If you’ve ever contributed to the digital marketing efforts of your business or someone else’s, it’s likely you’ve run into a “content-block.”
Day after day, month after month, most writers or marketers tasked with constant content creation go through phases where it feels like original ideas are running low. Simply put, the fatigue that occurs when you write for the same brands or industries is real.
The reality is that content will always be a crucial part of your strategy, so there’s no getting out of it. In fact, doing it well is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your site without spending a dime. Not to mention, the better it is, the longer people will stick around.
If you’re running low on creativity and need some inspiration, keep these tips in mind and see if it can help you get back to creating high-quality content:
1. See what’s trending
The internet has a new trend on a near-weekly basis. Keeping up with what’s currently trending can feel like a full-time job in and of itself. With that being said, paying close attention can have major benefits when it comes time to produce new content.
In any industry, you want your brand’s name to be involved in the conversation. Whether you’re taking a specific position, or just having some fun, you should be trying to show up where people are already looking.
Next time you recognize a trendy social media topic (pay attention – they come and go quick), give your opinion on that matter! Be sure to utilize any hashtags that could increase visibility.
2. Provide helpful information
The internet is good for many things. One area that I’ve found to be particularly useful is the spreading of information that makes life just a little easier. Everyone is an expert on something (think hard, you are too) and spreading your knowledge makes for both interesting and helpful content.
If you’re able to produce enough useful content that lives on your page, your audience will not only stick around for longer, but will also be more likely to revisit your page when they have questions on the topic.
3. Show off
Nobody likes bragging, but your customers would like to have some evidence that your business is doing good work. If you have a success story or example you’d like to share, put it out there!
Every business owner wishes that word of mouth would be sufficient for spreading the word of your effectiveness, but the reality is nobody knows your successes better than you. The specifics, numbers included, of the ways you were able to help clients and customers can speak volumes.
You don’t necessarily need to document every single time you deliver on your customer’s expectations, but if you have a particularly successful story to share, it makes for great content to live on your site.
4. Find your voice
One of the most effective ways to leave a lasting impression on your audience is by creating a unique voice that’s specific to your business. It can be a challenge to settle on the exact tone that best represents your company, but finding it is a necessity if you’re looking to take your content to the next level.
Since finding your voice can be difficult, here are a set of questions to ask yourself while you’re in the process of refining and experimenting with different options:
· Who is my audience?
If you know that your content is going to be consumed by upper-management, CEO types, you’ll probably leave the jokes to someone else. If your target audience is Gen Z, perhaps you would try to incorporate more informal language and social media references.
· Does it fit my industry?
This one can be a challenge because the brands whose content stands out often advertise in a way that seems atypical for the industry. With that being said, it’s still important to have your voice align with the type of products or services your company is selling.
· Don’t get stuck
Obviously you want to be consistent with your marketing content, but if something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to switch it up. Especially in the early going, play around with different concepts and see which one feels right.
5. Know your platform
Your content should be living all over various popular social media channels. It’s important to slightly alter your overall messaging to fit with the sites to which you’re posting.
For example, if you’re posting about a new product or service on Instagram, the overall tone of the copy should be different than if you were making a posting for a job opening on LinkedIn.
One place where you can fully “be yourself” is your company website. Your brand’s full personality should be on display for everyone who visits your site. Don’t be afraid to get creative and take a few risks for the sake of creating a memorable experience!
6. Incorporate visual elements
You’ve probably heard the phrase “humans are visual creatures” tons of times over the course of your life. Well, there’s a reason it keeps coming up – it’s true!
If you’re writing a 1,000-word blog post, make sure you mix in a few relevant images to break up the text. It helps if you have truly interesting imagery to accompany your writing, but even if it’s just stock imagery, it can still be effective.
Not only do images make content more entertaining, but they can also help the search-ability of your post or article. Search engines are able to identify images and catalog them based on the “alt text” or caption description, so make sure you describe the image in some way for the sake of SEO.
Conclusion
Even though content production can become repetitive and monotonous, it’s arguably still the most important part of your digital marketing strategy. One question content creators should ask themselves is simply: “Would I read this?”
If you feel like you don’t have the time to dedicate to producing informative, engaging content, contact Brick Solid Brands today to ask about solutions!
