources to social media and blogging, but what should you actually post about? There is no easy answer here since content is very dependent on what type of business you are. Your blogs and social media posts should be relevant to your business. Still, whether you are an auto shop, a law firm, or a small handmade goods crafter, there are a few general content ideas you can start with.
Social Media Content Ideas
The two main goals of social media marketing are to build your brand and promote your products or services. Therefore, the majority of your social media posts should help accomplish one of those things.
Build your brand: Customers like brands that are genuine. They like knowing your values, community involvement, eco-friendly efforts, and more.
- Team photos and bios
- Pictures of your office events or volunteering work
- Share reviews
- Share mission statements, company values, or your efforts in social equality, environmental impact, etc.
- Holiday posts
Promote your products and services: This one is pretty self-explanatory. When you’re running a sale or special event, social media is a great place to promote it. You can also cycle through your products or services to highlight. Try to focus on products that are currently popular or in-season, or you can use social media to boost your less-known options.
Bonus: Share your blogs! If you have a blog, sharing blog posts is a great way to help fill your social media content calendar. Sharing informative, relevant blogs can be helpful to customers, supportive of your brand, and promotional for your products or services.
Blog Content Ideas
Since blog posts require much longer content than social media, they can be more challenging. Stick to one basic principle: provide helpful information. If you’re an auto shop, write posts that car owners will find useful, like how to change a tire or how often to change the oil.
This is usually easier for businesses that provide services, but it’s possible for products, too. Let’s say you sell artisan goods. You might blog about the benefits of handmade products, such as their better quality and more sustainable manufacturing. For many artisan goods, you might be able to focus on the environmental or health benefits of using your products versus mainstream. Get creative with your blog posts. You might write gift-giving guides, share decorating ideas, or discuss style trends, depending on what you sell.
Blog posts can also include some brand-building. Occasionally, you might write a post about an event you’re holding, share anecdotes and tips from your team, or write more in-depth about your business’s values and achievements.
Keyword research: One of the best ways to find topics for your blog posts is to do keyword research. Find keywords related to your services, especially long-tail keywords, and create content about those.
Quality Content Writing & Social Media Marketing at GreenHaven
While doing your own social media marketing and blogging is a great way to keep the content as unique and personalized as possible, it’s a lot of work. Many businesses do not have the time or technical expertise to do it effectively.
If you need help with some or all of your content marketing, GreenHaven Interactive has you covered. Our team offers search-engine-optimized blog writing, social media marketing, online reputation management, and more, all customized to your needs. Reach out today to discuss our marketing solutions and how we can help your company shine!
