Developing Content for Small Business

Your shiny new website is finally live. You have a spot for your company blog, a Twitter handle and a Facebook page. Great! Now what? Well, there's no time like the present to start developing your company's content. Your content strategy will differ from that of a big company with its own eager marketing and communications team, but that doesn't mean you can't build on the same principles. 

1. Make an editorial calendar. Have about 10 (or 20 or 30) strong, simple ideas for topics you'd like to expand on. They can be about your business, about your industry in general or about hot trends you're keeping an eye on.
2. Don't be afraid to course correct. If you started out with a conversational tone but that's falling flat with your audience, try something more formal - or vice versa. Try a few different tones to see where your audience is and what gets the best response. 
   
3. Consider hiring help. If you're having trouble keeping up but you're not ready to throw in the towel, consider hiring help to generate your content. There is an opportunity cost associated with writing your own content, and it's probably higher than you think. 
4. Stay updated. Once you get started, if you can't keep up just take your ball and go home. DO NOT leave a long-neglected company blog or Twitter account out there for all the world to see. It's too attractive to hackers and it's terrible for your image. 

Building and staying connected with your audience doesn't have to time consuming, and having a plan will help you spend less time staring at a blinking cursor on a blank screen.