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Running a small business in 2024 is no easy task. Small business owners and marketing teams must build a brand from the ground up, facing stiff competition with larger, more established competitors. And you’re not the only small business in the game — more than four million new brands emerge each year.
So, small and mid-sized business (SMB) owners might be wondering: How do you cut through the noise and make an impact in the crowded world of small business marketing?
A professional copywriter’s job is to inform, educate, and sell products and services. But a genuinely effective copywriter can bring a small business’s message to life. Their work drives engagement, but most importantly, it produces real results.
Let’s explore the importance of copywriting for small businesses.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Copywriting for SMB Businesses
Facing high production costs, rising inflation, and the ongoing rise of business monopolies, it’s never been harder to manage an SMB business. A 2022 survey found that 88% of small business owners say small companies struggle more than bigger businesses in their communities. Consumers also expect more than ever from the brands they buy from, making it harder for small businesses to generate customer loyalty.
All of this may paint a bleak picture for the future of business growth in the U.S., but there are still powerful ways for small businesses to navigate the challenges ahead. In this highly competitive business landscape, the importance of effective sales copywriting can’t be overstated.
From local businesses looking to make their mark to mid-sized businesses struggling to grow, enlisting the expertise of a professional copywriter is an investment that can pay off in the long run.
Running a small business can feel like a juggling act. From managing the company to hiring new employees, many SMB owners struggle to find the time — let alone resources — to focus on marketing. Outsourcing to copywriters allows small businesses to access the specialized skills needed to create engaging content that drives results. This cost-efficient approach eliminates the need for office space, equipment, or other costs associated with keeping a full-time marketing team.
Hiring a copywriter or using a copywriting service for small businesses requires investment but can pay off in the long run. These professionals understand what it takes to achieve concrete results for content creation and brand visibility, even when you’re up against powerful competitors. They act as your remote, part-time team, delivering the expert content you need precisely when you need it without straining your budget.
9 Reasons Why Copywriting Is Key for Small Businesses
If you work in marketing, you already know that content is king. But for small businesses, content can be even more critical. More than 500,000 small businesses close each year in the U.S. — the right content can mean the difference between thriving or joining the long line of failed brands.
Let’s break down exactly why your SMB business needs copywriting.
1. Supports Branding Consistency
When it comes to branding, consistency is key. After all, your branding sets the tone for every customer interaction going forward. When you put your content in the hands of a copywriter, they ensure all content aligns with your SMB business branding.
By thoughtfully shaping the tone and style of each project, copywriters reflect the messages at the core of your brand values. A great copywriter can even build upon your current branding, strengthening your unique business voice to leave a memorable impression on your audience.
2. Attracts Your Potential Customers
A skilled copywriter knows how to gain insight into your defined target audience — discovering exactly what makes them tick. Through market research, they can uncover pain points and tap into the heart of what your potential customers need most.
Effective copywriting uses this insight to craft content that resonates with your audience. When combined with the reach of successfully optimized online content, this means you can reach new customers and attract them to your business.
3. Helps You Build a Data Base of Qualified Leads
Bringing new customers through the door is just one part of what copywriting can do. Copywriters play a vital role in lead generation strategies, like gated content. Gated content is a type of content that's only accessible after filling out a lead capture form.
However, now that the marketing world has caught on to the potential of gated content, the internet is flooded with gated resources. It’s estimated that as much as 80% of business-to-business B2B content marketing content is gated. This can lead to buyers suffering from form fatigue, making them less willing to share personal information to access your content.
That’s why this powerful lead generation strategy relies on the strength of its business-to-consumer (B2C) and B2B copywriters. The content must be compelling and valuable enough to convince leads to take the next step. Whether it’s purely educational content or a deep dive into your product demos, this type of content goes beyond surface-level blog posts. It should offer unique insight that readers can’t get anywhere else.
4. Builds Brand Trust by Establishing Authority
Bigger competitors often have more significant resources they can tap into for expert content creation, including original research. This is how they build authority in their niche, becoming the go-to source for customers seeking valuable information and sitting at the top of the search engine rankings.
Powerful copy is essential for smaller brands seeking to establish authority in their industry. Blog copywriters with industry expertise can help position your SMB brand as an industry expert, sharing important news, statistics, research, and more to stay on the cutting edge of your field.
5. Educates Your Target Audience
Content marketing is more popular now than it’s ever been, but the increase in content visibility hasn’t always benefited businesses. In fact, it’s led to a problem of oversaturation. On average, the internet churns out 7.5 million blog posts daily.
In a sales-driven online world, your target audience is already overwhelmed with advertising content. Most prospects don't want a sales pitch — they want a solution to their problem. Copywriting is designed to do just that. The best copywriting educates your audience on everything they need to know, from helpful DIY guides to informative industry breakdowns.
6. Creates Content That Ranks on Search Engines
Google ranking is one of the most critical factors for a business. A high ranking can generate traffic and leads, boosting your authority in the industry.
Search engine optimization (SEO) can feel like a losing battle for many small businesses. The top results for relevant keywords in each industry are often dominated by bigger brands, pushing smaller companies to the second or third page, where most web visitors won't even see it, let alone click through. The high cost of sponsored search engine advertisements may also be out of the question for teams with limited marketing budgets.
From link building to keyword research, an SEO content writer can empower smaller brands to compete on the search engine playing field, using cost-effective techniques to climb the ladder and positively impact your ranking.
7. Moves Customers Through the Sales Funnel
Copywriters play a decisive role in every sales funnel stags, from attracting customers to sealing the deal on a final sale. In fact, each stage of the funnel requires a specific kind of copywriting. An expert copywriter knows precisely where and when to apply these sales funnel strategies and how to tailor their copy for maximum success in each stage of the customer journey.
For example, blog posts may help you reach new prospects, but a product demo or in-depth review might convince them to take action. Nurturing your current customers with the right content can even help with retention.
8. Improves Conversion Rates
From product descriptions to emails, copywriting is a crucial part of conversion rate optimization. The best content grabs people's attention and convinces prospective customers to keep reading, where they can find helpful links and calls to action (CTAs) to your brand. If it's done right, they'll be convinced to take action by the end, whether that means making a purchase or just signing up for an email list.
Conversion-optimized copy is data-driven and measurable, with the right information delivered just the right way to convince people to take action. It’s more of an art than a science, but it’s something that professional copywriters are well versed in.
To make content that converts, a small business copywriter uses techniques like attention-grabbing headlines, persuasive language, emotional triggers, and target audience research. With the right campaigns, you can start seeing measurable conversion rate results.
9. Helps You Build a Marketing Strategy
Content marketing for small businesses is about more than just the actual copy you receive at the end of the day. A copywriter or a copywriting service partners with your company to help you build a robust and comprehensive marketing strategy from start to finish.
When approaching copywriting projects, a copywriter isn’t just thinking about the end result of this particular blog post or landing page. They’re considering the full scope of your marketing strategy, making sure that every word is intentional and valuable.
What Should You Consider When Hiring Copywriting Services?
Most small businesses don’t have the budget or volume of work to justify the expense of an in-house or full-time copywriter. That’s where copywriting services for small businesses can help. A copywriting service lets you outsource your work to a skilled team of content marketing professionals.
However, not all agencies or services are built the same. With small businesses in mind, here are the most important traits to look for.
Industry Experience
Some content writing mills don’t differentiate between niches, sending copywriting projects to any writer from any background. A professional copywriting service, on the other hand, should have a team with experience in all industries to connect you with the most experienced and knowledgeable writers for your SMB business and field.
These writers will already be familiar with the trends, topics, and language that resonates with your readers. They can also write with greater authority, helping you establish credibility in your industry.
Customization
The best copywriting agencies focus on more than just the completed project. They should prioritize getting to know your small business, from your brand’s stylistic voice to your unique selling propositions.
Broad Service Offerings
A strong copywriting service goes beyond the standard blog post to deliver all kinds of content, from email campaigns to white papers. Combined with market research and SEO analysis, you can get all your content marketing needs met in one place.
Results-Driven Strategies
Great copywriting is often an investment, but you get what you give in terms of value. The best copywriting services focus on time-tested and results-driven strategies to produce measurable results.
Affordability
For SMB businesses, affordability is an important consideration. While copywriting services are almost always more financially accessible than hiring an in-house team, they can still require an up-front investment for quality services.
However, many content writing services offer a monthly partnership with brands, where you pay an affordable monthly rate and get a certain number of words in return. Over time, you can scale up or down depending on your needs.
How Compose.ly Can Help Your SMB Grow
From your website to your social feeds, compelling copywriting is the foundation of any brand. Whether you’re just starting or looking for new ways to grow, powerful copy is a must if you want authoritative branding that speaks to and converts your ideal audience.
Making an impression in the fast-paced world of content marketing — where bigger brands have already built a legacy — is no easy task. It’s challenging enough to run a small business, let alone find innovative ways to elevate your content marketing.
That’s where a premium copywriting service like Compose.ly can help. Unlock the power of high-value professional copywriting for your small business, all at an affordable price.
