We cannot count how many of our trade business owners think that a blog is not necessary for their business. From contractors to builders to plumbers, we hear time and time again that blogs will not benefit their marketing efforts. We are here to tell you that there is a place for a blog in your marketing plan and ANY business can benefit from adding a blog to your website. 

 What is Content Marketing? 

 First, what is content marketing? Content marketing is the use of well-written, engaging, informative content to raise awareness of your products or services. When done correctly it is not a non-stop sales pitch for your business but rather a way to educate your clients about the benefits of your services. 

 There are some key ways that content marketing helps trade businesses

 Educate

 People want to feel like they are making smart and well-researched decisions. Content marketing has the opportunity to educate them on the service they are looking for and why your business is the best hire.  If a potential customer if searching for your category of service, and they are comparing a basic site to a site with a ton of great information to aid them in making a decision who do you think they will trust more? 

 Showcase Expertise and Establish Authority

 If you are in a highly saturated or competitive industry it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle and can be a struggle to stand out from your competitors. Content marketing is an amazing platform to boost you above the crowd as an industry expert. When you offer content that educates, interests and above all helps your customers they will look to you as the authority in your field. 

 Build Awareness

 Quality content wins the day when it comes to web searches and google rankings. A basic website will no longer deliver high numbers of visitors from google search. The more content you have on your site the higher you rank in the search engines and more awareness is built around your business. Although content marketing is not going to deliver instantaneous leads, it is a long-term strategy that grows with consistency. The more your content is shared, the better you rank and the more brand awareness if built. 

 You may be reading this right now and thinking this all sounds great, but what would I write about? A good way to brainstorm topics is to think about questions you receive from clients over and over. Take a question and turn it into a topic or series of topics. Let’s take a roofing company as an example. Some topics that might resonate with people looking for their services might be: 

• 10 Signs Your Roof Needs Replacement
• Comparison of Roofing Materials
• Best Roofing Materials for ______________ (your geographic location)
• How a New Roof Reduces Your Energy Bill
• Preparing Your Roof for _____________ (season, type of storm)

 Even if you think you have nothing interesting to write about, we assure you that is not true. When someone is in the market for your services they are automatically interested and the more content you have out there that educates, showcases your expertise and makes you an authority in your field the better the chance that they will want to hire your company for the project.