Anyone who is responsible for updating a website, social media accounts or writing a blog knows that content development can be tough. In addition to your daily workload, you need to think of ways to be fresh, relevant and present on a variety of platform.
For websites, Google and other search engines look at how often your site is updated to establish SEO ranking. Not posting regularly on social media? Well that’s going to limit how many of your followers see your posts in your newsfeed. And if they don’t interact with your posts (like, comment, share) they are even less likely to see future posts.
Before you throw your hands up in the air saying “this is all too much” hold on – I can help.
Here are 4 easy ways to maximize your content development.
1. Website
Your website should be the mothership for all your content development. Think of it as the centre of a web with all the other elements listed below spinning off from here.
I start my content development by writing weekly blog posts on my website. This ensures I have regular updates on my website (which makes Google happy). It also lets site visitors know that my website is current and fresh (no one wants to read copy that is a few years old…yes some organizations still put up websites and walk away).
2. Social media
Once you’ve created content on your website, you need to let people know it’s there. Let’s face it, no one is hitting refresh on your website, rubbing their hands together in anticipation of seeing what new content has been added. And what’s the point of creating new content if no one sees it?
Use your organization’s social media platforms to share your content. A warning – don’t cut and paste the same post for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn as they are different platforms with different focuses. Instead, take the extra 10 minutes to customize the content for each platform (yes I can hear you groaning from here).
For my blog posts, I use the photo on Instagram with a few points of learning from the post that relates to a visual audience. On Twitter it’s all about what’s newsworthy or current. For Facebook – I look for the social or human connection (Facebook Live video is a great way to share information and make the personal connection). And LinkedIn is all about what is relevant to a professional and the work they do or professional development. And where hashtags are used, I make sure I go beyond my audience. Example – #publicrelations is a standard but I may also use #leadership #business #growthmindset to name a few.
3. Email
Who in your organization or what stakeholders would be interested in the content you’ve created? Why should they care? Let them know in an email. But DO NOT send an email saying please see attached update and put a link. That is the kiss of death. Instead, let them know what has been updated, why it’s relevant to them, some short nuggets from the update and a link to the update.
If you use an email management program (Mail Chimp, Infusionsoft), this is a great way to get content to keep the emails relevant. Once again, you need to share some of the most interesting and engaging information, recognizing that only a few people will actually click on the link to your new copy.
4. Online Publications
For blog posts or content that can be shared as a story, there are many platforms to check out. Some of my favourites are Medium, Reddit, LinkedIn articles, The Mighty, Ezine articles and more.
Take the time to learn more about the platform and its audience before cutting and pasting your blog post (and make sure this is allowed).
You can also look at submitting articles (either blog posts or original pieces) to trade publications relevant to your career, industry or organization. A quick Google search will help you uncover opportunities (or ask your peers what online publications they subscribe to or follow).
Start Sharing
Each week, I set aside one to two hours to write this blog post and share it using a variety of the platforms listed above. Which ones I select depends on the content of the post as there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
By taking the time to do this, I broaden the reach of who reads my blog (so it’s not just a few kind friends). It also gives me exposure to new audience and, ultimately, clicks to my website (which is what it’s all about). And finally, it gives me credibility when speaking to potential new clients. They have a chance to see my writing and communications style, allowing them to decide if I’m the right fit for their organization.
Before you start, think about what information is relevant to your audience and what platforms make the most sense to share this information. I also encourage you to think about your brand voice (how your organization speaks) and make sure your content is written in this voice.
Okay, time to start writing and sharing your genius with the world.