Content marketing can be one of the best sources for inbound traffic. As the most successful bloggers are still reeling in views from pieces written months, if not years ago, getting a foundation like that isn’t always a walk in the park. Especially when you factor in things like social media, SEO, sourcing content, and research, it can be somewhat of a hefty balance to keep the load on. However, that’s why we’re going to break down a few helpful tips on bootstrapping the initial content for your business to get rolling right. Check them out below:
Create A Rubric For Consistency
A big part of being good at content is simply remaining consistent at it. While that might sound easy, it’s something even the best of the bunch struggle with. It isn’t that they’re bad writers or take a long time researching, it’s that coming up with original, organic content can be an uphill battle. As noted by LucidPress, it takes 5 to 7 brand impressions on average for someone to remember your name.
One of the first steps in creating your content calendar is asking yourself what primary mediums of delivery you’re looking to deliver your blog content. For example, if I’m a blog that tackles environmental issues and I know Instagram is my most popular medium for content, then brainstorming how I can deliver short soundbites or quotes out of my pieces ahead of time to fit in a skeleton for an Instagram Story/Post will be crucial. Additionally, it’s crucial to dedicate time to studying, compiling your research once a week. This should be a process that engages you and keeps you active in your industry, so embrace it as a chance to become the thought leader you knew you could be.
Pool Solid Visuals
It’s important to have well-researched and engaging content, but it’s also important to give people the visual aids that bring your content to life. According to Impact Bound, blog articles with images get 94 percent more views, which is not only because they’re easier to read but also more entertaining. Practically everyone reading this sentence will admit they skim articles, so why not make them more visually appealing?
When looking for visual elements, there are two distinct sources you should make a habit. The first is sourcing low-cost or free images from stock photo/licensing sites, which can provide a great resource if you’re looking for supplementary materials. The second source is creating visual assets such as infographics and charts to include in your pieces. Depending on your budget, you can get away with efficiently using both if you know how to source templates and bulk images for little to nothing (or free).
Make Your Content Shareable
Although we think any blog post with a share link is shareable, that’s only a surface-level way of looking at what people share. A good way to think about this is by asking yourself–what was the last thing you shared online? Why did you share it? What message did you send along with it (and why)?
See? Content is more than producing articles or blog posts but providing ideas and conversation starters. Things ring true on and off social media because as noted by DreamGrow, 84 percent of content sharing happens outside of social media. A lot of your clicks are happening beyond the confines of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, which is why you should make your work as qualifiably thought-provoking (amongst your community) as it is quantifiably successful.
When posting materials, try to establish a conversation off the bat by asking a question that the article or post can pose. While it doesn’t have to be a groundbreaking piece, this should be something worth stopping and thinking over for a second, which usually concerns a popular topic in the industry.
Don’t forget to track your results by using one of the top URL shorteners for marketing with analytics tracking. Finally, don’t be frustrated if it takes time to build a network of people willing to engage; you’re looking to build dedicated fans, not just impress those who are passing by.
Keep It Concise
Finally, one of the most crucial mistakes people make with content marketing is going for the long-game at hopes of building up keywords or SEO ranking. Not only will this water down the quality of your content, but it could potentially lead you to be punished for trying to ‘game’ the search algorithms. The irony is that it’s not what your audience wants; if your blog is over 1,600 words, it’s likely that only 20 percent of your audience will read it. That’s why sometimes slow and steady is the ideal pace.
When writing, a smart strategy is to let everything out at once, then circle back and make edits later. Although it’s common to hesitate, it’s easier to get a flow going, then edit later. This also can help with trying to formulate and restructure your content in a way that can become a little more social friendly. Half the battle with writing is in the editing, which even if you’re not a master at first, will become much simpler over time.
What are some ways you’ve been able to bootstrap your content efforts without breaking the bank? Comment with your insights below!
