In the world of social media and the many benefits of leveraging social platforms to increase your reach and engagement, creating content has become more and more of a need for businesses to survive and thrive, but how do you create amazing content in a scalable way?
This is a burning question for many and one that deserves an answer if I might say so myself so here it is:
While social media shrieks of responsive and reactive engagement (and we will get to that in a minute!) – your content creation should still be planned, prepped, and purposeful.
Creating content as fabulous as you is a time investment and like any investment you want to be smart about what you are doing with your dough. Scalable content is all about getting the most bang for your buck (your time, your energy, your ideas) with some simple and easy resolutions.
Create with Intention:
Whether it’s shooting a new reel to the latest trending sound, creating a new blog post, or designing a new carousel with a mind-blowing caption to match, it’s important that each piece isn’t just amazing but that it speaks for your brand and has a place in your strategy. A content strategy is going to tell you what you need and let you prepare so you can get more while doing less.
Content strategists stress the importance of repurpose, reuse, and reformat. Each piece of content should not be built from scratch, and instead you should be focusing on the multiple ways you can use content by reformatting it for a different platform, repurposing it for a different audience, or reusing it with a fresh teaser or updated branding. This means planning new content with a multipurpose mindset to discourage wasted time, wasted energy, and wasted takes.
Don’t forget about what resources you already have. Yeah, you don’t want your content to be past due and expired like last week’s leftovers but your previous content shouldn’t be tossed in the trash like you are cleaning out the fridge. There are still lots of good assets in what you have already created (and bought with your time) so up the ROI on those investments by seeing what they can still offer value to your current content strategy. A slight update, a new set of graphics, or a fresh opinion can bring those blasts from the past back to life in a new and relevant light.
Intentional content planning is also about developing operational efficiency. Create clear brand style guides and templates to streamline the creation of content that matches your brand in look and tone and workflows for each type of content production so less on figuring out the how and more time on the doing. Style guides, templates, and workflows are important tools that allow the Creative CEO to scale content production without major micromanaging.
Execute with Excellence
You were intentional with your content planning and efficient in your creation processes. Now what? Now it’s about being effective. For your content to have the greatest impact you want to execute it with excellence so your investment in its creation pays off with an effective product.
- Expert Support. Don’t let a great idea fall flat in execution. Get the right people doing the right stuff and avoid subpar and substandard representing your brand. Whether it’s composing, photography, graphics, design, or word play – let the masters help you craft your genius and give it that professional sheen.
- Exceptional Tools. The right tools can make your content go further and perform better. Your needs may vary, but professional content needs more than a hobbyist approach to make it successful in the wilderness of the web. Content governance platforms can help you produce streamlined and consistent messaging while media analytic tools help you gather and understand data so you can make meaningful decisions about your outreach strategy.
- Exemplary Market Research. Judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree and you would be very disappointed in the performance of the fish. Don’t let your content be a fish out of water by throwing it into an environment where it isn’t built to be successful. Make sure your content is reaching the right audience by understanding where that audience is and knowing the right keywords, templates, or buzzwords that will get it seen. Know your markets and know how to present your content to be successful in its natural habitat so it isn’t just flopping around on the ground.
- Efficacious Content Audits. Excellence requires quality checks and purposeful content audits are part of a system that allows you to identify when less than optimal results are happening. Regular planned content audits allow you to identify not only problems in the quality of output, but also look for gaps by identifying missed opportunities, discover duplicate content, or troubleshoot identified performance indicators.
Engage Authentically
The most polished content, SEO-ed to perfection, can be bypassed by the viewer when it looks like another overly manufactured ad with all fluff and no substance. Authenticity is key to building trust and trust is the cornerstone of the relationship between you and your customers. Creating content that connects with your audience is the key to it being seen, accepted, and shared so it can do what it’s supposed to do – increase your brand presence.
Be intentional. Be excellent. But most of all…Be YOU.
When it comes to engaging authentically, it is all about you doing you and no copy cats are needed or wanted. Let others who are successful in your space be your inspiration and motivation, but find your own beat and bang that drum like crazy. Infuse elements of your content with essential traces of the things that make you, and your brand, unique and individual. Share what you are reading, thinking, doing, and what things are appealing to and inspiring you. Bring your audience into your world so they can come inside and take a peek.
Speaking of taking a peek – don’t be afraid to let the audience “peek behind the curtain” to see the backstage of your brand. Let them see you and your team working, tease them with the creation and dreaming process, celebrate with them your silly ideas and small victories, and let them see the scars and skin textures that hide behind the filters. You can also keep it real by showing a product in its natural habitat (or you!) and in actual use. There is a reason people love blooper reels and director commentaries and that is because the making of the product can be just as enjoyable and entertaining as the finished product. There is also a human element in those moments. Your cold coffee and brainstorming doodles probably resonate more widely than you could imagine.
Most of all, talk to your audience. Don’t overmanufacture your voice and address your content towards its intended audience to personalize it and keep it from sounding like another generated form letter. Like all conversations, let your audience talk back and engage with them when they do. Successful content is another way for people to connect with your brand and it should look more like an open door or inviting front porch than a brick wall.
Focus on building real connections with your audience and using your content as the plate of fresh cookies you take next door to welcome new neighbors. Let it introduce you, put your best foot forward, and show them you are there when you need them.
