Creating Conversations - not Content.
Content creation is an essential aspect of any business, regardless of size, and a critical component of any marketing strategy. As an independent business, creating content can be simplified and more manageable - if you look at it a little differently.
Consider your content as snippets of conversation starters with your audience - and as we hear so often “everything is content”. Often we have so much content ready and waiting to be used - but we spend ages creating new just for social media.
The Content| Where..
Always remember that Content should be, and is….EVERYWHERE. And if you are investing time in creating text, visuals, or photography, it should be used in several places, not just in social posts.
Here are three initial places to use content:
Website: Regularly updated websites increase awareness on Google via SEO, especially as algorithms become more challenging. More importantly, we need to populate our websites with engaging and converting content to persuade our shoppers to make purchases. Whether it's inspiring blog content or persuasive product descriptions, your website should always host your most up-to-date written content.
Email Marketing: Your audience is more likely to consume your content through email marketing than social media. When creating fresh, time-sensitive content, put your effort into something that will likely be seen/read. It's worth creating content for your email marketing and then reusing it on social media throughout the week.
Social Media: While it's essential to include social platforms in your marketing strategy, it should be part of a larger strategy, and what you post should reflect expected engagement levels. Continually create fresh content (pulled from email), and use content from previous blog posts, product descriptions, customer reviews, or the about page to maintain a daily posting schedule.
Here are examples of effective content use:
Update the About Us page, then...
Add it to your email sign-up automation.
Use it in your recent email newsletter.
Post a "little reintroduction" on social media.
Revisit product descriptions, then...
Use this content in your email newsletter, where each week you discuss a new product.
Post on social media stories, linking directly to each webpage.
Create a "how-to" blog on the website, then...
Split the copy across multiple social media feed posts.
Link directly to the blog on social media stories.
Use it in your email newsletter.
Incorporate it into your automation workflow.
Pin it on Pinterest.
These examples show that creating content conversations and utilising them across multiple platforms can help lessen the burden of content creation. They also illustrate the potential volume of content you already possess.
The Content | What...
Let's delve into the type of content you need to be creating.
Evergreen Content. This is content that stays relevant for a prolonged period. It's based on your values, brand ethos, mission, and product. All businesses can produce a wealth of Evergreen Content such as:
Product/service descriptions
Lifestyle selling
Your process
Your team
Brand values
Sustainability commitment
Business details
Customer reviews
Savable content
When investing in content creation, it's crucial to estimate the return on investment. Evergreen content, which is used across multiple platforms and on your website until it needs to be updated, requires a higher level of time and investment. Consider where the content will be used. If it can be utilised on your website, in email automation, weekly email communications, and across various social media platforms, it merits time and effort.
Live Content typically has a shorter lifespan and is not frequently reused or repeated. Its usage varies based on the brand and business, as it is more likely to be related to the immediate needs of the business and may not always be reusable. Examples include:
Launches of new collections or stock
Back in stock or last-minute options
Waitlist launches
Sales, discounts, or promotions
Monthly focuses such as Mental Health Awareness month or Pride month
Seasonal dates like Easter, Father's Day, Halloween, or Bank Holiday
Behind-the-scenes content
Unlike evergreen content, Live Content is more temporary and does not always need to have a long shelf life. Effort should be applied to launching new collections and product - but other focuses should reflect its short-term return on the investment you hope to gain from it.
Hopefully, this will help you understand that there are opportunities to create brand new content where needed. However, often you simply need to tweak the content you already have.