9 Habits For Creating Quality Content

9 Habits For Creating Quality Content 

Creating high quality content isn't always easy. What is easy is randomly posting without a strategy, reposting links to mostly boring industry blog posts, posting about a sale, and using stock photography. But does that actually work? We both know the answer is no. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this. 

I know that growing organic reach and engagement rates are challenging to say the least. So, if you care about generating results and building momentum, it’s time to build some habits into your marketing routine that will help your organization create purposeful content with a compelling narrative. I’m talking about content that generates interest, makes people smile, inspires, sparks conversation, generates website traffic, and ultimately adds value to their newsfeeds.

Here are my 8 tactics to help you achieve this. 

1 - Ask for input:

Many small to medium sized businesses have a marketing team of one. While those individuals might be talented, they are often wearing many hats which means tasks like social media can take a backseat. If you're searching for new ideas and creativity, ask a senior team member for input or what they would like to see on the company's Facebook page. It’s important to remember that we should be posting content that resonates with our audience, not what we think they want to hear. Asking your customers questions and listening is another great place to start.

2 - Audit the competition:

While I would never suggest anyone copy what their competitors are doing, a brief scroll through their social media pages will help you better understand how your company stacks up. You might confirm that you’re doing better than most. You might also find some creative inspiration and generate some new ideas. Look at posting frequency, compare engagement, size of audience, and quality of content. You might be surprised.

3 - Audit your pages:

Go through your profiles and intentionally look for trends. I’d love to know what themes and types of content perform best. What days and times of day are your followers most active? Does your audience skew younger or older, more male or female? Truly understanding your demographics and trends can be impactful if used properly. This allows you to curate content for your audience, not what you think they will like. And, you can serve this content to them when they are most likely active.

4 - Stay in tune with social media trends:

It’s hard to keep up with platform changes. However, doing so can give you a significant edge in the algorithm. You’ll never beat the algorithm but you can give them what they want. Subscribe to a podcast or a newsletter, and bookmark Social Media Examiner. You can follow these same personalities and organizations on social media. Having up to date knowledge from true industry experts will provide a ton of creative insight and inspiration. 

5 - Think from an organizational standpoint:

Oftentimes, we as marketers tend to hyper focus on branding and awareness. We can’t think in a silo otherwise we’ll miss out on opportunities to connect with various segments of your audience. 

Some of the best performing social media pages are those that focus more on culture,  people, company initiatives, community support, and beyond. When creating your digital marketing goals, think about how your organization wants to be perceived in the community and what they want to be known for. 

6 - Consider organizational goals, not just marketing goals

A strong and thorough social media strategy is one that encompasses all departments of an organization. For example, if one of your organizational goals is to grow your workforce by 10% this year, your social media strategy should have a weekly focus on talent acquisition and talent retention. Effective digital marketing is never siloed

7 - Don’t Create Alone

Content development should not be a one-source activity. In most cases, your social media should represent all facets of your organization. The best way to do that is to find the best storytellers in your organization and ask them to do a social media takeover. Also, consider asking sales reps who are on the road to take photos with clients with the purpose to promote their business. Another easy and effective option is to leverage user generated content (USG). These are posts your customers have shared about your business. Many times, they are accompanied by a photo and include glowing 5-star reviews. These are some of the most persuasive and powerful forms of content you can utilize. 

8 - Focus on originality and quality 

I can’t remember the last time I liked a stock photo of two or three actors posing with a cheesy smile and I’m guessing you can say the same. If we typically don’t engage with this type of content, why do we keep posting it and why would we expect anyone else to like it? Instead of posting 3rd party blog posts and stock photos, focus on creating your own content that highlights your people, products, services, facilities, and events. Remember that unique content is almost always better than generic content. 

Unique and effective content doesn't have to be shot by a photographer. Sometimes the best performing posts are those with a photo shot on a cell phone. Highlighting the small victories that pop up serendipitously tends to perform well.

9 - Copy converts

Not all of us are great writers. We might be great designers but that doesn't mean we're creative or effective writers. Believe me, I'm one of those people. Over the last few years, I've been using Grammarly to ensure my copy is mostly free and clear of grammatical errors. I then started using that in conjunction with Wordtune, an ai writing and editing assistant. These tools help aren't perfect. However, they ensure my writing is clear, compelling, and more professional.

Final Thoughts: One of my personal rules with posting content is that if you wouldn’t like it, it’s not worth posting. 

It's time to get serious about social media.

👋 Hi, I'm Chris.

🔑 I want to support you and your business through social media marketing.

🔑 I provide digital marketing coaching and consultancy at Lux Level Media

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