How to Create Easy, Cheaper Social Media Content
By this stage, I think everyone knows how important content is for brands on social media. Speaking to my clients, I find the issue isn’t so much in buying into the idea of content as a sales tool but in implementing a process that actually works. Brands are frustrated by putting money into content creation when that doesn’t lead to engagement or sales.
For me, the answer to this issue lies in being smarter with your content creation. This means implementing lean and effective processes that result in great content and more of it. I wanted to share some of the ideas and tips that I’m using with my clients to achieve success. If these are helpful to you, please do me a favour and share this post!
1. Create a Content Calendar with Structure
I’m not going to start off this blog by telling you to make a content calendar, as this is the first tip I see in any other article and it goes without saying. What I am asking you to do is define your weekly content output and work within this structure week after week.
This means setting your team (or yourself) a set task list of content that needs to be created each week and posting this at a set time (which of course you will define through testing). For example, on your Instagram profile you might post the following each week: two short social media videos, one quote and four images. The actual creative content of these may change each week, but the structure does not.
I find structure is actually a great friend to creativity. When I have led content teams, I have always given them the freedom to be creative within a structure like this and achieved great results. Your creative team will likely feel empowered to experiment more when they know and are comfortable with what needs to be delivered each week.
2. Use Instagram’s “Save Feature”
Ever noticed the little flag at the bottom right of each post in your feed? If you’re not already taking advantage of this feature, you’re missing an easy way to keep track of the latest trends.
By saving your favourite posts directly into the app, you can create an inspiring hub of different creative ideas and post formats to reference any time you need a little inspiration. You can even organise your posts into collections for easy reference. For example, I have collections for art direction, video editing, caption ideas and more.
When it comes to the fast paced world of social media content, the old adage is really true – “Good artists copy. Great artists steal.” Of course, this doesn’t mean you simply rip off your competitors’ ideas. It means you should take certain aspects of their content, adapt it to your brand, and make it even better than the original.
3. Develop Branded Templates
In order for your followers to trust your brand, first they need to know and understand it. For that to happen, visual consistency is key. There is no point in trying out multiple different visuals, text and editing styles if they don’t tie back to your branding.
If you’re posting inspiring quotes, make sure they are visually consistent with each other. If you’re creating short, eye-catching videos, ensure they all have a similar look and feel. Create artwork templates that you use again and again so that your feed, website or blog looks consistent over time. This will not only enforce your branding but it makes rolling out new content quicker and easier as you already have everything ready to go.
4. Embrace Ephemeral Content
It’s not always the most polished content that speaks to people, so don’t be afraid to open up a little. Take advantage of features that allow you to show your authentic values, for example Instagram and Facebook Stories or Live Video. People want to see the faces behind your brand and these formats are more instant so it doesn’t matter if they’re not 100% perfect.
Going back to our previous tip about using branded templates, I always advise brands to create a series of templates to use on Instagram Stories. Having a set look and feel to these somewhat offsets the lower quality nature of the format. Let’s say your company is hosting an event. Why not plan out what you will want to post on the day and create some simple artwork ahead of time so you don’t feel under so much pressure on the day? And don’t forget to save your Stories to Highlights so people can watch them again and again.
I hope these tips are useful to you and your brand. If you'd like to find out more about me, you can check out more of my work here.