We finished 2018 hearing all about the unmistakable power of content for marketing and promoting your business.
Content is king.
Marketers are increasingly investing in content marketing.
Consumers love content!
No matter where you look, you’re bound to find a headline talking about how incredible content marketing is.
I’m not here to tell you that’s not the case.
Content definitely is a marketing powerhouse, but it’s so much more than that.
And the question I frequently get is: why, and how should I use content to grow my business?
The Truth about Content Marketing
No matter how great we are at what we do, there’s always going to be someone better at it than us. There may be thousands.
And the only thing that really differentiates us from all those people out there is our unique perspective.
Content is the way to share it with people it resonates with.
If you’re a marketer, you know there’s a lot of marketers out there. But why do your clients prefer you over anyone else?
Your perspective resonates with them.
But how will they understand your perspective, and realize that you’re the person they want to work with?
If you don’t amplify your voice and your perspective with content, they won’t know. Everyone out there is producing all kinds of useful and valuable content, but it’s the perspective that matters.
It’s the difference between reading a valuable article full of tips and reading a great article.
Different kinds of content work for different people, and that’s why it’s important for you to produce it. And not only produce it — you have to pour some of your soul and your perspective into it.
But I’m Not a Good Writer, I’m Not…
That’s not an excuse.
We have so many resources at our disposal that there’s no excuse for not producing content and growing our businesses by sharing our unique perspectives.
I’m producing Facebook Live videos that become blog posts, and blog posts that become Facebook Live videos. That video can become 12 social media posts, an infographic, and an ebook.
There’s no limit to what content can be, and what form we can get it in or turn it into.
Maybe you’re not a great writer — but do you like podcasting?
Maybe your voice isn’t radio-ready, but can you express yourself in words and make your audience both laugh and think?
Let’s face it:
Thinking that you can’t produce content in the medium your audience loves shouldn’t hold you back.
There are so many tools that can help you. A lot of them are free. There’s no reason not to start right now.
Ok, Where Do I Start with Content?
Before you start thinking about the format your audience likes and/or you like, start by thinking about value.
What do you think your audience needs to hear to understand how you can help them?
What tone do they need to hear it in?
For example, if you’re running a B2B business, you should think about your typical audience. Are they young people who like funny articles and memes? Do they need thoughtful pieces on long-term strategies or concrete tactics they can try out right now?
And if you’re selling B2C — let’s say you’re selling flowers — who are (going to be) your customers? What do they like talking about?
Don’t just think about your industry. Think about other interests of your audience.
You can use tools like Answer The Public to find the most common questions your audience asks, and then give them answers.
That’s the most straightforward way to think about providing value, but it’s really all about creativity. Just don’t forget to add some of your unique charms to whatever you produce.
The second step is actual content production.
You should definitely look at what kind of mediums your audience prefers, but at the end of the day, you should pick the format you’re most comfortable with; where your personality translates well.
If you’re not a good writer — if your brain just isn’t wired that way — articles and blog posts may not be your “weapon” of choice. If you don’t feel natural when writing, you may not be able to express your personality through it.
So if you’d like to speak, speak. If you’d like to be on video, do video. If you like to write, then write.
And finally…
Automate and Start Promoting
When you produce a piece of content, your work shouldn’t end with publishing it on a platform of your choice.
In fact, there’s an article I wrote: How to produce a month’s worth of content in one minute.
It’s definitely possible. All it takes are some automation tools and editing.
I personally love starting with Facebook Live videos — it’s a medium I enjoy, and I think it shows with my audience.
After I publish the Facebook Live, I use a tool to repurpose that content and cross-promote it. Then I adapt my video for a podcast and outsource written content creation. I turn it into a social media video with a tool that gets it all done with very little input from me.
I get a lot of content from just one piece of content, and it fuels my marketing for weeks to come, providing value to my audience without having to sit down and do the work for hours every day.
Even though I’m not equally skilled at every type of content production — I don’t have to be.
And once I stopped thinking about my faults and started thinking about pooling resources that are going to help me overcome my limitations and reach my goal, content creation got a lot easier.
So if you think you’re not a good writer or a good podcaster — don’t let that stop you.
All that matters is your perspective, and showing the audience that you are the person whose expertise they need.
