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Content is the way users engage with the website of your small business. This can be everything from blogs to podcasts and visuals such as photographs, graphics, and videos.

According to a new survey from Visual Objects, 23% of small businesses said visuals were the most effective content in 2018.

The good news for small businesses is, there are more ways to capture images and post them on websites. But as the data in the survey points out, this is just one-fourth of the content mix you need.

Overall, your small business website has to have fresh content across different mediums to remain relevant to your audience.

The author of the report, Kelsey McKeon, explains the importance of having quality content. McKeon said “Small businesses should consistently publish and update content to keep users engaged but not at the expense of content quality. Content that is current and regularly published shows users that your small business cares about its online presence.”

2019 Content Marketing Trends

The most effective form of content small businesses published in 2018 were visuals and company information, both at 23%. This was followed by videos at 16%, product descriptions at 15%, reviews at 12% and blog posts at 5%.

The breakdown of the data shows there is no one type of content which dominates on a small business website. Consumers who watch a video one day might read a blog post or listen to a podcast the next day.

The report says small businesses have to publish new content regularly to keep their audience engaged. And the content has to be current to show you care about your online presence. But the data in the survey reveals most businesses are not posting new content consistently.

Only 38% of the respondents are consistently publishing website content. An almost equal amount or 36% publish monthly, followed by 15% at quarterly, and 12% do so only occasionally/as needed.

So, it begs the question, how much priority are small businesses giving to content? As the survey reveals, it is at the bottom of their website priorities. Web design was first at 20%, followed by user engagement (20%) and e-commerce (19%).

The next biggest priority was SEO and security at 12%, with content coming in last at 10%. The fact user engagement was second and content came in last shows a disconnect in the priority small businesses have about their website. If a business doesn’t clearly identify its priorities, it may have a hard time telling the difference between a quality site and one that just looks nice.

According to McKeon, “Small businesses can achieve their top priorities simultaneously – enhancing website design features can improve user engagement.”

Content for 2019

The report says small businesses intend to publish functional website content in 2019. This includes a mixed variety of content in different mediums.

The majority or 59% are going to be focusing on company information followed by visuals at 57%. Some of the other types of content are product descriptions, reviews, videos, log posts, downloadable content, and podcasts.

Small businesses have to implement a comprehensive content management policy to ensure consistency year-round.

It begins by designing a website with content in mind to deliver a good user experience for customers. After the design, owners have to invest in new and emerging forms of content to promote the company and increase the presence of the brand.

The Survey

The Visual Objects survey was carried out with the participation of 529 small business owners and managers across the U.S. More than half of the businesses or 54% have between one and 10 employees, with the remaining 46% employing between 11 to 500 people.

The respondents are male (52%), female (48%), millennials (29%), generation xers (45%), and baby boomers (27%).

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “23% of Small Businesses Say Visuals are Effective Content on Their Websites” was first published on Small Business Trends