Content Marketing: How to Do More With Less

Ugh!

You’re tasked with producing top-notch content as part of your brand’s content marketing. Maybe it’s blog posts or videos or social media posts, or a mix of content types. Whatever kind of content you’re dealing with, the job of generating content can feel daunting.

It doesn’t have to be daunting, though.

In fact, content marketing is possible for anyone to do, and do well. (I’m looking at you!) Yes, there are challenges in terms of monetary resources and human resources, or the lack thereof. But a lack of resources (real or perceived) shouldn’t hold you back.

I’ve done this sort of marketing with no budget. I’ve done it with a healthy but not over-the-top budget. I’ve also done it with no human resources (except myself and an assist from a colleague) and with plentiful in-house and outsourced human resources.

Tips for Content Marketing Success

Based on my experience, it’s possible to do content marketing — and succeed at it — regardless of monetary or human resources. By the same token, having lots of money and people at your disposal doesn’t guarantee great content will be created.

Here are four tips, no matter the depth of your pool of resources, for kicking butt in content marketing.

1.Adopt a scrappy mindset. You can create high-quality, impactful content without a big budget. Money should not be a driving factor.

2. Overcome your fears. If you don’t possess the skills that you need to execute your content marketing strategy, learn them. Keep in mind that you don’t need to be an expert at a skill. You simply must do it well.

3. Get comfortable with failure. Not every piece of content you produce will be a winner. Learn from the experience and move on quickly.

4. Repeat what works. You’ll likely stumble upon a formula that consistently delivers. Stick to that formula; don’t deviate from it.

How to Effectively Generate Content

A 2022 content marketing report from the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs notes that for “content marketing to be truly effective, it needs a strategy with resources behind it. Too many content marketers are operating either alone or with a small staff trying to do too much.”

I’m not in 100% agreement with that statement. Yes, truly effective content marketing relies on resources. But it’s not true that a solo content marketer or a small staff can’t create “truly effective” content.

Is it ideal that the success of a content marketing strategy rests on one person or a small team? No. However, one person or a small team can execute a strategy that yields positive results.

A Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs survey indicates that only 29% of organizations consider themselves extremely or very successful with content marketing. But does that directly correlate to the availability of resources?

Close to half (46%) of content marketers told the Content Marketing Institute/Marketing Profs pollsters that one person or one group of people in their organization is solely responsible for all of the organization’s content. Yet is this the main driver of the 29% figure regarding success? I doubt it.

I can testify to the fact that a small content marketing program can be mighty — and mighty fruitful. And I’m confident that you’re capable of being mighty successful too.

Stripping It Down

For me, the bottom line is that organizations large and small and content marketing teams large and small are capable of producing high-quality content. But if you’re weighed down by the notion that organizations with scant resources can’t come up with great content, then you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Do you want to produce awesome content yet don’t possess limitless sources? Buy my book, The Stripped-Down Guide to Content Marketing, to help guide you toward that goal.