Is your content missing a spark? Well, you’re not alone. Even the best marketers sometimes get the feeling that they’re shooting blanks, especially when they’re out of ideas. It can be difficult to produce fresh, relevant and valuable content constantly – particularly when you’re publishing on the fly.
That’s why you should start with a content strategy: a repository for where you’re going and how you’ll get there. A good strategy will ensure that content works effectively across different channels and promote a consistent brand image for your business. Don’t be fooled, this job isn’t easy, but it builds the foundations for long-term success. Here are some strategies that can keep your business’ content fresh.
Create and maintain a blog
It may be an obvious strategy, but having a blog is an underestimated winner. A blog provides fuel for your content strategy and is one of the best ways to keep your digital content fresh. If your company has a lot of specific knowledge and skills, isn’t your prerogative to share it? The benefits of blogging are numerous – from increasing your search engine traffic to building your perceived expertise in the field – it gives you a platform to create new content on a regular basis to promote that “we’re open for business” mentality to all customers and prospects.
Publish and post content regularly
Publishing original content regularly on your blog and using different web platforms to expose it (like Medium, Quora and LinkedIn) generally boosts your street credibility. You’ll also find your new best friend in Google – who might reward you on the search engine results page by promoting your content. While there’s no tried and tested method for publishing online, be sure to consider how you lay out your content on the web and how to keep your tone of voice consistent and on-brand. Aside from that, publishing consistently is key to building an audience.
Publishing content without a long-term strategy? Think again. Here’s why you should plan a year’s worth of content in one go. Creating a schedule and content calendar is a great way to keep the content flowing. Using workflow management apps like Trello or social media automation apps like Buffer are excellent ways to streamline the whole content production process, from start to finish.
Build your channels
Want more engagement on your newly created blog? Focus your digital marketing efforts on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Here you can use your brand strengths. For example, do you need an Instagram page to show off your work? Then go visual and promote your work that way. It’s worth carefully considering what channels might suit your business and the types of content you should create (e.g. white papers, videos, testimonials, case studies etc). Here’s where you can look at your metrics too. They’re great for thinking about bottom line and return on investment, but also point to what’s working or not working. Lastly, always speak to your audience. They determine your business’s success, so it’s worth asking them what they think. Some strategies for reaching your audience may involve user experience testing, competitor analysis, or persona development.
Keeping your content fresh is not as tricky as it sounds. It simply takes an organised team with a clear content strategy and a method that works. If you’re feeling a bit stuck, don’t worry. Shuttle Rocket specialises in writing professional, polished web copy for small businesses across Australia. We even have an affordable blog builder package to get you started. Check it out and get in contact with us today!