The most commonly asked question that I get about content creation is “How often should I be posting and sharing with my audience?”
The truth is, you’re asking the wrong question. In fact, not to stoke the fire, but the frequency of your posts is the least of your worries. It’s not about how often you’re showing up but the quality of what it looks like when you do. All the social media and marketing gurus will talk about consistency being key to growing an audience and this is 100% true, but consistency is much more about quality than quantity.
The Consumption of Your Content is Key to Creating Customers.
You want people eating it up like potato chips! So you have to give them more than just promotions – you want to keep them interested and benefiting from what they see on the other end from your brand.
Here is a much more important question I want you to ask yourself: “Does my content provide something of value to my audience?”
If you aren’t sure what that really looks like, think about a few of the accounts you enjoy following on social media or the email newsletters you look forward to reading. What makes them a joy to follow? I’ll bet you it’s not because they’re constantly promoting what they sell but due to the fact that they are adding some level of value to your life.
3 Core Content Types Your Marketing Needs to Stay Interesting.
Whether creating a social media post, email newsletter, blog or any other form of content marketing for your business, keeping value at the core is what turns a reader or viewer into a customer! Thinking about who your ideal customer is and the things that they find valuable are important but only part of the puzzle. The other part is staying aligned with what feels natural for you as the content creator and leaning into where you can shine authentically and consistently.
There is no “trick” to creating content people gravitate towards, but there are intentional questions you can ask yourself to make sure you are spending time and energy on content that gives you your best chance for growth through connection.
- Do I Have Content That Educates My Consumer?
Are you teaching or demonstrating value to your audience? What topics complement your brand and interest your audience that you could educate on through your marketing? A wedding florist may create a video sharing tips on how to decide on your ideal wedding flowers based on what time of year you’re getting married. A real estate agent could write a blog post addressing the current home trends for 2022. Where is there an opportunity to serve your customer with knowledge and know-how?
2. Do I Have Content That Entertains My Consumer?
Are you creating emotion or amusement with your audience? Think about ways to add interest and intrigue in ways that fit your brand’s personality. It doesn’t have to be high production value, just interesting! A bakery owner may create a video showing behind the scenes of how their cinnamon rolls are made each morning or shoot a timelapse video on their iphone of the morning customer traffic in and out their doors on a busy Monday.
3. Do I Have Content That Encourages My Consumer?
Are you inspiring positive emotion or action with your audience? What ways could you create content that empowers them to do something or instills new thoughts or makes them smile? A hairstylist could share graphic quotes on self care and self love while a wellness coach may create a weekly video post with “repeat after me” affirmations for healthy living.
Your audience will connect to each of these core content types but think about which one is your content’s bread and butter? When you look at your brand as a whole and the things your customers have in common with it, that allows you to speak to them in a way that can invite them into a deeper relationship with you – one that’s reciprocal, authentic, and long lasting!
Hustle & Heart Challenge
This month take time to carve out the core content types, asking yourself which of the three feel the most natural and appealing for you to lean into: education, entertainment, or encouragement. Schedule 30 minutes to brainstorm ideas that fall under each category that align with your brand, concentrating on additional ideas for your main category.
