Running a small business can be challenging, but creating engaging content shouldn’t be.
Do you want to attract new customers and keep your existing ones engaged? We’ve got you covered.
Check out these 20+ inspiring content ideas for businesses like yours.
From DIY projects and tutorials to gift guides and company culture declarations, these examples will make you stand out, connect you with your audience, and drive growth like never before.
Let’s get those creative juices flowing:
How-to guides and tutorials
1. Step-by-step guides
As a small business owner, creating step-by-step instructions is an excellent method to let your customers get the most out of your products or services.
These guides help people understand and use your products or services, which can lead to higher satisfaction and loyalty.
Plus, they can lower the number of questions and issues your support team has to handle.
Take LiveSession, for example. They have a helpful guide on how to use their A/B testing feature. This tutorial walks users through the entire process, from setting up the test to analyzing the results. By breaking it down into simple, easy-to-follow steps, LiveSession makes it clear to anyone how to use this tool.
2. Industry-specific tips
Do you have niche experts in your small business? Take advantage of it.
Publishing industry-specific tips is how companies like yours can connect with their audience and showcase their expertise. These tips give your customers useful advice that they can use in their day-to-day lives highlighting the value of your brand.
It's a smart technique to build trust and keep your audience coming back for more.
Innoaesthetics has an awesome article on summer skin care tips from dermatologists. This piece is packed with practical advice on how to keep your skin healthy and glowing during the hot months. Thanks to expert tips, Innoaesthetics not only shares helpful information but also positions itself as knowledgeable and trustworthy in the skincare industry.
Customer stories and testimonials
3. Case studies
Case studies are a great way to showcase how much customers love your product. Whether you’re a young business or a veteran in your field, you can’t forget to include them in your content marketing strategy.
Case studies are great for showing potential customers how your product or service can solve real problems. When you share detailed success stories, you demonstrate your expertise and the tangible benefits of what you offer.
This kind of content builds trust and helps people see the value in choosing your business over your competitors.
At Capsule CRM, we have an excellent collection of customer stories. These case studies highlight how different businesses have successfully used Capsule CRM to improve their customer relationship management. Each story talks about the specific challenges faced by the customer, how our solution helped them, and the positive outcomes achieved. You can check out the stories here.
4. Interviews
Next up, we've got interviews.
Conversations with satisfied customers aid small businesses in highlighting the real-life benefits of their products or services.
By sharing experiences, you deliver authentic testimonials that can resonate with potential customers. These stories offer a personal touch to your growing brand.
We feature interviews with customers and affiliates like Julia Blake. In this interview, Julia talks about her experience using Capsule CRM and how it has positively impacted her small business. She shares insights into the challenges she faced and how we helped her overcome them. You can read the full interview here.
Behind-the-scenes insights
5. Company culture
Celebrating your company culture is a great way to connect with larger audiences.
That's because people follow what they resonate with.
Showcasing your team, office environment, and company values makes your brand more relatable and recognizable.
Prowly's culture book gives a peek into their company’s practices. Being open about their culture helps build a strong connection with their audience, showing that they're not just a business but a group of real people with a shared mission. A culture book can help foster loyalty and attract customers who share your values.
6. Production process
When someone likes a specific brand or product, they usually love to know the magic behind it.
Lifting the veil of secrecy about your production process is another remarkable content marketing idea you shouldn't miss out on.
It gives people an inside look at how your products are made or how your services are delivered. As a result, your brand becomes more authentic and relatable.
The Italian Shoe Factory has an interesting blog post on how their shoes are made. This post takes you through each step of the process, from design to the final product. Sharing your production process helps customers appreciate the effort and quality behind your product.
Industry news and trends
7. Latest developments
Is your company up to date with the latest news in the industry? Don't gatekeep this information, share it.
Keeping your customers in the loop is how small businesses can show their expertise and stay relevant in the buzzing environment of bigger brands.
Giving a peek into recent changes or innovations helps your audience stay updated and demonstrates that your business is always on the cutting edge, no matter its size.
InData Labs has an insightful blog post about the latest developments in AI. This article covers new advancements and trends in the field, showing how these changes might impact businesses and consumers.
8. Future predictions
You might think that only large corporations have enough data to make any kind of industry predictions.
Well, this isn’t true. With enough data, even small businesses can spot trends and $make assumptions for the future. So don't be afraid to use them as another content marketing form.
Discussing potential trends will make your small business stand out. Sharing your insights on where the industry is headed is proof of your expertise and prepares your audience for what's next.
You can get inspired by Influencer Marketing Hub's article on email marketing predictions which walks the readers through the upcoming trends and innovations that could shape the industry.
Product updates and announcements
9. New product launches
A product launch is an opportunity to celebrate and share exciting news..
Introducing new products or services with extensive descriptions and benefits will generate excitement and interest among your customers.
Highlighting what’s new and how it can benefit them will drive engagement and sales.
Take Nike’s release of the Air Max DN. They have a detailed overview of the product, its features, and its benefits. All so it's easy for customers to understand why they should be excited.
10. Feature updates
Product content doesn't end with a product launch.
If you want to keep your customers informed, find new ways to shout about them by showing your commitment to continuous improvement.
Frequent updates help build customer confidence and engage users with your offerings.
Microsoft, for example, regularly updates its products and clearly communicates these changes. Their page on Windows 10 feature updates has detailed information on what’s new and improved.
Expert opinions and guest posts
11. Guest bloggers
Inviting industry experts to write posts on your blog can bring fresh perspectives and interesting insights to your audience.
It also establishes your business as a credible source of information, regardless of its size.
BluCactus, for instance, invites guest bloggers to share their expertise on various marketing topics. This not only makes their content richer but also broadens their reach.
12. Interviews with experts
Sharing insights from interviews with industry leaders adds depth to your blog posts and even social media accounts.
These interviews often shed light on useful knowledge and encourage engagement from your audience.
SkinScience MD interviewed board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michael Kassardjian about skincare. One of the potential outcomes of such a publication could be that the reader finds themselves trusting the clinic more and booking a service with them. Now that could be considered beneficial, don't you agree?
Lists and roundups
13. Top tools and resources
Compiling lists of useful tools, resources, or books relevant to your industry is valuable for you and your audience.
These knowledge bases help your customers find the best tools to support their needs and align with your brand offerings.
Capsule CRM’s blog post on the top ten inbound marketing tools is a great example of how this can be done. Check out the list here.
14. Best practices
As a successful business owner, we're sure you've got plenty of best practices to share.
These pieces of advice guide your audience and improve their understanding of your industry. It's a helpful resource that can boost engagement on your blog or social media platforms.
We share CRM best practices in one of our blog posts. Read more about them here.
Seasonal content
15. Holiday guides
Offering tips and advice related to upcoming holidays or seasonal events is how you attract attention and deliver timely value to your audience.
This type of content promotes engagement and shows that your business cares about its customers’ needs.
Check out Unrubble’s blog post on managing employee time during the festive season.
16. Seasonal trends
Is your business seasonal? Or maybe its course completely changes during certain parts of the year?
Discussing trends and ideas relevant to different periods throughout the year can keep your content fresh and engaging.
Aligning these insights with your brand values can further strengthen your connection with your audience.
Paula’s Choice offers tips on taking care of your skin during winter, which is a perfect demonstration of seasonal content. It gives insightful information and guidance while also highlighting their relevant products.
Personal stories and anecdotes
17. Founder’s story
Sharing the story behind the founding of your business can connect you with your audience on adeeper level.
It gives people a glimpse into your journey, passion, and the dedication that drives your company.
This narrative can be inspiring and make your brand more relatable. When customers understand the struggles and triumphs you’ve faced, they feel a stronger connection to your mission and values.
For example, TOMS shares a story about its beginnings and mission to give shoes to children in need. This story not only highlights their unique business model but also their commitment to social impact, which resonates with their audience.
18. Team member stories
Letting your customers read about individual team members and their journeys will add a human touch to your brand.
These stories give a behind-the-scenes look at the people who help your business succeed.
It shows that your company values its employees and recognizes their contributions. What's more, you can also drive a sense of community and loyalty among your audience.
EveryoneSocial’s blog, for instance, shares employee stories that showcase their experiences and roles within the company. These narratives help humanize the brand and make it more relatable to potential customers and employees.
Educational content
19. Webinars and workshops
Webinars and workshops are yet another content example you should utilize.
They make complex information accessible and actionable, so your customers can learn new strategies and take advantage of your products or services.
Sharing this content in blog posts or on social media will increase engagement and demonstrate your expertise.
NP Digital regularly hosts webinars offering practical advice and strategies that their audience can implement. This approach not only extends the reach of their educational content but also reinforces their position as industry leaders.
20. Research and reports
Posting your findings from industry research or reports will position your business as a thought leader. When you deliver insights and data, your audience makes smarter decisions.
At the same time, you demonstrate your expertise and commitment to staying current in your field.
Bouncer’s email list hygiene report is a prime example of in-depth research. This piece shares actionable insights to help businesses improve email marketing efforts. Detailed and useful content like this can make you look more credible in the industry.
Community involvement
21. Charity work
Writing about your business's involvement in local charities or community events is a great way to show off your brand values and get closer to your audience.
It highlights your commitment to giving back and making a positive impact.
Kola Goodies have shared their involvement in Sri Lanka crisis relief, highlighting their commitment to helping those in need. This story not only shows their dedication to social responsibility but also invites their audience to support their mission.
Comparative posts
22. Product comparisons
Comparing your products with those of competitors draws attention to the unique advantages you offer.
Sharing product comparisons as part of your social media marketing strategy can generate engagement and provide insights to your audience.
This kind of content also makes for great social media posts that can be shared across your social media accounts, e.g., your Facebook page.
CNET’s comparison of the Galaxy S24 Ultra cameras and the iPhone 15 Pro Max compares each camera's strengths and weaknesses. As such, it’s easier for consumers to decide which one best suits their needs.
Resource guides
23. Ultimate guides
If you want to establish your brand as an authority and provide value to your audience, start creating detailed guides on specific topics related to your industry.
They cover everything someone needs to know about a particular topic.
Posting ultimate guides as part of your content plan can drive traffic to your website and position your brand as a knowledgeable leader in your field. These guides can also be shared as social media posts.
For instance, Barebones Living’s guide on foraging for mushrooms is a thorough resource that helps enthusiasts understand the ins and outs of this process.
24. Checklists and templates
Providing your audience with downloadable resources like checklists or templates is another excellent content idea.
These resources make tasks easier and help your customers stay organized, so they appreciate your brand even more.
Sharing such resources on your blog (or social media account) will boost engagement and present practical value. These types of downloads can also drive traffic to your website and increase brand loyalty.
Hoppe’s offers a cleaning essentials checklist that helps customers make sure they have all the necessary tools for their cleaning routines.
User-generated content
25. Customer stories
Customer-created content can help build your community and showcase real-life use cases of your products.
Customer stories add authenticity to your brand, so potential customers can see how others have benefited from your products.
Slack’s customer stories highlight various ways different organizations use their platform to improve communication and productivity. Keep in mind that you can easily repurpose such content, for example in the form of social media posts making it a win-win.
Myths and misconceptions
26. Debunking myths
Addressing and dispelling common myths about your industry or products is a great way to educate your audience.
This type of content clarifies misconceptions and positions your brand as a reliable source of information.
Naturally Supporting Cancer Treatment has a blog post that debunks 10 myths about the keto diet. This small company with only one product in their shop, a book, does a great job at sharing accurate information with their future and current customers.
Wrap up
Now you're ready to create content like never before.
We hope you enjoyed browsing through this extensive list of awesome content marketing examples.
Every idea we've shared can be easily implemented into your strategy.
So don't wait - start creating today and put yourself in front of your customers' eyes.
