In this digital world, it’s no secret that good content is marketing gold. And with the increasing ability to measure the ROI on content, organizations are clamoring to provide the information their consumers want.
Research shows that upwards of 70% of consumers would rather learn about products through content than traditional paid advertising. But when more than 50% of marketers report challenges in producing engaging content (54%) and producing content consistently (50%), there has never been more pressure to create content that will resonate with consumers.
To stay at the top of your content marketing game, it’s important to have a plan to maximize the efficacy of your content. We’ve cut through the noise to help you get started in ten quick steps.
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no need to recreate the wheel to craft an effective blog post. If you have a few that you’re proud of, it can be beneficial to re-purpose the posts to achieve multiple objectives at once. Take a look at your analytics. Does one post resonate with your audience more than another? Are there topics or themes you could introduce in a revamped version that would interest a secondary audience segment? By taking stock of what you have, building an effective strategy may be easier than you think.
2. Make It Quotable and Tweetable
Once you’ve identified your top performing stories and the audiences you’d like to reach, the next step is to figure out the delivery. Research shows social media posts with pictures earn an average of 18% more clicks than simple copy posts. As you prepare to promote your blog post, be sure to choose pictures and quotes that will appeal to the audience segments you want to reach.
And don’t forget, re-size your images based on the social platform!
3. Present It to the World
Consumers love presentations and being able to access information on the go. Make sure your blog is optimized for easy access no matter where people are. That way, those appealing pictures and quotes you picked in step two can do double duty. Combined with 5 to 7 key points from each post and you have all you need to create a short presentation (particularly useful for today’s dwindling attention spans).
If you need more images, don’t worry. Most online presentation tools have huge databases of images you can use for free. Seal the deal with a call to action that sends viewers back to your original blog post or a targeted landing page.
4. Record It
Podcast listenership has doubled in the past 7 years, according to the Pew Research Center. That’s why it’s a no-brainer to create your own podcast. Sure, in the long term, you might want to invite guests, but the simplest way to get started is to record your best blog posts to make them accessible to more people in your target demographic.
Here’s an example on the CrazyEgg blog—the podcast link is at the end of the post. If you take the DIY approach, you’ll need a good microphone and an audio tool, but you can also outsource your podcast and have it professionally recorded.
5. Make a Video
Want to get the most bang for your buck? Make a video. According to Hubspot, 78% of people watch videos online every week and 55% watch videos daily. That’s a lot of potential eyes on your content.
Here’s the good news: If you’ve been following these steps, you’re already halfway to making a great video. You already know who you’re targeting, what your key messages are and which images and quotes will get attention. Don’t worry if you’re not an expert—there are dozens of online video creation tools you can use to easily create a piece that will engage your consumers.
Remember to keep your video short—some of the most watched videos are under a minute. End the video with a call to action leading back to your original content or a landing page.
6. Syndicate It
If you already have content you know is successful, content syndication is a great re-purposing option. The more places you publish your content, the more attention you get.
Another option is to prepare a summary of a great post and share that summary on sites like LinkedIn and Google+ to drive traffic back to your original content. This content amplification approach means you always have content working for you.
7. Get Visual with an Infographic
Infographics are visual, make it easy for viewers to retain information, and have viral potential. If your content is full of statistics and actionable tips, then convert it to an infographic. This is not just about visuals, but about having the stats to back up any points you make. Once you pull the story together, use an infographic creation tool to find attractive infographic templates.
Other Ways to Repurpose
The seven methods above use the content you’ve already created but if you want to go further, consider:
- Creating a webinar out of several blog posts around a particular theme.
- Making an ebook out of the best tips published on your blog.
- Publish show notes for your podcast and video to bring the content creation cycle full circle with a new blog post.
With only a small amount of effort, you can create a content flow that engages your customers no matter where they are and what kind of content they’re looking for.
What are your favorite ways to repurpose content? Share your thoughts on our Twitter page at @Clickability.
Guest author: Sharon Hurley Hall