When you run a small business, content is one of those must-do tasks that tends to stick around on your to-do list. If you’re not particularly visual or wordy, it can feel like a major time-suck. But when done right, content can transform your business, pulling in your ideal customers and converting them into paying customers (and brand lovers!) over time, without you even needing to have a conversation.
That’s because content is like a conversation. It tells people what they need to know, answers their questions, and takes them on a journey.
Quality over quantity
We can sometimes fall into the trap of thinking we need to put out brand new content every single day. The thing is, there is SO much content splashed over Instagram – your audience is never going to absorb everything you put out! Here’s a challenge for you:
Think of the last time you scrolled through Instagram. I’m guessing it will have been in the last couple of days…How many posts do you remember seeing? I’m talking 1) who posted it, 2) what it was about, and 3) what the call to action was. I’m pretty confident you’ll remember max 3 or so posts!
It just goes to show: you really don’t need to spend every minute of your day creating content. Instead, go for quality over quantity. It’s a good rule of thumb in life, and especially good when it comes to content. Spend your time crafting some well-written blog posts, email newsletters or video content, and you’ll find it actually has more impact than posting click-baity content on the daily. Once you’ve got that high quality cornerstone content, you can repurpose it across channels (more on that later!).
Make a day of it
You know those moments when you’re just in the zone with your content creation, and you feel like you could create enough posts to last you a year?! That’s the energy we want to harness. Pick a day (or a half day to get started) in your calendar, and spend an hour or so brainstorming creative content ideas. Look at what others in your industry are doing for inspiration, and make sure your ideas list is tailored to what your audience needs. Go for content that’s educational, entertaining, or tells people what they need to know about you & your biz. Bonus points if your content ticks all three boxes!
Knowing you’ve got a whole day off to dive into content creation will take some of the pressure off – and that pressure is usually what’s led to creative block in the first place. “As a small business owner, it can be hard to make time for content creation,” says Lauren Hall, a UX designer and founder of Studio Grace. “Batching means I don’t have an excuse – it just has to get done! It stops me leaving content creation to chance, and to be honest, when I’m really busy, it tends to be pretty far down on my to-do list.”
Repurposing is your new best friend
This is one of my favourite content hacks: repurpose what you’ve already got. You might be familiar with my Content Booster package, which is based on the art of repurposing. Essentially, you start with one really great piece of content you’ve already made – whether that’s an eBook, a blog post or a podcast episode. I then turn that into 30 pieces of juicy snackable content for your audience to enjoy. “Repurposing will forever be my favourite content hack,” says Ellie Austin Williams, founder of This Girl Talks Money. “It saves so much time, and ensures I get the most out of my content.”
That’s the thing about repurposing: it really is a win-win. If you’ve spent time writing a really valuable blog post, it would be a shame to keep it only for those who click through to your blog. Instead, chop your blog post up into captions, email newsletter content, LinkedIn posts and Instagram stories. It means you get 10 pieces of content for the price of one, and helps solidify your messaging, because your audience consumes the information more than once. In the madness of social media, we can’t expect people to remember our every post. Instead, we need to keep reminding them of what we want them to know.
Keep an eye out for trends
All too often, people post the same boring (sorry!) content on social media, because it’s what they see other people post. If you follow any of the Insta-gurus out there, they’ll often share scripts and prompts, and the effect is that a lot of content on social media looks a bit samey. Avoid the trap by keeping an eye out for trends, and jumping on board. Time-sensitive content is a great way to mix up your content strategy, keeping things fresh and entertaining your audience. Remember these recent trends: the ‘red flag emoji’ tweets.), brands replying to other brands, and the memes that gently mocked events like the Met Gala?
You don’t need to take part in every viral social trend, but it is a good idea to look out for things that overlap with your audience’s interests. “Keep your ear to the streets,” says Kei Maye, founder of Creative Champs. “Understand what your audience needs, and work out which of those needs you can help out with.” Trend-based content helps show your audience you understand them – and are well-placed to help them solve their problems through your offers.
Get creative with a content series
Yoco Studio’s final content hack? Think up a content series for Instagram/LinkedIn/Pinterest/[insert social media platform of choice]. Content series help provide direction to what you’re posting, and can also help you stay consistent. If you announce you’re sharing a weekly tip every Monday, you’ll have to post that tip! Similarly, your audience will come to expect your regular content, so you’ll be inspired to keep it up. Depending on what you offer, consider a weekly or monthly content series. You could also get creative with the seasons: a 12 days of Christmas countdown works great for both product and service based businesses. You could share regular tips and tricks, or interview someone who’s relevant for your audience on Instagram Live.
Have a play around and see what works best for you. After all, the golden rule of content is to focus on what feels good: if you’re forcing yourself to create a certain type of content because you feel like you should, chances are you won’t be able to keep it up. Grab a pen and a notebook, and start brainstorming some ideas for a content series. This is a great opportunity to unleash some creative freedom, so don’t be afraid to push the boundaries! Remember this top tip from writer Ellie Howkins: “Resist the temptation to what you see everyday and think about what is genuinely going to be valuable for your followers.” It’s a great tip – and the perfect note to end on.
If you need a hand with your content strategy, my Content Booster package might be just the thing for you. I’ll turn one piece of content into 15 or 30 snackable bites that you can share across your social media platforms with ease. Want to find out more? Get in touch here!
