In the world of social media, consumers are constantly being pulled in different directions. Content is being posted 24/7 which means 2 things:
- It’s easy to get overlooked.
- It takes attention-grabbing content to stay relevant.
Content creation for social media can seem like a daunting task. Or like you have to be a seasoned marketing professional to create posts worthy of your brand and worthy of putting out there for all to see. But the truth is, with the rise of marketing and social media, creating content has never been more accessible or easy.
So, here’s the first question:
What types of content are there?
- Social media posts
- Blogs
- Infographics
- Videos
Why do we create content?
- When you create content, you are showing that you are a source of information. You are giving something new to people, whether it be information in the form of a blog or infographic or entertainment in the form of videos or pictures. Content creation doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming. Content can be anything as simple as an Instagram post or as elaborate as a blog or vlog series.
- It’s a great way to keep your audience engaged. When you give your customers content and interesting information, it’s a way to interact with them and form a relationship.
- You can make your business relevant to what your customers care about. Does your business relate to a major event happening in the world or a popular story or trend in your industry? By looping your business in with a trend, you show that your business is relatable. If you work in the technology industry, you could always do reviews of the newest technology and give advice for your customers. This way, you’re a trusted source of information, and you’re helping out your customers.
What to keep in mind while creating content:
- Create with your audience in mind. (Your content is for your audience, not for you.)
- It can be easy to think that creating content for your business should be 100 percent always about what your business is about, what services you provide, and why people should choose to work with you. Well, this isn’t necessarily true. If all you’re doing is selling, selling, selling, you’ll probably lose interest fast. Nobody likes someone or a business who talks only about themselves. So instead of talking about why your company is great, try talking about your customer and ways you can help them in their life. For example: If you’re a personal trainer, give your clients workouts they can do at home, fitness tips, and health advice. This not only shows your passion for your industry, but it also shows that you care about your clients beyond the gym.
- Give your content a purpose. (Your content should have a purpose. Don’t post just to post.)
- As with anything that has to do with your company, every piece of content you create should have a purpose. A few well thought out pieces will have a greater impact than pushing out as much content as you can. It’s definitely quality over quantity in this case. It’s important to ask yourself: What do my clients want? What could they use?
- Switch it up. (Your content should have variety.)
- One way to keep people’s attention either on your website or social media is by giving them a variety of content. People get burnt out when they receive the same content repeatedly. So, once you figure out what your audience is interested in, think of different categories of content that fit their interests. If they’re more interested in reading and taking in information that way, give them blogs and infographics and plug in articles from other legitimate sources on topics they’re interested in within your industry. If they’re more visual, give them fun graphics and videos.
What tools can I use to create?
We recommend:
- Canva – Canva has been around since 2007 and has revolutionized the way people think about social media marketing. Canva was created to make content creation a fun process, even for those who don’t have a background in design. Canva allows marketers to add more intention and flair to social media without spending copious amounts of time doing so. They have templates for everything from social media posts, infographics, and Facebook cover photos to flyers and email headers.
- Adobe Spark – Adobe Spark is another content creation portal. Adobe defines Adobe Spark as a “one-stop content shop for creating and sharing visual stories that will wow your audience on any device.” This program focuses on social media posts and graphics, web stories, and animated videos.
- HubSpot’s Blog Topic Generator – If you’re looking for inspiration for your blog, this is a useful tool. All you have to do is enter topics you’re interested in, and the generator gives you interesting angles to write about featuring those topics.
- Google Trends – Want to see what’s trending on the internet? Google Trends is a fantastic tool for this. You can see what’s been searched the most and if you could relate your content to that to increase your traffic.
- Video editing software – As for video editing software, there are many options out there. This depends on personal preference and level of experience with editing.
We hope that our content creation guide has helped break down what can seem like an overwhelming process. It’s true that content can be a job in itself. At Old City Web Services, we offer content creation services. Whether you need monthly social media posts or weekly blog posts, our team can help create the best content for your business and your audience. Contact us today for a free consultation.