Before you start testing and experimenting, you need to have a clear idea of what content formats and channels you want to try. Content formats are the ways you present your information, such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, ebooks, webinars, etc. Channels are the platforms where you distribute your content, such as your website, social media, email, search engines, etc. You should choose your content formats and channels based on your audience's preferences, your goals, your resources, and your brand identity.
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So many of my clients believe they should be on all platforms, but this just isn't the case. Figure out: - Who you're targeting and which channel they spend most of their time on - The type of content you're going to be focussing on (LinkedIn favours text for example, while TikTok is video only) When you've identified where you should be focusing your attention, stick with it. It's a full time job to manage 1-3 platforms in 2023, let alone spread yourself too thinly across more than that. Focus, targeting, consistency.
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A big mistake I think brands and people make is that they often try to employ a one-to-many approach. That is… One person managing several social platforms OR One content type for all platforms As an individual, I know that I’m most comfortable with written and visual content, so LinkedIn and Twitter are the platforms I post to most frequently. As a brand, you want people helming social who have an affinity for the content of each platform, if possible. Don’t try to boil the ocean. Double down on a few platforms and get really good at them.
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If you're confused about what channels to use, look at your buyer personas. They will be the source of truth as to where you should be spending the majority of your time. If your buyer persona is an older C-suite professional, LinkedIn may be the channel for you. If your buyer personal is a younger Gen Z influencer, TikTok or Instagram is probably a better bet. Each channel has its own "rules of engagement" and content matrix that is required for success. Take a piece of content, choose your channels, and then reformat that content to "speak the language" of that channel. That way you'll spend less time on content creation and more time on engaging with the people who mean the most to your business.
Once you have your content formats and channels, you need to define what you want to achieve with them and how you will measure their performance. Your objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, you may want to increase your website traffic, generate more leads, boost your engagement, or raise your awareness. Your metrics should be aligned with your objectives and reflect the actions you want your audience to take, such as clicks, views, shares, comments, downloads, sign-ups, etc.
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What are you hoping to achieve? Before you can determine what is or isn't working you should define the goals you want to achieve with your content. It could be increasing website traffic, generating leads, improving brand awareness, or engaging with your target audience and from there test it out and see what does and does not work!
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“What gets measured, gets better” When you’re first starting out, you need to focus on consistency and frequency of posting because it’s really hard to conduct informed analysis of small data sets. Define your target audience. Determine your standard post times and types. And let ‘em rip! Once you’ve got a couple hundred posts under your belt, you should be able to measure things more effectively.
Now that you have your content formats and channels, and your objectives and metrics, you can start creating and publishing your content. You should follow the best practices for each format and channel, such as using keywords, headlines, images, captions, call-to-actions, etc. You should also create a content calendar to plan and schedule your content in advance and ensure consistency and quality. You can use tools like Google Calendar, Trello, or CoSchedule to manage your content calendar.
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And make sure you plan your content in advance. You should have at least 1 or 2 weeks of content prepared ahead of time to maintain consistency. Consistency develops credibility, which is highly needed for an ROI-driven approach on social media and online channels.
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Before you create any more "great content", figure out how you're going to market it first. Too many things being made only to die in the frigid wasteland that is distribution.
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This is sound advice for many, but intimidating for others and so it's important to clarify that this isn't the only way to be successful at creating content consistently. I've been creating content here on Linkedin for 3 years now and my content has been viewed nearly 20 million times. Never once have I used google calendar, trello, or any other tool to create a content calendar or "schedule" posts. I think one of the most important things people need to keep in mind when deciding to create content on a platform is: "What method of creating FEELS best to me?" Personally, I'm a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of creator. My best content is created on the fly, so that's what I do, and if that works for you, too, then do that!
The next step is to test and experiment with different variations of your content formats and channels to see which ones perform better. You can use different methods to test and experiment, such as A/B testing, multivariate testing, or split testing. A/B testing is when you compare two versions of the same content element, such as a headline, a image, or a button. Multivariate testing is when you compare multiple combinations of different content elements, such as a headline and a image, or a button and a caption. Split testing is when you compare two or more completely different versions of the same content format or channel, such as a blog post and a video, or a Facebook post and a Twitter post.
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I often see people who post on LinkedIn a few times and expect to get sales. It’s important to post consistently for 3+ months before you start seeing results.
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In my experience, split testing works wonders. By running simultaneous tests with distinct variations, you can quickly identify which formats and channels resonate most with your audience. Analyze the performance metrics closely to determine the winning combination and optimize your content strategy accordingly. With split testing as your guiding principle, you can refine your content strategy iteratively and drive continuous improvement in your marketing efforts.
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Most marketers I see are still getting stuck in defaulting to something being a "blog". It's much better to think of what your desired outcome is, then work your way backward to finding the right output. It could be a blog, it could also be a video, a short, a social media text/image post, campaign, etc.
The final step is to analyze and optimize your results based on the data you collect from your tests and experiments. You should use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or HubSpot to track and measure your metrics and see how they relate to your objectives. You should also look for patterns, trends, and insights that can help you understand what works and what doesn't work for your audience, your goals, and your brand. You should then use this information to optimize your content formats and channels and improve your content marketing strategy.
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Try to identify what are your best-performing posts based on your data/insights. Before doing so, it's crucial to reflect what are your desired objectives. Assess whether these best-performing posts align with your goals. Once you have identified them, you can optimize them further. However, it's also wise to continue testing these high-performing posts to determine what yields the best results. It's all about trial and error. If a post is not performing well, stop and reflect on why it's not, and compare it with other posts to spot the difference.
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Develop content for your chosen formats and channels. Ensure it is well-crafted, visually appealing, and optimized for each platform. Pay attention to factors like headline quality, engaging visuals, SEO optimization, and call-to-action elements.
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You may do a lot of work to plan, publish, and evaluate only to find out that your strategy isn’t working. That is ok! The purpose of testing and measuring is to find out what gets the results you are looking for. Don’t be afraid to alter your plans and strategy when you have more information.
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Continuously test and experiment with new content formats and channels over time. As you gather more data and insights, you can refine your strategies and expand into new areas to diversify your content marketing efforts. Experimentation is an ongoing process, and it's crucial to keep up with industry trends, consumer behavior, and evolving platforms to stay relevant and maximize your content's impact.
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