We get it. As a Stockport business owner, you’ve got too many other important things taking up your attention than for you to worry about setting time aside to create a content marketing strategy…

Wrong.

As a Stockport business owner, it’s imperative that you find the time to think about and create a content marketing strategy. Why? Owning a business has evolved, no longer can you afford to pass your marketing on to someone internally to deal with, you must have control and a comprehensive understanding of its objectives from the get-go.

Added to the fact the recent global pandemic has forced businesses, some of which are probably your competition, to take digital marketing very seriously has increased the urgency your Stockport business needs adopt digital marketing. Ultimately, your business needs to appear in more spaces and places online! 

Content Marketing for Stockport Business.

A great place to start for you and your business is to focus on content marketing. If you boil marketing down into its component parts, marketing is all about words. You, yes, you can craft messages that will delight and surprise your customers. Ultimately, you want to make your online relationships with your customers personal and engaging, it’s about being trusted and your content can do that.

That said, when it comes to creating your own content there are a lot of factors to consider. This is where you need a content marketing strategy. Planning and running a content marketing strategy really requires a clear understanding of what available resources and assets you already have in place, as well as how existing functions in the business already engage with and build relationships with potential partners and local consumers.

Understand where to go.

Once you know what and which tools are at your disposal as well as understanding your limitations, especially budgetary, it will become easier to move onto the next phase of establishing a coherent content marketing strategy allowing a clearer view of the ‘bigger picture’ to focus efforts on exploiting gaps and opportunities. 

So where do you begin? 

Essentially, there are several key questions to ask.

• What is your business objective?

• How can you align your content marketing to help achieve your overall business objective?

• Who is your target audience?

• What type of content will your target audience want to read?

For example. Once you have answered the above questions, you may discover that the purpose of your content will be to convert customers on your website. It would be prudent to look at Google Reviews, case-studies, product or service demonstrations, and how-to content which will work to educate and interest your audience.

Go Local.

Stockport is a Northwest economic hot-pot and it’s a town with a rich cultural heritage full of emerging new businesses and new ideas. One example is the area around Higher Hill Gate of the town, it’s an area that’s transforming! Whenever I am around that area, I am usually distracted by the gorgeous pizzas made at Dome & Foccaine located in the Produce Hall, opposite the famous Stockport market hall. The Margarita pizzas are to die for, by the way.

Understand your audience.

I would recommend that you focus on the things that really matter to your audience and then focus on how they receive and consume that content. As a business based in Stockport, think about how your content marketing strategy can neatly fit in with your unique demographic.

Looking a little bit closer at this, focus on the type of social media platforms your audience frequent, look out for them and the trends they like to follow. Look at the type of content they consume and the variety of problems they need solving. How can you fit into their thinking? How can you help them, and how can you make each interaction with them really count?

With this sort of targeting, you can develop a deeper understanding of your audience. This will prove key later. It is also vital that you record this information, as you may discover later, at great expense, that your specific target audience may not be so receptive to a certain medium or topic. Don’t repeat the same mistakes. Marketing is all about testing and content marketing is no different.

Testing.

Once that information is acquired and processed, it’s time to find the platforms that will work best for you to outreach your content to your targeted Stockport audience. I recommend that you experiment with different types of content on different platforms. 

Make sure you keep up with trends and consistently monitor your targets behaviour as this does tend to change dramatically, although having said that, bingo players know what they like, and I would argue that they tend to shift less.

To expand further.

Understand your existing business practices in relation to content creation and evaluate their effectiveness. Work out the best performing content, it may take a few months but keep testing, test, test, test!

Once you see a pattern of content that is resonating with your target audience you can then start looking at auditing your strategy, look for gaps, find areas to improve your strategy, there will be lots, but this will be continual ongoing process.

Always ensure that your content is focused on your core audience - this is vital, but often overlooked. Eventually, your content will establish your position – at what point does your expertise and the consumer’s requirements meet? Once you have that information you can move on to asking the next set of questions.

What do your audience buy?

• What do they care about?

• How do they receive their content?

• Understand the demographic.

• Create a workable plan

• Ensure you can receive constant comments and feedback.

• Keep an eye on your results.

• Adapt and change to keep your finger on the pulse.

• Schedule work consistently – think about using an editorial calendar?

Of course, my approach may be different to yours and I’d be more than happy to hear from you if it is? The team and I are more than happy to talk to you further if you need help.

I hope it helps! Go forward with your content and good luck!