6 Ways to Revitalize Your Startup's Content Marketing Strategy
Content marketing is a low-cost, high-impact marketing strategy. When done right, it can help any business make its mark, which is why it's the preferred method for startups to attract new customers.
But the thing is, not everyone knows how to make content marketing effective. According to Ahrefs, up to 90.63% of all published content receives zero traffic from Google. And of the remaining 9.37%, most get 0–10 visits per month.
Given these numbers, entrepreneurs should focus on time-tested content strategies to ensure their marketing efforts are effective.
So, whether you're just starting to plan your startup's content strategy or haven't seen enough results yet, the following six ways will help you revitalize your efforts and achieve the best outcomes.
Invest in Video Hosting
In the last few years, video has taken a leading role in most entrepreneurs' content marketing strategies, and for good reason.
Between 2016 and 2023, video usage not only grew by 263% among brands, but consumers are also trusting this format more. According to Statista, in 2024, 27.2% of online viewers will watch more than 10 hours of video per week, and in the US, digital video penetration has hit a record 81.1%, showing just how valuable an asset video is.
So how exactly can you use video to grow your startup? There are several great solutions.
One primary way startups use video is to showcase their products/services in a positive light. Explainer videos and product demos, like those used by Slack, have repeatedly proven effective at grabbing consumer attention and introducing new ways of thinking to a broad audience.
Renderforest is an online suite of creative tools for creating engaging videos, animations, video presentations, mockups, websites, and a business name generator. The platform is easy to use and has advanced features, allowing people and companies to create high-quality content without significant design or technical skills.
But a more advanced way to make video part of your startup's content marketing strategy is to use it as an alternative to a traditional blog post.
Since YouTube is considered the second most popular search engine in the world, it's an excellent distribution channel. That's why a well-planned YouTube marketing strategy can effectively get your branded content in front of audiences and increase your website's organic traffic.
Companies like Scott's Cheap Flights have found a way to get more mileage out of existing content by simply creating video versions, uploading them to YouTube, and offering them as an alternative to reading an instructional blog post.
For example, a video based on an article about how to use Google Flights garnered over 436,000 views on YouTube and helped this startup rank #2 in Google for the search query "how to use google flights."
This tactic is especially useful for brands that want to make their posts more accessible, since video is easier to digest than text.
Moreover, choosing this path to revitalize your startup's content marketing strategy allows you to add extra value to your posts. Video is great at engaging viewers, helping them understand and remember the information your brand provides.
Additionally, using a text-to-speech program can create natural voiceovers for videos, making them even more engaging.
Experiment with Podcasts
Do you think video isn't the best format for your brand's content strategy? You can still achieve impressive results by doing things a bit differently than everyone else in your niche.
In the last few years, podcasts have been on the rise, and their popularity will only keep growing. For instance, Statista forecasts that by 2024, the number of monthly podcast listeners in Russia will reach 164 million, making this format an absolute winner for revitalizing a standard content strategy.
But beyond growing reach, podcasts offer several other benefits for startup marketing teams ready to dive in.
- Podcasting is a long-term marketing strategy that continues to benefit a business months or even years after an episode is published.
- People mostly listen to podcasts at home and during their commutes. This means brands distributing this type of content have a unique opportunity to reach audiences in places they otherwise couldn't.
- A successful podcast isn't just an acquisition tactic. It can also serve retention goals by consistently delivering value to paying customers.
A great example of a startup whose content marketing strategy is built around podcasting is Adbadger.
This company effectively combines its weekly 20-minute podcast with more traditional content forms (like blogs, social media posts, and gated resources). This approach makes the podcast valuable to existing customers looking for ways to get more out of their software purchase.
But the success of this format lies in the fact that it also provides a space where Adbadger can recommend its solutions to listeners at the awareness stage of the sales funnel—those who understand their pain points but don't yet know specific solutions.
Target a Niche with Long-Form Content
There's a trend toward instant gratification in bite-sized pieces (thanks to ephemeral content on TikTok and Instagram). But that's not the only content type worth investing in for long-term success.
For startups looking to revitalize their marketing efforts with standout content, long-form articles can be the best option.
Research shows that long-form articles deliver a high ROI in several ways. First, blog posts between 1,000 and 2,000 words get 56.1% more social shares and 77.2% more backlinks. Second, long-form content can:
- Boost SEO
- Build brand authority
- Be repurposed for various distribution channels thanks to its sheer volume
However, one rarely considered advantage of long-form content for startup brands is that it's a great way to cover niche topics.
Because of their physical length, such posts allow marketers with industry expertise to provide valuable insights on complex subjects, effectively answering consumer questions that no one else is addressing.
Moreover, with timely content audits and strategy, posts over 1,500 words give enough room to deliver specific details, actionable tips, and explanations—something the average 800-word article can't achieve.
Some of the best examples of using long-form content to cover niche topics come from the fitness world. However, most content in this industry only scratches the surface and never covers the full picture.
Understanding this, Transparent Labs took a different route. The company hired a team of certified sports nutritionists and diet coaches to write articles on diets and workouts for specific body types.
By detailing macronutrient intake, supplements, and specific exercises for muscle building, this fitness startup's mesomorph diet and workout guide is an ideal resource for those seeking a science-backed fitness plan guaranteed to deliver results.
Launch a Targeted Outreach Campaign
For a more proactive method of getting 110% out of your startup's content, launching a targeted outreach campaign is also a good idea—especially if you already have a decent amount of high-quality published content.
One way to do outreach marketing is to pick your most valuable content and identify potential leads that match your ideal customer persona. Then, craft a "cold" outreach email. Introduce your brand. Explain how you think the brand/person will benefit from reading the content you've included. And offer ways your company can help them.
If cold emails aren't your thing (which is understandable, since such a strategy can take months before showing tangible results), you can take a simpler route and use social listening.
People regularly turn to social media for recommendations and advice. This gives you a great opportunity to share your startup's content with potential customers or advocates who are genuinely interested in learning more about the topics your startup specializes in.
Twitter, Quora, and Reddit are probably the best places to implement this strategy. And if you nail the information you provide, there's a chance your content will be seen by a much wider audience than intended, as you're likely to get a retweet or share.
Interview Thought Leaders
Have you only recently launched your business and are still far from successfully positioning your brand as an authority in your niche? Even so, you should still think about ways to amp up your content marketing strategy.
One possible solution is to interview thought leaders in your industry—in other words, borrow their authority.
That's what Superhuman recently did by inviting bestselling author Tiago Forte to talk about the role of email in achieving productivity. Understanding that its customer base consists of entrepreneurs looking to work smarter, not harder, Superhuman found the perfect fit to attract the right audience.
Especially considering the content is guaranteed to resonate and convince potential customers still on the fence about spending 3,000 rubles a month on an email client.
Additionally, you can pursue guest posting opportunities that allow you to share your knowledge and experience with an established, interested audience. Consider writing guest posts on platforms whose readers overlap with your target audience.
Also, try being a guest on a podcast or a popular YouTube channel—it's a great way to share your expertise and introduce your startup brand to people who are likely interested.
Refresh Outdated Evergreen Content
Finally, as you look for ways to refresh your startup's content marketing strategy, remember that new doesn't necessarily mean better.
Yes, there are certain rules for content distribution, particularly the need to maintain a consistent publishing schedule. But the thing is, not all your posts have to be brand new. Your audience is just as likely to appreciate updates to already published articles, especially if they're evergreen and generate ongoing interest.
For example, if you know that one of your most popular blog posts is a comprehensive guide to business metrics, like the one from Clickup, it's only natural that you should update it with new data once a year (or quarter). The same goes for evergreen articles covering statistics, top 10 lists in your industry, and so on.
Additionally, regularly updating content allows you to review the links in your articles (internal and external) as well as the visual elements included. Who knows—maybe adding visuals will make the article more engaging. Or you might help a podcast episode boost your site's organic traffic by providing a transcript or expanding the list of recommended resources.
Conclusion
The great thing about content marketing is that it's accessible to everyone.
Even if your startup has a limited budget, you can still create valuable materials that turn casual readers, viewers, and listeners into loyal customers. But to achieve this, you need to be willing to experiment—both with the format and the content of your startup's materials.
That's why you shouldn't hesitate to try the strategies we've discussed here. Of course, some may require larger upfront investments than others. But ultimately, spending more time and money to create something unique to your industry will likely yield better results than covering old topics that everyone is tired of.