4 reasons to invest in content marketing during a recession

How to thrive in a down economy by building brand loyalty

Whether you work for a small business or a large corporation, it’s likely your 2023 marketing budget took a hit. Fears of a recession and massive layoffs in the tech world have made leaders cautious about spending. Faced with limited resources and a freeze on hiring staff, CMOs face tough choices. Investing in a robust content marketing strategy is a cost-effective and strategic way to retain customers, develop trust and brand affinity and grow your business, recession or not. 

Here Are 4 Reasons Why Companies Should Invest in Content Marketing During a Recession

1. Content marketing is relatively inexpensive.

Content marketing is 62% more cost-effective than other marketing strategies, according to Forbes. The price is also flexible—without high upfront costs, you can tailor a high-performing content marketing strategy to your budget and goals.

2. Content marketing generates leads.

79% of companies use content marketing to generate quality leads. With better ROI than outbound marketing and a lower cost of acquisition, content marketing is a valuable sales tool.

3. Content marketing develops trust.

71% of users said they viewed a blog post during their buying journey. Thought leadership is booming on LinkedIn. And communicating regularly with customers and potential customers during economic volatility connotes stability, all of which builds trust.

4. Your competitors are doing it.

According to HubSpot, in recent years, 82% of marketers have actively used content marketing, and 24% have planned on increasing their content marketing investment.

Okay, so you’re bought in and ready to invest in content marketing. How do you get started while doing more with less? Thankfully standing up a content marketing strategy is a rather nimble process with low initial investment costs.

Tips for Creating a Content Marketing Strategy

• Tie content goals to sales metrics.

• Turn blog posts into social media and email marketing content.

• Invest in content marketing and hire a strategic freelance writer. They should partner with you to generate topics for your ideal customer. Not all writers can do this.

• Onboard your freelance content marketing writer. Provide them with your style guide and examples of tone and voice that you like and don’t like.

• Share your acquisition and business goals with your writer. 

• Give it time to work. Content marketing is a long game—building trust and awareness takes time.

History has shown that companies that continue to market during a recession enjoy long-term growth despite economic volatility. Companies like Microsoft, MailChimp and Warby Parker all grew during a recession.

By leaning into content marketing during an economic downturn, you can position your company to thrive.

Indigo Communications offers strategic freelance content marketing writing services for B2B, Fintech, insurance, commercial real estate and social impact initiatives. Contact us today to learn how we can help you grow your business authentically and strategically.