How Content Creation Helps Local Businesses Brand Their Services

No matter what size your company is, your approach to marketing is key to connecting with customers whether they’re based in Greater Des Moines (DSM) or further afield. It’s important to recognize that it’s neither practical nor particularly effective to simply rely on adverts here. Rather, digital content continues to be king.

In-house content creation can feel like something only large corporations engage in. The idea of meeting high-quality standards across a range of digital platforms can be quite overwhelming. Yet, it’s actually an increasingly accessible and impactful way for local businesses to build their brands.

We’re going to take a moment to explore how content creation can help your local business to brand its services.

Providing Additional Value

One of the most important ways your business’ content can help to build your brand is by providing DSM residents with additional value. It is not just your products that boost the positive perspectives of your consumers, and your marketing doesn’t only result in sales. Content is generally at its most effective when it gives your target demographic something that requires nothing in return.

This can take a range of forms from video or blog tutorials on more effective uses of your products or services to podcasts that give the public insights into how your industry affects the local economy or culture. Your approach can even be as simple as providing them with occasional entertainment that is also relevant to your brand image.

While this might sound like a lot of work, there are ways to create content efficiently without sacrificing the value you provide. The key is to be organized and identify the types of content most relevant to your brand, products and local consumers. Involving your whole team in creation both spreads the workload and means your content benefits from a wider range of perspectives.

Making an Industry-Specific Impact

The ability to reach general DSM audiences is not the only challenge for local brands. In many cases, there’s the added pressure involved with having an impact in line with your specific industry-based needs. In-house content creation can provide your brand a boost in achieving the goals you have in these areas.

This is because different approaches to content creation can be tailored to achieve specific outcomes. For instance, local medical practices may find that their patient retention challenges can benefit from stronger branding. This can come in the form of a blog or video content that helps reinforce a practice’s core values in ways that resonate with patients. Even relatively simple practices such as ensuring branding is consistent across all types of content can impact how confident consumers are in the reliability of the company.

Alternatively, for DSM businesses that focus on banking or financing, the content can be targeted toward boosting trust. The majority of consumers already don’t trust ads, but they often trust content that provides them with value or information. Social media posts can be directed toward showcasing ongoing efforts to improve cybersecurity for customers. Blog posts can explore the ethics of the business and how these are applied in a practical sense.

Enabling Meaningful Connections

Even local businesses can find making meaningful connections with consumers difficult. Indeed, brick-and-mortar retail stores can’t always rely on in-person interactions. This is because consumer preferences in the region have shifted to online sales over the last several years. As such, content creation can help bridge the distance between consumers and businesses.

This is often most achieved through social media content. Make efforts to post memorable images and videos that encourage direct feedback from consumers. Most importantly, ensure there are always staff members available to respond and engage with consumer comments. This helps to demonstrate that your company appreciates consumers’ opinions, and it can also act as an additional customer service channel.

There’s more than one way to establish authentic connections through content. In 2021, the Greater Des Moines Partnership collaborated with professional skateboarder Mike Vallely. Vallely owns the local custom skateboard business Street Plant, and Brent Roske, a self-employed content creator, is a former creative director at NBC.

Together, Vallely and Roske created a video with shots of Vallely skating at Lauridsen Skatepark and the Iowa Capitol building. Vallely had recently moved to Des Moines from California and pointed out that Iowa had “plenty to be excited about too.” He continued, “So if you're looking for room to breathe, time to explore and affordable real estate, maybe you should consider Iowa too."

 

The Partnership shared the video on its social media accounts, connecting the organization with its audience in a new way, showcasing yet another reason why DSM is a great place to live. Moreover, we built a connection with Mike Vallely and the skateboarding community. Vallely has gone on to help with events such as Des Moines Streetstyle Open, in partnership with Skate DSM, as well as sponsors Kum & Go and Red Bull. Free to the public, the Streetstyle Open helps build a sense of community around skateboarding in DSM.

When it comes down to it, Vallely and Roske were able to showcase their personal brands with the creation of the Consider Iowa video. At the same time, the video helped highlight the vibrant community here.

Content creation is an accessible and impactful way for businesses in DSM to brand their services. It’s important to approach the process with a view to enhancing the value your company provides consumers. You should also consider what types of content can best help you meet your industry-specific challenges or goals. Remember that good social media practices can help you make better connections with consumers. With good planning and well-considered execution, your content can boost your brand visibility.

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