‘Post more content more often’ is probably one of the most well-worn pieces of marketing advice. We’ve all heard it and probably dismissed it 9 out of 10 times because the last thing we all need is one more thing to add to the to-do list – especially when it’s as involved and time-consuming as content creation.
But, it’s time to listen up. Content is a way to get in front of your target audience and, by doing that on a regular basis, they are 3 times more likely to buy your product or service (according to digital marketing guru Neil Patel).
Ultimately, you want your content to speak to your target audience like it was created just for them and doing this consistently will elevate their status from follower, to fan, to advocate of your brand. Sounds like an easy progression, right? Well, it is. The choice of content is up to you – video, live streams, images, blogs, gifs, infographics, ebooks, podcasts, the list goes on. But it’s the discipline on pushing out that content regularly that is the stumbling block.
ProBlogger founder Darren Rowse says, “The key to success in blogging (and in many areas of life) is small but regular and consistent actions over a long period of time” and he is 100 per cent correct.
And, as an added bonus, being organised enough to post content consistently also creates momentum in other areas of your business.
Download your 90-Day Social Media Content Calendar here.
Why?
Creating content on a consistent basis speaks volumes about you, your business and your respect for your audience. It also helps to:
- Create authority
- Engage the audience
- Build brand awareness
Create authority
Your content helps to create authority as an expert and a leader in your field. Research your topics, offer value and people that you know your stuff. By doing this (and sharing) regularly, you elevate your status and credibility in your niche and among your target audience.
Engage the audience
Readers or viewers are more likely to engage with you if you’re not a stranger. The principle of ‘know, like and trust’ is crucial in marketing and content follows the same rules. In order to interact with you, your followers need to feel like they have gotten to know you, grow to like you and ultimately trust your opinion and information you give them. Consistent content is the key here.
Build brand awareness
Content creates the foundation of your brand – its core values, mission and overall vision. Without this, your followers, customers or clients don’t know what you stand for, where your expertise lies and, ultimately, why they should trust you.
Posting regularly draws attention. Stick with it and watch as you begin to draw more exposure, popularity and awareness among your target market.
How?
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), there isn’t ONE secret to getting your content out there consistently … there’s THREE!
Batching
When we talk about batching, what we mean is creating content in bulk. For instance, that could mean dedicating a full day to create 4-5 videos or writing 2-3 blog posts of decent length.
You could batch create your content 1 or 2 days every month or half a day every week. The amount to dedicate to content creation is up to you, but basically getting into the habit of creating your content in bursts is great because it allows you to get your creative juices flowing, which in turn creates momentum, and you’ll have a whole heap of content – created in advance – in no time at all!
Content calendar
A great content calendar can really become your secret weapon to getting on top of your posting schedule and ensuring that your words, videos and images are being seen by your target audience every week.
There are loads of different kinds of content calendars but, after scouring the web, we came up with and own and think it does the job pretty well. You can download it here.
Posting/scheduling tools
Using automatic posting and scheduling tools, particularly for your social media updates is massive helping hand in keeping your content consistent.
Some of my favourites include Buffer (that can schedule all of your social media updates, including Instagram and Pinterest, and even Facebook Groups) and also Later (which is a simple way to curate your Instagram content in calendar and grid views). We have a full list of some of the Best Scheduling Tools right here.
One of the best things about using tools like this is that they make analysis and reporting so much easier and can even suggest optimal times to post so that you catch your target audience when they are likely to be most engaged.
Download your 90-Day Social Media Content Calendar here.
