The problem is not that the website has no articles
Small companies often hear the same advice: write a blog. But a blog alone does not create enquiries. When a company publishes broad articles such as “how to choose the right solution”, it competes with large portals, ecommerce sites, comparison websites and magazines. The article may look good, but it does not move the business.
The better question is not “what should we write about”. The better question is: what does the customer need to solve just before they start looking for a supplier?
Usually it is price, a defect, timing, risk, location, warranty, the difference between options or the fear of choosing badly. These situations create topics that can bring a reader close to an enquiry.
Weak topic: “Digital marketing trends.”
Better topic for a specific company: “How many articles does an accounting firm need before the website starts bringing enquiries.”
The difference is not only the headline. The second topic has a clear reader, a clear situation and a clear next step.
Lower search volume is not a problem
For small and specialist companies, the goal is not to chase the largest traffic. The goal is to bring people who already have a problem and are looking for a solution. A query such as “SEO” is huge, but often too broad for a small company. A query such as “how many articles does a plumber website in Brno need” has lower volume, but a much clearer intent.
When choosing topics, look at three things:
- whether the query is related to your service,
- whether there is a clear next step after reading,
- whether the customer is solving a practical question, not just general curiosity.
We use the same principle in the article how to identify topics customers actually search for.
Decision map: from query to enquiry
Every topic needs a business function. If you cannot name it, do not write the article yet. Start with a simple map:
| Customer query | What the customer really solves | Suitable content | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| ”How much does it cost…“ | fear of unclear pricing | article with price range and factors | pricing or initial analysis |
| ”Is it worth repairing…“ | fear of paying for the wrong thing | decision article | contact with a short problem description |
| ”How long does it take…“ | planning time and capacity | article with process and conditions | service page |
| ”Do you do this for…“ | looking for a supplier for a specific type of company | industry page or case article | consultation |
| ”Alternative to…“ | comparing options | comparison article | recommended solution |
This matters especially for smaller companies. You do not need thousands of visitors. You need the right person to understand that you can help.
Topics by company segment: where to start
Each industry has a different customer language. Service companies deal with symptoms, trades deal with price and scope, B2B technology deals with parameters and compatibility, and training deals with outcomes for the team.
| Segment | What people solve | Example topics |
|---|---|---|
| Repair and service | symptom, price, when not to wait | ”laptop will not start”, “battery replacement price”, “when repair is not worth it” |
| Trades | scope, material, timing | ”bathroom renovation cost”, “custom kitchen timeline”, “what to prepare before installation” |
| B2B technology | parameters, standards, service | ”how to choose an industrial sensor”, “calibration process”, “service contract for manufacturing” |
| Training and consulting | outcome, price, format | ”AI training for a small company”, “what the team should know after training”, “internal workshop price” |
| Local services | location, availability, pricing | ”office cleaning price in Brno”, “service with company visit”, “website management for a small company” |
| Health, law, finance | trust, expertise, risk | ”when to see a specialist”, “what to prepare for the first meeting”, “what to watch out for” |
The table is not a finished plan. It is a way of thinking. Each row must be translated into the company’s concrete offer.
Where to find topics without expensive tools
The best source of topics is often already inside the company. It is just not in a marketing spreadsheet.
Start with phone calls. Write down the exact customer questions: “How much will it cost?”, “Do you do this in our area?”, “Is it worth repairing?”, “How long does it take?” These exact phrases are often close to how people search.
Continue with emails and forms. Longer enquiries show how people describe their problem in their own words. They often create articles such as “what to do when…”, “how much does…” or “when is it worth…”.
Then look at pricing. Each item can have its own explanatory page or article: what it includes, when it makes sense, what increases the price and when the customer needs something else.
Finally, use Search Console. A new website may not have enough data yet, but for an existing website look for queries with impressions, low CTR and positions outside the top results. Often, a more specific answer is enough to improve the page.
How to score a topic before spending money on it
Score each topic before writing. It is not a scientific model, but it helps prevent the company from paying for articles just because they “might be useful”.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| The topic directly relates to a paid service | +2 |
| The reader solves price, timing, risk or supplier choice | +2 |
| The article can lead to a service page, pricing or contact | +2 |
| The topic can be targeted by location, industry or company type | +1 |
| The topic already appears in calls, emails or Search Console | +1 |
| The topic is generic and the reader does not need to buy anything after it | -2 |
| The company cannot offer a clear next step after reading | -3 |
A topic with a score of 5 or more belongs in the first 90 days. A topic below 3 points should wait, or be connected to a more specific page.
Connect the article to an enquiry
An article should not end with “we hope this helped”. The reader must know what to do next. If they are solving price, offer a range or analysis. If they are comparing options, link to the service. If they do not yet know what they need, offer a short audit.
A practical article structure for a smaller company:
- name the customer’s problem,
- explain options and risks,
- show when the service makes sense,
- add concrete FAQ,
- link to a service, pricing or contact.
Without this, the article can bring a visit but not an enquiry.
A 90-day plan for a small company
The first three months are not a race for the highest article count. The goal is to build a foundation that can be measured and improved.
| Period | What to do | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 to 2 | review the website, services, pricing, enquiries and competitors | list of 20 to 40 possible topics |
| Weeks 3 to 4 | choose topics with the strongest link to services | 90-day publishing plan |
| Month 2 | write first articles, add FAQ and internal links | 4 to 6 articles and better service pages |
| Month 3 | adjust by Search Console, calls and forms | next topics, title edits, stronger CTA |
The plan also includes things that are not articles: service page titles, FAQ, better contact options, phone click tracking and checking that new URLs are in the sitemap and Search Console. Without this, it is hard to know what works.
See the more detailed breakdown in the 90-day content plan.
What I would not write in the first plan
For a smaller company, I would avoid topics that are too broad, fashionable or disconnected from the offer:
- general trends without a clear customer,
- glossaries, unless they lead to a service,
- articles written only for a keyword,
- topics where the company does not want to show price, process or recommendation,
- content that should really be a service page.
Ten precise articles are better than thirty texts that lead nowhere. We discuss article count in how many articles a company website needs.
First topic set: 10 to 20 well-chosen articles
You do not need one hundred articles at the start. You need the first map of decision situations. For a smaller company, 10 to 20 topics by service, problem and location are often enough.
Example first set for a smaller B2B service:
| Topic | Why it makes sense |
|---|---|
| How much the service costs and what changes the price | catches people close to a decision |
| When the service is worth it and when it is not | builds trust and filters weak enquiries |
| Common mistakes when choosing a supplier | helps the customer compare options |
| How cooperation works step by step | reduces fear of first contact |
| Solution by customer industry | shows that the company understands the context |
| Local or on-site availability | catches people looking for someone nearby |
| Frequent questions from calls | answers in the customer’s language |
If you do not know where to start, use an initial analysis. You will see whether the website needs new articles, better service pages, FAQ, or first of all improved pricing and measurement. Once the direction is clear, we can prepare expert content and choose the right scope from the pricing.
For smaller companies, it makes sense to start with a limited pilot: choose topics, write the first content, add it to the sitemap, submit it to Search Console and evaluate after a few weeks what starts to show. That is how you decide whether to add more articles, improve service pages or target ads at a specific segment.
