Creating high-quality content is essential for any business or website looking to attract and engage its audience. However, planning and creating content can seem like a nightmare (!) sometimes, especially if you’ve never planned content before. Fortunately, with a little time to plan and some smart strategies, you can create great content with ease.
Start with a Content Calendar
One of the most effective ways to plan your content is to create a content calendar. This helps you organize your ideas and ensure that you consistently produce high-quality content. A content calendar allows you to plan out your content in advance, ensuring that you don't miss any important topics or events.
I always print out an actual calendar, dedicate a corner of my planner, or buy a new paper planner for this. You can start by outlining the key themes or topics that you want to cover over the next few months or year. Then, assign specific dates for when you want to publish each piece of content. I always try to stay at least two blog articles ahead on my calendar, that way if I get behind, I still have some content to share. However (as you noticed last week, per my nonexistent blog post…uh-oh), sometimes even the seasoned ones get behind and can fall short on content. It’s okay! Pick yourself back up, dust the dirt off, and keep trucking!
Batch Plan Your Content
Speaking of staying at least two articles ahead, here’s batch planning! Batch planning is another useful strategy for content creation that involves creating multiple pieces of content at once, rather than creating them one at a time. For example, you could set aside one day each month to write blog posts, another day for creating social media content, and so on.
This approach helps you stay focused and reduces the amount of time you spend switching between tasks. It also allows you to work more efficiently and create a backlog of content to ensure that you always have something to publish.
Create a Content Structure
A clear structure is essential for creating engaging content that resonates with your audience. Think about your content like a story, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Use this structure to guide your content planning and ensure that each piece flows seamlessly from one section to the next. Consider using headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up your content and make it more readable.
This is also a place where your content pillars can come in handy. If you know why you’re writing, it’s easier to come up with a “what.”
Brainstorm Content Ideas
One of the biggest challenges of content creation is coming up with fresh ideas that resonate with your audience. To overcome this, set aside time each month to brainstorm new content ideas. Consider what questions your audience might have, and what topics are currently trending in your industry. Don't be afraid to get creative and think outside the box. Remember, your content should be engaging, informative, and relevant to your audience.
Plus, the great big, wide world of the “interwebs” has amazing tools that can help you with this. One of the most useful pieces of advice I’ve been given on brainstorming came from the Queen of Social Media herself, Rachel Pedersen. She says to write a list of topics you want to write on, and google those topics. Take a look at the “People Also Ask” section, and there are the questions that you should answer in your content. The more you click on, the more questions appear. Then, once you’ve got a nice solid amount of questions, create a spreadsheet, and bam! There’s your content ideas, all conveniently listed in one place. Now, I’m paraphrasing her advice; Pedersen goes into much better detail about this tip on her TikTok, so if you’re looking for more of an explanation, or more tips on content planning, I suggest you head on over to her website or social media profiles.
Add Personality and Relevance
To make your content stand out from the crowd, it's important to infuse it with personality and relevant information. Use your unique voice and perspective to add a personal touch to your content.
Tell stories! Give us a personal narrative! Here is where you might also include testimonials from previous clients or colleagues. Consider adding case studies, statistics, or examples to support your arguments and make your content more compelling.
Revise and Edit
Once you've written your first draft, take the time to revise and edit your content. This involves checking for spelling and grammar errors, as well as refining your structure and ensuring that your content is easy to read and engaging. Don't be afraid to make major changes if necessary. Remember, the goal is to create high-quality content that resonates with your audience.
In conclusion,
content creation doesn't have to be a daunting task. With a little planning and some smart strategies, you can create engaging and meaningful content with ease. By starting with a content calendar, batch planning your content, creating a clear structure, brainstorming new ideas, adding personality and relevance, and revising and editing your content, you can create high-quality content that resonates with your audience and drives results for your business.
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