Which type of content is right for me?

“You need to do more with your content?”

We’ve lost count of the number of people who book a call with us and start by saying they’ve been told they should do more with their content.

While it might be a true statement, it isn’t necessarily a helpful one. So they come to us and ask questions like:

Which content?

How do I do more with it?

What the heck do they mean by ‘content’ anyway?

But we can always help them find a way that is right for them in a few easy steps.

What do we mean by content?

It’s always good to start with a definition. There are plenty in the various dictionaries that are accurate, like this one from Websters Dictionary: the material dealt with in a speech, literary work, etc. as distinct from its form or style… though we’re not convinced they take us much further forward.

One we like, however, was originally attributed to writer Andrew Davies (and then adapted by us just a bit).

“Content is anything that adds value to the audience.”

You may read that and feel none the wiser – after all “anything” is a pretty broad term. The reason we like it, however, is that is gives you the cornerstones to working out what content is right for you.

Who is your audience?

If you want to add value to an audience, the first thing you need to know is who your audience is.

Think about who you most want to reach and who is most likely to come looking for you.

Don’t forget that you might have multiple audiences so, at this stage, think about all of them. Any business owner will want to reach prospects and ought to want to communicate with customers. That’s a given.

Don’t forget suppliers though, who can be a vital link in your process and are better able to help you if they understand where you and your business are coming from.

And there are others, depending on your circumstances.

If, for example, you own a shop or an office, you may want to maintain friendly links with the local community. You may also wish to connect with neighbouring businesses and the local authority.

If you are a specialist in your field, perhaps you want to build relationships with up-and-coming talent or interested amateurs.

And, if you employ staff, your team are an important audience you need to include in any content plan as well.

So, list them all – just by understanding them, you are taking a really important step in the right direction.

What gives your audience value?

Now, with your list of audiences in front of you, think about what is of value.

Primarily, this is the value you give to them – which might be information, insights and understanding. It could also be entertainment or even support. It all depends on who they are and what might help them out.

Don’t forget, however, that it should be valuable to you too. So, it should ideally result in a prospect taking a next step, a supplier giving you a better service, a team member being more committed to your goals, or the local community accepting your business and what it does.

Are you ready for anything?

Content is anything that adds value to an audience.

True – but that doesn’t mean that any content will suit any audience and that any channel will deliver the right kind of value.

So, think about each audience in turn and work out which is the most effective way to deliver the value they are most seeking.

Consider where they ‘hang out’ for example. If they aren’t online, shoving out hours of social media is of no use to them and an awful waste of time for you.

Think about what they might be trying to achieve too. Someone who has just bought a brightly coloured hand-made shirt from you will be pretty keen not to turn their entire wash green the first time it goes through the washing machine, so a neat little insert in the presentation box about that all important first wash could be the best bit of content you produce. Equally, if all they want to do is find you, some decent signage outside your office could be really valuable to them.

And consider what you need to be able to add value for them. One of the most popular pieces of content we offer is a 30-minute meeting. It means we can get to know their business and advise them better.

Yes – going for a cup of coffee and having a chat is content!!!!

Set your priorities

By now you will have a long list of possible content options for your various audiences. Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed?

That’s okay – you don’t have to do it all and you don’t have to do it at once. Go through the list and pick the one or two things that will make the most difference. This doesn’t need to be a scientific process. You know your business so your instinct will tell you what is right for you and your audiences. None of those other ideas will go away – they will always be there for when you have sorted the quick wins and are ready to think about them.

Instinct will also tell you what you have the capacity to manage. So yes, perhaps a weekly blog gets better engagement than a monthly one, but do you have two to three hours a week to write one? If not, don’t set yourself up to fail – just do a regular monthly blog which you can sustain in the long term and prove to clients that you are someone who can finish what they start.

Above all – don’t panic! There is always more you could be doing, but there is a balance point. Doing one thing well is always going to be better than trying to go in too many directions and getting lost and frustrated in the process.

That, after all, adds no value to anyone!

If you’d be interested in learning more about our process of generating a content plan check out our short course Demystifying Content, which guides you step by step through this process.