Startups are always a great place for an entrepreneur. There is always buzz, high flying emotion, and excitement. For many startups they have an end goal in mind and the beginning phases, sometimes a few boxes don’t get checked off. That is OK, because there are many resources and experts available at a startups expense.
If you read blogs like TechCrunch and ReadWriteWeb you can quickly get a feel for how the startup arena is. Particularly in the online space. If you are an online Internet company, you need to do everything that you can to outshine the rest, and climb upwards.
What about a content marketing strategy for startups? What good would it do? A lot, here is why.
Content generated consistently garners results
I recently listened to a great podcast on Bernie Borges podcast Inbound Marketing Strategies, which featured Content Marketing Institute (formerly Junta42) Joe Pulizzi. Joe defines content marketing as the creation of content on a consistent basis to attract and retain customers. So true! Great definition.
For a startup, limited resources on hand are often common. Juggling many plates at once is expected and is part of the fun.
Finding time to consistently generate content is sometimes put on the back burner in any business, but in a startup a golden opportunity can be missed if this happens.
Consistent content generates a regular flow of momentum behind it.
Blogging, tweeting, sharing, guest posting, all the different possibilities and flavors of content creation are all flowing around, so take the opportunity to do it and move forward.
Creating buzz for a new business
A business that I’ve worked with as a consultant to with content marketing strategy is doing many things right.
WhoCanHelp.com, a startup based in Missoula, MT and with offices in Gig Harbor, WA, has created an online marketplace where those seeking services can find specialists in specific fields, and have been gaining momentum in their niche since inception.
They were recently featured as a Startup of the Week over at TechFlash.
One of their key advantages relating to content marketing strategy is that their website platform allows them to produce massive amounts of content in the form of categories, structures and individual pages. Some of it is generated dynamically, most is manual through the creation of a post by someone who is a user looking for a specific service, such as a plumber or roofer or other service.
When we originally worked together we focused heavily on landing pages to work in conjunction with paid advertising campaigns to help convert visitors into website users. Now they have a steady stream of organic web traffic through search engine marketing and content marketing combined efforts.
WhoCanHelp.com has taken off and is branching into many areas and garnering partnerships with Chamber of Commerce’s in areas such as Washington, Oregon, and Montana.
They have an avid blogger blogging and producing content and information for a listening audience and continue tweeting and building a Facebook community.
Build, and build it
If you build it, they will come. Yes, it’s true. Many say if you build it, they will come, but you must continue building it, creating, expanding, and doing what you can to create a community around your startup.
Your culture needs to shine through with a human element and show your business is in it for the long haul and the investors, partners, and your startup all benefit by building not only a strong brand, but a platform for lead generation over the long term. Your website footprint as it expands through blogging, website pages, and other ways to produce avenues of entry will help build that buzz and user base to make a successful startup such as WhoCanHelp.com!