Creating content is important for every brand and business. Marketing is truly what makes or breaks a business. No, that was not a typo. Like slowly putting pressure on the brakes in your car, your business can come to a rolling stop when you stop telling the world about what your business has to offer. If it is out of sight, then it is most likely out of your customer’s mind as well.
So what is “content”? What do you do with it?
Content is a collection of information about your brand that creates interest and tells a story in a way that compels your audience to action. That action could be anything from asking them to comment on your posts, to gaining more follows and likes, to purchasing your offerings. It is up to you to decide the action you want your audience to make.
Content can be anything from Instagram posts to interviews. Some of the most popular forms of content brands are producing are blogs, podcasts, videos, and checklists You can create case studies about your product from collecting reviews from your customers, which can be used to show the positive effects of your product or service for future promotional materials. Keep in mind that your time commitment to content created today can always be repurposed into future content. Images posted on Instagram can be reused in presentations, blogs, and other demonstrational materials. That blog from 5 years ago may just need a quick refresher, and voila something else to repost and keep people talking.
Find tips to repurpose your content here.
Start by picking a few platforms that you know will reach your audience and start blasting your story, activities, and offerings on those platforms. Having a following will bring more than revenue in, that following brings in new customers and more visibility. Get influencers involved. Finding and working with the right influencer can bring amazing results. Do you have a product you would like reviewed? Send it to an influencer who can share their opinions with a larger audience.
We get it. You’re a busy individual focused on the nitty gritty of business management, when are you ever going to find the time to create compelling content?
Well luckily we have a few options for you.
- It’s all in the Planning. When you are setting your schedule, make sure to carve out a time to brainstorm how you are going to accomplish your marketing goals with the media platforms available to you. Create an idea or vision board and put up things that you can achieve within a short time frame. Short term goals should always accompany your long term ones. Perhaps set goals to post something once a week on your social media account that you have already prepared in advance. Reuse that post on all of your other platforms to be consistent in your marketing, referencing back to your website for full details. Give up on the idea of creating something perfect. People don’t expect perfection, they want relatability. The most important aspect of a post is how it connects with your audience.
Ask yourself:
- Is your post relevant to your viewers?
- What about your content will make people want to see more?
- Are you producing a consistent message?
Don’t get hung up on creating the absolute perfect polished piece of content. That is going to take up too much of your time and keep you from accomplishing more.
Read more on time saving strategies to create great content here.
- Grow your team. Create a position that will allow you to delegate content creation responsibilities to a dedicate marketer. Having someone else to discuss marketing plans with is incredibly helpful. Not only will you have an extra mind to tackle new projects, you have someone else to help keep your business on the right track. Of course this will take some time commitment as well. Onboarding any employee takes time. So have you considered outsourcing?
- Hand that headache to someone else. No mess, less stress. If time budgeting for content creation is out of the question and taking on someone else is not in the cards, then outsource! Outsourcing is done for just about everything now, from HR to Customer Service. Now you have the opportunity to outsource your marketing to creative writers, marketing experts, and social media managers. There are so many ways to get great content made for you. Outsourcing is even better than the driverless car experience. Not only can you take naps while someone else takes over the marketing wheel, you can get all of your other important business taken care of while ensuring that your brand is being seen by more people because real experts are in your corner to help you reach a wider audience.
Whatever platforms or time saving strategies you decide to use, remember that content should stay consistent with your brand. Keep your message relatable and you will see results.
