We create a ton of content for our clients on a daily basis. This could be anything from social media posts, blogs, email marketing or simple copywriting. As brands grow and develop their voices, having solid content can help push a business ahead of the competition. A well-written, informative blog positions the brand as an industry expert, while a well-maintained and curated social media presence is a strong promotional tool.
That being said, the content put out there has to be thoughtful and intelligent. You can’t just push a blog, social media post or half-assed company slogan out there without a strategy and lots of creativity behind it. Good content takes work. Here’s how we make sure the content going out for our clients is spot on.
Know your audience
Who are you talking to? Who is relating to your content? This should be the first thing you dive into as you create content. Once you identify your audience, you will be able to tweak your content messaging to target that audience. If the audience is highly educated researchers, the content needs to reach their level, while a family friendly audience needs a light and playful tone. Before putting content out there, research into audience demographics is needed. If you don’t know your audience, there is no point in creating content.
Know your brand
Don’t try to be something you’re not. A brand with an identity crisis won’t find its footing within its industry. Don’t try to be 20 — or even two — different things. Know your brand and know how to communicate that brand. Ask your employees, stakeholders or clients what they associate your brand with. If their answers are across the board, it’s time to reevaluate the messaging. Having core messaging will help direct your content and set the tone for your brand voice, resulting in brand consistency. This kind of consistency will help narrow down what kind of content is best to push out.
Create a mix of original and repurposed content
There is plenty of content already out there. It would be a waste to just let it sit. But even the best content doesn’t compare to original content. Original pieces give you the opportunity to reinforce your voice, tone, themes and establish you as an industry expert. This can be through blogging, photos, tips, original social media posts and more. Repurposed pieces add a little pizzazz to your content. Just as long as you give credit to the author and/or creator. Think of original content as your brand’s glue the repurposed content as the rhinestones. They sure do make things look pretty, but without the glue, they wouldn’t stick.
Don’t force funny
Everyone wants to be funny, but not everyone is funny. And that’s OK, especially if your brand is more on the technical side. If your brand is light, we recommend creating a reading list of brands that have the light, witty tone you are looking for. This could be a list of blogs or social media accounts. Get an idea of how these brands link their wit to their audiences. Humor is very nuanced, so if it feels obvious and forced, delete and start over. Your audience knows when you are trying too hard.
Share it
Viral content doesn’t just happen magically. You can’t create something and expect it to gain attention overnight. The internet doesn’t work that way. Instead, you have to push it out to as many networks as you can, whether it’s your professional or personal networks. Encourage other people to share (without being obnoxious or desperate). You have a hand in how many eyes see your content. Put in the effort and the internet gods will decide whether or not it’s worthy of being on The Today Show.
Once you have your content’s core decided, it will be easier to create and share content that is relevant to your brand. Having a set audience and tone also allows for more creativity and tighter content overall.
