You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: creating content is a great marketing strategy for building your online business. That’s all well and good, but what exactly is “content” and how do you create it? That part is a little more complicated, which is why we’ve created yet another handy guide to help you get started.
What does “content” mean exactly?
When it comes to promoting your business on the internet, “content” can include anything from a post on your company’s facebook page to a blog post to a youtube video. Content is really referring to anything you can create and share online, and it’s all about building your brand and broadening your digital footprint. Check out the Facebook post below from Violet’s Event & Floral Design – sharing photos of the events you’ve worked is a quick and easy way to create content that will appeal to your target audience.
Why do I Need Content?
The concept behind Content Marketing is that by creating something that entertains or engages a target audience, you’re building a relationship that will eventually lead to sales or bookings. Think of it as a pen pal for the digital age: you’re trying to cultivate a dialog so that event planners searching for Event Professionals will see the person behind the computer screen, rather than the website on it.
What Kind of Content Is Right For Me?
The wonderful thing about content is that if you enjoy creating it, your audience is going to enjoy it too, so the best way to choose what type of content is right for your business is to figure out what you enjoy doing the most. The only caveat here is that it’s always important to have a visual component, so even if you decide to focus on creating content for a company blog, it’s still important to include some really visually compelling high res images.
If you’re not sure what type of content you enjoy creating, do some experimenting. What form of content allows you to communicate your personality to your audience? What type of content do you feel happy and proud to share with your friends and family?
What Should My Content Be About?
The most important thing to remember when it comes to content topics is to put your audience first. Yes, the overall goal is to build your brand and attract new clientele, but you’re not going to be able to accomplish that by simply writing self-promotional content that serves your own interests.
Try to think of ways you can use content to help your target audience. If you’re a photographer, maybe that means content detailing the difference between Fine Art Photography and Portrait Photography with some advice on how readers can choose between the two. An officiant, on the other hand, may want to offer content that shares best practices for creating an engaging wedding ceremony.
Remember, you are an expert in your field – that’s why you get paid to do what you do – and even tips and advice that may seem like the most obvious, basic ideas in the world are probably brand new information to event planners looking to hire you.
Also, keep in mind that while you don’t want to overload your audience with entirely self promotional content, it’s you should include the occasional blog post or video that features your work. A good way to start out is for no more than one out of every three posts to be about your business, although visually focused event professionals like florists and event designers who receive lots of lovely images of their work can get away with more since that will appeal to almost everyone.
Check out the example of a blog post from the Berkshire Lake House & Cottages, below. The post is about winter sports in the Berkshire, so even though it doesn’t directly promote the Lake House itself, the information is helpful for anyone who plans to visit the area this winter. This will help attract a new segment of reader to their website, while ensuring that this new audience is still within their target market.
How Often Should I Post Content?
The key here is to figure out a schedule that will continue to engage your audience without overwhelming them – or you. We’d recommend starting out with one or two posts a week and going from there. It’s important to allow your content schedule to evolve as you get more comfortable with creating it. If you start out with creating two pieces of content a week and you find that you’re simply bursting with things to say or share, by all means, increase your schedule. On the flip side, if you start out with two posts a week and find that you’re dreading it, step on the brakes and start posting once a week. It’s all about balance.
How Should I Promote My Content?
One of the biggest mistakes many business owners make is not sharing the content they’re creating frequently enough or through enough channels. You should be posting about your content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media platforms you belong to. You should also be emailing content updates to your email database weekly or biweekly – email is by far the most effective way to engage an audience, especially if you’re giving your audience something (in this case, content) rather than asking for something (money or a booking.)
The Takeaways
- Creating content doesn’t have to be scary – especially if you choose a format that you enjoy creating
- It’s okay to create content that promotes your business, as long as it’s not the only type of content you post
- Use your experience to figure out ways you can help your audience – that’s the best way to build trust while engaging them
- You should try to post something at least once a week – if you’re sticking to Facebook, up that number to once a day
- Share your content as often as possible in as many places as you can – just don’t overdue it – you don’t want to annoy anyone!
- If you’re proud of the content you create, you’re going to feel good sharing it, that’s what it’s all about
