Crafting content is a difficult task. Designing content that people genuinely desire to read can be exceptionally demanding. That is precisely the reason behind compiling this indispensable manual on content creation.
Contained within, you will discover comprehensive information regarding the procedure of content creation, encompassing guidelines on cost estimation, optimal methods for generating various forms of content, and strategies for devising a content strategy and blueprint. Additionally, you will unveil the essential team members required to assist in content creation, alongside valuable suggestions for crafting exceptional content.
How much content are you exposed to every day?
According to estimates from digital marketing professionals, the typical American encounters approximately 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements daily. It is important to note that this figure only includes ads and does not factor in the various other forms of content we engage with.
The fact shouldn’t come as a shock. We are constantly surrounded by content, whether it be found on websites, social media platforms, newspapers, magazines, TV, radio, or even in emails… the options are endless.
Not all of the content is pertinent, and we come across certain content involuntarily (like the billboards we encounter during our morning commute). However, when we actively search for information, particularly when considering a purchase, we anticipate the content we engage with to be truthful, beneficial, and prompt.
Creating and publishing a single piece of content has become effortless in today’s times; however, the real difficulty lies in producing meaningful and easily accessible content. By generating valuable content, you establish credibility with your audience, increasing the likelihood of earning their trust and loyalty. Thus, it is unsurprising that content marketing is employed by 93% of B2B marketers as a crucial component of their digital marketing strategies.
If brands fail to provide their users and customers with the necessary information, they will most likely seek it elsewhere, potentially from a rival company.
What steps are involved in content creation?
The process of designing and producing content that is valuable, easily accessible, and impactful to a target audience is known as content creation. Although this guide will primarily concentrate on written content, it is crucial to acknowledge that content encompasses various formats such as videos, infographics, podcasts, and others.
In order to create successful content, certain key requirements must be met.
- A plan for what kind of content to create
- A specific purpose and goal(s)
- Content creators who know best practices for creating good content
- Creation with a focus on readability and accessibility
- Creation that begins with a specific digital marketing channel in mind
Why is content so important?
Content is crucial for any business, as it provides the necessary information for customers, prospects, readers, and users to make informed purchasing decisions. Here are a few key reasons why content plays a vital role in your business:
Provides value to audiences
By producing content such as educational resources, guides, and articles, you offer value to your audience and assist them in advancing. Additionally, value can be provided through content that enables individuals to accomplish particular tasks.
The value you can offer varies depending on the piece of content and the subject matter. Nevertheless, education, inspiration, and entertainment are the fundamental ways in which you can provide value through your digital content.
Builds your brand (and trust)
The perception of your brand (including its content) by people holds great significance since it influences their likelihood to recommend your brand to others. The content plays a vital role in shaping customers’ perception of your brand. By consistently delivering valuable, top-notch content, you can establish a sense of trust with your audience.
Attracts and engages prospects
When your content is valuable not only to your target audience but also to your business, it serves as a tool for establishing your reputation with potential customers and users. By educating them instead of solely focusing on sales, you demonstrate your expertise and offer value, thereby impressing potential customers.
Delights existing customers
While there is significant emphasis on generating content to attract new customers, it is equally important to continue catering to your existing customers and audience through content. It’s crucial to recognize chances where you can enhance the value of your content as a means of retaining and expanding your customer base.
Positions your brand as an industry thought leader
Recall that we previously discussed the abundance of content available. It can pose a challenge for individuals to locate the information they require amidst this overwhelming volume. However, by crafting exclusive and valuable content for your readers, you can effectively rise above the cacophony and establish your brand as an authority in the field.
If you aim for people to repeatedly engage with your content, focus on establishing thought leadership as people have trust in and follow thought leaders.
Quantifiably grows your business
Creating content that aligns with your brand, provides value to your audience, and is backed by a measurable business objective can enhance the return on investment derived from the content, even though it may be a long-term strategy for growing your business. High-quality content has the potential to boost website traffic, generate leads, and increase conversions.
Helps you meet (and exceed) audience expectations
Whenever we mention content marketing, it consistently revolves around catering to your specific audience. It is crucial for your content to fulfill their expectations and ideally exceed them. In a society where an infinite wealth of information is readily accessible, it should come as no shock that individuals anticipate brands to generate content.
What is the cost of creating content?
In our Content Strategy and Delivery Masterclass, we aim to address the question of the cost of content creation by considering various factors. These factors include the content creation process utilized and the individuals involved in the content creation.
The stages of the content creation process are introduced to all participants (further details on the process and workflow will be explained later).
- Brief/page table
- Research
- Write
- User test (and iterate)
- Review
- Revise
- Upload to CMS
- Review in HTML
- Publish
- Govern/maintain
Content Creation Strategy
Part I: Performing Content Research
Getting started with an effective content strategy involves essential research, such as identifying your target audience and choosing appropriate high-volume keywords. Here are some tips to assist you in the process.
1. Use Online Surveys
conduct an online survey to gain a better understanding of your audience if you already possess a comprehensive mailing list.
2. Leverage Audience Polls on Social Media
Understanding your audience’s pain points and aspirations is particularly facilitated by the utilization of social media polls.
3. Monitor Blog Comments
When you do this, you will gain insight into the expectations, problems, and needs of your readers. This can be highly advantageous when devising or refining your content creation strategy.
4. Focus on Social Listening
Be vigilant in tracking hashtags associated with your brand and any mentions of your brand name across different social media platforms. Additionally, closely monitor the comments section of your social media posts.
5. Use Analytics Tools
To gain a deeper understanding of the demographic aspects of your current audience, delve into both Google Analytics and social media analytics.
Part 2: Developing your Content Creation Strategy
Before diving into creating and distributing high-quality content, it is essential to develop a comprehensive content creation strategy. To help you with this initial stage, here are some useful tips.
6. Brainstorm Content Ideas
Assemble your team and commence the process of noting down all ideas, themes, and subjects that you believe will captivate your audience. You can alternatively utilize a resource such as AnswerThePublic to identify the queries your audience is highly likely to have on a specific topic. Once you have numerous ideas, compile them within an Excel spreadsheet and initiate research for each topic.
7. Audit Your Existing Content
Identify your top-performing and least-performing content assets across different channels to determine which topics, formats, and distribution channels are generating the most engagement.
In StoryChief, you have the option to utilize different filters and searches to locate content that requires updating. An effortless method to discover potential areas for improvement is by identifying posts with low SEO and readability scores. Our SEO and readability optimizer provides a score and suggestions for enhancing them.
8. Outline a Content Calendar
A content calendar is a tool that defines your strategy for creating and implementing content, ensuring you remain focused and consistent. Online, you can discover numerous content calendar templates that can assist you in developing your content creation strategy.
9. Create a Content Marketing Playbook
A content marketing playbook (CMP) is a handy reference tool that outlines the best practices for content marketing in your organization. It promotes collaboration and coordination within your team, while also simplifying the training process for new employees.
10. Leverage a Content Marketing Platform
Choosing a content marketing platform that is user-friendly and dependable, such as StoryChief, is highly recommended if you have a sufficient budget. This platform will offer you a comprehensive solution for creating, publishing, tracking, and overseeing different content assets. It is important to assess the various available options and choose a CMP that aligns with your requirements.
Part 3: Creating the content
If you have successfully developed a solid content creation strategy, this particular stage will be eagerly awaited. Additionally, we have gathered a few more efficient suggestions:
11. Set Up Your Blog
It is about time you begin setting up your blog if you haven’t done so already. Utilizing a content management system (CMS) like WordPress or HubSpot, you can easily create a beautiful blog in a few straightforward steps. Additionally, you can make use of StoryChief in conjunction with WordPress.
12. Publish Keyword-Rich Content
When writing blog posts, ensure that you optimize them correctly by using appropriate keywords. Nevertheless, refrain from excessive inclusion of unrelated keywords within your content. Instead, strategically incorporate your keywords into the subsequent sections.
- Page title
- Meta title
- Meta description
- Introduction
- Heading (H1) and subheadings (H2, H3)
- Image alt text
- Conclusion
If you need assistance with keyword insertion in your blog posts, StoryChief can be of help. Simply input the focus keyword in the platform, and it will provide you with guidance on the necessary actions.
13. Optimize Your Content Structure
Long-form content may perform better, but it is crucial to make it easy to read and scan as nobody enjoys going through a lengthy wall of text. Employ shorter sentences and paragraphs, and organize your content into meaningful subsections with appropriate subheadings.
By adhering to specific instructions tailored to your unique content, StoryChief allows you to enhance the readability and SEO optimization of your blog.
14. Write Compelling Headlines
Employ an attention-grabbing title that sparks the curiosity of readers and evokes a feeling of urgency.
15. Use New Content Formats
In addition to blog posts, you should also take into consideration utilizing alternative content formats such as:
- Videos
- Podcasts
- Infographics
- Memes
- Social media posts (tweets, jokes, one-liners, captions)
- Animations
The choice of content formats ultimately relies on factors including your target audience, marketing goals, and available finances. Furthermore, it is reliant on the distribution channels intended to be utilized for reaching your audience. By creating various types of content such as podcasts and videos, you can generate blog posts and promote them, thereby directing traffic to your main website.
Part 4: Tactics for Effective Content Distribution
Distributing and promoting your content is essential for a successful content creation strategy. Here are some useful tips to ensure your content reaches the appropriate audience at the right moment.
16. Use the Right Channels at the Right Time
To effectively distribute content, it is crucial to utilize the preferred channels of your audience and choose the suitable channels for every stage of the buyer’s journey.
Utilize website and social media analytics to identify the optimal timing when your audience is most active on different distribution channels.
17. Leverage Social Media
Regardless of the type of product or market you are in, it is highly probable that your potential customers are already utilizing one or multiple social media platforms. To maximize your reach and engagement, it is important to incorporate the appropriate content formats and publishing schedules for each social media channel into your content creation strategy.
18. Don’t Ignore Emails
Emails are advantageous in developing and cultivating active leads, as well as establishing a lasting connection with your current customers. Ensure that you provide exclusive content to your subscribers on your email list, such as:
- Newsletters
- Insider tips
- Free trials and demos
- Early access to new products
- Free resources such as e-books, tools, guides, et cetera
