Content Marketing in Manchester | How to get started

An introduction to content marketing in Manchester

What is content marketing?

Content marketing refers to any written or recorded information your brand creates and offers to attract, engage and convert your target audience.

Instead of pushing a product or service directly, content marketing builds trust and credibility by delivering genuinely helpful information across channels like social media, videos, blogs, guides, email newsletters, podcasts, and case studies.

Why Manchester businesses need content marketing

In a fast-moving digital city like Manchester – where businesses across tech, professional services, tourism and hospitality are booming – it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stand out from the competition online. With more companies investing in digital transformation, it’s no longer enough to just have a website and a few social posts.

Whether you’re a law firm in Deansgate, a recruitment agency in Spinningfields, or even a bakery in the Northern Quarter, your customers are looking for you online. If they can’t find you – or your content doesn’t give them confidence – you could be losing potential leads to competitors who are more visible and consistent.

Content marketing – particularly with a localised strategy – works hard to get your brand noticed: improving your visibility in search and social, keeping your brand top-of-mind, and showcasing your expertise in a way that resonates with your audience.

Streets of Deansgate, Manchester

What makes an effective content strategy?

Great content is rooted in an understanding of what your audience actually wants, then serving them content that speaks to their needs. It should be consistent, cross-channel, and aligned with your wider marketing goals.

Examples of effective marketing output can include:

Blogs – SEO-optimised articles that answer your audience’s questions or curiosities, and position you as a thought-leader.

Social media – Bite-sized posts that help drive engagement, build community, and improve brand visibility.

Video – Anything from explainer videos to behind-the-scenes clips. Video is fantastic for improving engagement, especially on social media.

Email – Targeted newsletters and updates that nurture leads and help to drive traffic to your website.

Local SEO – Location-specific content that helps ensure your business is optimised for Manchester-based searches.

Each of these channels should ideally work together as part of a clear and defined strategy. It’s important to have tracking and measurement tools in place to monitor performance – like Hubspot and Google Analytics.

How to tailor your content marketing for a local audience

To make the biggest impact, your content should reflect the region you’re trying to reach. For Manchester businesses, that means speaking your audience’s language, referencing local places and events, and showing that you understand the city you’re based in. Practices could include:

Referencing local events or customs – For example, taking advantage of Manchester dates like The Christmas Markets, Parklife, or a certain musical reunion in Heaton Park…
Using local slang or mannerisms, if appropriate and authentic for your brand – Taking on some Manchester lingo in your comms can be effective, however it’s worth considering if this works for your brand image and tone of voice!
Optimising for different boroughs – Depending on your goals, you could create content that speaks directly to audiences in areas like Chorlton, Media City, Bolton or the Northern Quarter.
Collaborating with other local businesses – Everyone loves a creative collab (we’re booked and ready for Madre x Bundobust!). Sharing the spotlight with Manchester-based influencers or fellow brands can help you reach new, relevant audiences.

By focusing on the needs, language and values of Manchester-based customers, you can build familiarity and trust with your audience, whilst appearing in more location-based searches (e.g. “bakery who deliver Manchester” or “best places to eat Ancoats”).

Rather than a short-term sales tactic, content marketing is all about building authority over time – both to potential leads, and to search engines.

Benefits of hiring a Manchester-based content marketing agency

Working with an agency that knows your market can make all the difference. A Manchester-based agency can offer –

Local understanding – Knowledge of what’s trending, what your audience cares about, and what competitors are doing in the same space.
Face-to-face meetings – Though we’re of course happy to travel further afield!
Access to the very best industry talent – Manchester is one of the UK’s fastest-moving digital hubs, and our fully integrated team are at the forefront of industry knowledge and developments.
Contacts and connections – With clients based across Manchester and the North West, we can suggest expert partners or other brands for potential collabs.

Examples of effective blogs

We’ve observed fantastic results from a number of different blog styles and formats – usually rooted in high-value industry expertise. For example:

Informational articles and how-to guides are ideal to capture people searching for answers and advice. For example, our latest blog on AI website builders.
Listicles tend to attract high traffic and are easy to digest. See our ‘top 10’ article for property maintenance brand, Form Communal.
Timely news pieces – such as our coverage of the Greater Manchester Strategy Conference – help show we’re part of the local conversation.
Behind-the-scenes or people-focused blogs (like this article written by our team) help bring a human touch and show the culture behind the brand.

Looking for inspiration? Hubspot’s content strategy is a global benchmark for consistency, helpfulness, and inbound success – worth a read if you’re building your own strategy.

How to start your content marketing strategy

If you’re looking to get started with content marketing, here’s a simple step-by-step approach:

Define your audience – Who are they, what do they care about, and how can you help?
Do your keyword research – Find the search terms your audience is using, especially around local or sector-specific topics.
Build a content plan – Map out your content themes, blog ideas, and how these link together using a pillar/cluster model.
Start creating – Get consistent with writing blogs, producing videos, sending emails, and posting on socials.
Optimise and measure – Use tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush to track performance and identify improvements.

Or, you can let us take care of the hard part. Get in touch with Ultimate to discuss your goals, and we’ll help you build a tailored content marketing strategy to help you reach your goals.