The U.S. presidential election, family-oriented observances, blogging, and even entrepreneurship are all excellent topics for your business’s content marketing in November 2020.
Content marketing is the act of creating or curating content, publishing that content, and promoting it — with the aim of attracting, engaging, and retaining customers.
Using content in this way can aid search engine optimization, reduce a company’s dependency on advertising, and help establish direct relationships with an audience of consumers. What follows are five content marketing ideas your business can use.
1. The Elephant (or Donkey) in the Room
Tuesday, November 3, 2020, is election day in the United States. American voters can cast a ballot for the office of the president. Tension and anticipation are likely to be high.
While most, if not all, businesses should stay away from partisan and vitriol content, it’s still possible to create intriguing articles, videos, or podcasts related to the election.
For example, imagine you are a rare or used book dealer. You could create articles around:
- “The 10 Best Selling Presidential Biographies,”
- “5 Books You Should Read before You Vote,”
- “The Top 50 Presidential Campaign Zingers of All Time.”
For the last piece, “The Top 50 Presidential Campaign Zingers of All Time,” you might include President Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign quip aimed at then-incumbent President Jimmy Carter:
“Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.”
2. Family Reunion Planning Month
November is, among other things, family reunion planning month. The idea is that the planning should start in November to get all of one’s brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins organized and in agreement.
Perhaps this tradition began because some folks expect to bump into their extended network of relatives around Thanksgiving, making it somewhat easier to start the reunion conversation.
In the context of a global pandemic, something like family reunion planning might be a positive and optimistic activity. It will focus planners on a future of family gatherings and a return to the pre-Covid norms. Who knows, perhaps, it will replace “doom scrolling” with searching for reunion locations.
Your business might help. You could create content around family reunion planning or ideas. As with any suggestion on this list, make sure that reunion planning is a relevant topic for your business and the industry segment you serve.
Here are a few examples.
- An online outfitter selling camping or similar gear could produce a list of the best national parks for hosting an outdoor family reunion.
- A kitchen supply store might rate and review culinary tours in California based on how suitable they are for family reunions.
- A swimsuit retailer could recommend several island locations for the family reunion.
3. National Entrepreneurship Month
“Entrepreneurs in America have long lent their talents and passions to solving problems, generating growth and prosperity, and turning dreams into new goods and services for people across our nation and around the world. During National Entrepreneurship Month, we celebrate the entrepreneurs who serve their communities and bolster our economy. We pledge our support for them in their pursuit of the ideas and innovations of tomorrow,” said President Barack Obama in 2016.
And last year, President Donald Trump said, “Throughout our American story, the trailblazers who have been willing to take great risks and chart new frontiers have changed the landscape of business, science, and technology, often setting the global pace for productivity and prosperity. Their relentless pursuit of success has launched new industries, created millions of jobs, and fueled an economy that is the envy of the world. During National Entrepreneurship Month, we recognize the men and women who have turned their passion into innovation, and we pledge to continue fostering economic freedom, so the next generation of transformational entrepreneurs can unlock their full potential.”
For your company’s November content marketing, consider profiling the businesses that supply your company. For example, a retailer might feature two or three of its suppliers, telling the story of how the supplier started, the challenges it faced, and how it overcame some of the problems. You might include articles about how your suppliers managed shutdowns earlier this year.
4. NaBloPoMo
National Blog Posting Month or NaBloPoMo, as it is often called, is meant to inspire bloggers. It is typically “celebrated” by posting something each day for the entire month.
For your company’s November content marketing, you might participate in NaBloPoMo, publishing something each day. It could focus on bloggers and influencers in the industry your business serves.
In the latter case, you could create “round-up” articles, such as naming 15 blogs your audience of potential customers might like best.
5. National Family Caregivers Month
The pandemic has been especially difficult for family caregivers. If, for example, someone cares for an elderly parent or a disabled child, that caregiver may have had less outside help because of the pandemic or may have had less access to products or supplies.
Several studies and reports support this hypothesis, including:
- “Effects of COVID-19 on Family Caregivers,” (PDF) University of Pittsburgh,
- “Supporting Family Caregivers in the Time of COVID-19: State Strategies,” Center for Healthcare Strategies,
- “Coronavirus’ Impact on Gen X Caregivers,” AARP.
For your content marketing, consider profiling customers who are also family caregivers. Address the excellent job they are doing despite the present challenges. Those customers may appreciate the recognition, and the folks reading your content will recognize that your company cares enough about its customers to pay attention.