Creating Compelling Content
Creating compelling content can be such a challenge. As a small business owner or nonprofit leader, there are only so many things you can hold on your to-do list at one time, and often, the content creation side of things falls by the wayside. I get it—I'm in the same place myself. Sharing content is critical in building up that like-know-trust factor so that your audience online feels like they know the real you. Read on for a few ideas to get the ball rolling. As Bill Gates once said, "Content is king."
Three Ways to Create Content in Less Than One Hour
Share a relevant industry article on social media.
Let's call this one the LinkedIn special. LinkedIn is a platform neglected by many small businesses and nonprofits, but it can be a great way to showcase your areas of expertise and knowledge, particularly if you're a B2B organization.
Write a blog post addressing a common question from your audience.
What's one question you hear all the time from current or prospective clients/customers/donors? Answer it in a blog post! The post itself doesn't have to be long or technical as long as it answers the question. This is a great SEO move for your website.
Develop a content calendar for the next quarter.
This is a great exercise for experimenting with AI tools—try this prompt (which was generated with ChatGPT!) and tweak the outputs to suit your purposes: "Create a content calendar for the next quarter for [Your Business Name], a small business in the [Your Industry] industry. Our target audience includes [describe your target audience]. Our goals for this quarter are to increase brand awareness, engage with current customers, generate leads and drive sales, educate and inform our audience, and promote new products/services. We plan to produce various types of content, including blog posts, social media posts, email newsletters, videos, and infographics. Please consider important dates like holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas), business milestones (e.g., anniversaries, product launches), and industry events. We aim to publish blog posts once a week, social media posts three times a week, email newsletters twice a month, videos once a month, and infographics once a month. The tone should be friendly, professional, down-to-earth, competent, and informative. Please provide a detailed calendar with specific topics and publication dates."
Here’s what I got back when I entered some of my own details (spoiler warning for anyone who’s curious about what I’m working on behind the scenes!):
Content Calendar for Placid Marketing (Next Quarter)
Content Goals:
Increase brand awareness
Drive SEO traffic to the website
Increase subscriptions to the email newsletter
Promote marketing strategy and execution services
Share knowledge through educational content and speaking engagements
Content Types and Frequency:
Weekly Email Newsletter: Every Tuesday
Weekly Blog Post: Every Wednesday
Biweekly Podcast: Twice per month
Social Media Posts: Three times per week (avoiding weekends)
Videos: Included as part of social media and blog content
Important Dates and Events:
Early September: Back-to-school content focusing on balancing demands of life as a working parent and small business owner
Podcast Launch: Prepare and promote the launch of the podcast
Digital Course: Develop and promote the digital course on creating a marketing plan
Content Calendar Breakdown:
August:
Week 1:
Email Newsletter: Introduction to the upcoming podcast (teaser)
Blog Post: "How to Balance Work and Family Life as a Small Business Owner"
Social Media: Posts about work-life balance, open-ended questions about challenges faced by parents
Week 2:
Email Newsletter: Tips for Creating an Effective Marketing Plan
Blog Post: "Top Marketing Strategies for Nonprofits"
Social Media: Highlights from the blog post, poll about marketing challenges
Week 3:
Email Newsletter: Announcing the Podcast Launch Date
Blog Post: "How to Get Started with Content Marketing"
Social Media: Countdown to podcast launch, engaging questions about content marketing
Week 4:
Email Newsletter: Benefits of a Retainer Setup for Marketing Services
Blog Post: "The Importance of Customer Feedback in Shaping Your Business"
Social Media: Posts about customer feedback, promotion of the blog post
September:
Week 1:
Email Newsletter: Back-to-School Special: Balancing Business and Family
Blog Post: "Strategies for Small Business Owners During Back-to-School Season"
Social Media: Back-to-school tips, personal anecdotes about balancing demands
Week 2:
Email Newsletter: First Podcast Episode Release
Blog Post: "Why Retainers Work Better Than Project-Based Contracts"
Social Media: Promote podcast episode, discussion about business contracts
Week 3:
Email Newsletter: How to Create a Marketing Plan in Minutes Each Day
Blog Post: "Simple Daily Habits for Effective Marketing"
Social Media: Tips from the blog post, questions about daily routines
Week 4:
Email Newsletter: Benefits of Engaging with Your Audience
Blog Post: "How to Use Social Media Polls to Understand Your Audience"
Social Media: Conduct a live Q&A, promote the blog post
October:
Week 1:
Email Newsletter: New Podcast Episode
Blog Post: "Maximizing Your Marketing Impact with Limited Resources"
Social Media: Promote podcast episode, discussion about resource management
Week 2:
Email Newsletter: Announcing the Digital Course on Marketing Plans
Blog Post: "Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Marketing Plan"
Social Media: Teasers for the digital course, poll about marketing needs
Week 3:
Email Newsletter: Benefits of Long-Term Marketing Strategies
Blog Post: "The Power of Consistency in Marketing"
Social Media: Highlight long-term strategies, engaging questions
Week 4:
Email Newsletter: Recap of Recent Podcasts and Blogs
Blog Post: "Effective Follow-Up Strategies for Lead Generation"
Social Media: Recap highlights, promote blog post
KPIs to Track:
Website Traffic: Monitor the increase in visitors and track the sources.
Email Subscriptions: Track the number of new subscriptions and open rates.
Engagement Rates: Measure likes, comments, shares, and poll participation on social media.
Podcast Downloads/Listeners: Track the number of downloads and listeners per episode.
Conversion Rates: Track leads generated through content and their conversion to clients.
By following this content calendar, you can systematically achieve your goals, engage your audience, and effectively promote your services and expertise.
Helpful Resources
Content Marketing Institute
"Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action." One of the best places online to learn more about content marketing is, as the name implies, the Content Marketing Institute.
The Ultimate Guide to Content Creation
As the intro states, this is "everything you need to know about creating content that attracts and converts."
