Content.

You’ve likely heard this word used quite a bit if you’ve done any digital marketing for your small business in the last 15-20 years.

Creating content for marketing is far from new – and dates back to the pre-internet marketing era, but in recent years with the development of the “content creator” moniker, it’s moved into the spotlight for attracting attention (among other things) online – including for small businesses.

Walking through different areas of differentiation for your small business — starting with your story to your services, products and systems to creating a unique identity, one additional area of differentiation comes from what you put out into the world: your content.

Types Of Content (By Digital Media)

Content can be created – and ultimately digested in many different forms. Here are the most common:

Written (Blog Posts/Articles, etc.)
Photos/Images (Photography, Team Photos, etc.)
Graphics (Designs, Illustrations, etc.)
Videos (Youtube, Reels, etc.)
Audio (Podcasts, Audiobooks, etc.)

Of course, there are other types of media out there, but these are the most likely candidates as you develop a unique digital content plan for your small business.

Types Of Content (By Purpose)

With a handle on the different categories of content, you can move into content categorized by purpose.

Every piece of content you put out into the digital world should come with a purpose and there are many schools of thought when it comes different categories, but here’s a helpful list to get you started:

Entertainment/Inspirational Content (Ideas, team intros, brand/lifestyle videos, etc.)
Educational/Informational Content (Helpful blog posts or short videos, etc.)
Experiential Content (On-site/at work, fleet/vehicle photos/videos, testimonials, before/after photos, etc.)
Engagement/Empower Content (Discounts, specials, referral rewards, etc.)

As mentioned, there are different schools of thoughts when it comes to creating a content plan, but these have been the most common purpose types behind content we’ve managed over the years.

If you look closely, you can see how each piece of content represents different stages your customer might be in on the path to finding – and evaluating – your small business and what it offers.

Content Alignment & Differentiation

I touched on this in a few of my previous posts, but alignment between your story, your services/products and your identity is a great way to keep a cohesive – and memorable – feel for your small business.

This alignment extends into content – what you put out into the world in search, social, email and other distribution channels to communicate who you are, what you do/offer, who you work with, why you do what you do – and where you offer your products/services.

With the overwhelming amount of content that is produced and consumed in the digital world, creating unique content – that aligns with the rest of your differentiation – is vital for successful content marketing.

Story > Services/Products & Process > Identity > Content

While these areas may feel like disconnected, they ultimately – and collectively – all tie together, and can create a unified, differentiated feel for your small business.