Erica Garcia Thomas, DBA
When it comes to creating content for your marketing plan, it can be challenging to know where to start. However, there are several strategies you can use to generate ideas and produce quality content consistently.
1. Listen to your audience
Reviewing feedback from social media comments, emails, and client reviews can help you identify the most pressing questions and pain points that your audience is experiencing. Consider writing about the questions that come up during client meetings and networking conversations. You can also explore how to create content that provides value and helps your target audience move to the next step in their process.
2. Focus on strategy
Focusing on strategy can help ensure that your content aligns with your goals and resonates with your audience. You can conduct SEO research on terms you already write about and explore variations and opportunities. Additionally, it can be helpful to consider current events and how your brand can contribute to the conversation authentically. Twice yearly content audits are recommended. According to a SEMRush survey, 61% of companies that succeeded the most in content marketing ran content audits twice a year. Hiring a marketing consultant to advise your team and reading inspirational blogs can also provide valuable guidance and ideas. Stay organized with all of your content ideas!
3. Use tech tools
Leveraging tech tools can save time and streamline your content creation process. For example, you can use AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Jasper.ai to generate content ideas. Google's Keyword Planner can also inspire new topics, while mind maps, project management visuals, and spreadsheets can help you plan and organize your content. Additionally, virtual whiteboards and editing tools like Grammarly can enhance collaboration and quality.
4. Generate ideas with a diverse team
Brainstorming with others can provide fresh perspectives and insights. You can ask your team or subject matter experts to contribute ideas, join a mastermind or LinkedIn group, or engage with peers in your industry organically. Conveying value and choosing the right channel and format for your content is also crucial.
Remember that there's no need to wait for perfection before starting your content creation process (I learned this lesson the hard way!). Utilizing strategies and resources like the E1 Content Quadrant can help you scale your quality content to resonate with your audience and support your marketing goals.
Resources:
Listen to Your Audience
Look at your blog or social media comment sections and your emails and reviews from clients.
Write about questions that come up when you are in client meetings and networking conversations.
Consider what tools would help your target audience move to the next step in their process.
View your website content, see what is doing well, and start there. How can you take that content a step further?
Attend a webinar, conference, or course on a similar topic to get inspiration and ideas.
Focus on Strategy
Research terms you already write about and explore variations and opportunities of related phrases and long-tail keywords.
Consider current events and how your brand contributes authentically to the conversation.
Hire a marketing consultant to guide you through creating a marketing strategy with positioning and messaging, content plan, lead generation, KPIs, and an operational plan.
Read inspirational blogs and outlets like HubSpot to learn more about the content craft.
Learn from your competitors to see what they discuss and then identify the gaps. I use SEMRush, SWOT, Porter's 5 Forces, Blue Ocean Strategy, and MOZ to research competitors.
Get strategic with content you’ve created, variations, and related topics. Take long-form content, make it smaller, and take small content, and elaborate it, making it last longer. The more you recycle, revive, align, and research your topics, the better.
Align with your content pillars and ask yourself what, who, how, and when of that pillar to generate ideas.
Utilize Tech Tools
Leverage tech tools like ChatGPT, Jasper.ai, Answer the Public, and other content idea generator tools.
Use Google’s trends and Keyword Planner to get inspired about new topics.
Use mind maps, design thinking, project management visuals, spreadsheets, and Gantt charts to plan your content with dates, tasks, and goals. I love using Google Sheets, Trello and AirTable!
Optimize your headlines to increase reach with HeadlineStudio.
Use a virtual whiteboard to collaborate from afar. Your remote team can use Figma, InVision, Canva, Miro, or Mural to plan six-to-twelve months of content at a time. Need paper and pen? Get a physical whiteboard or a pack of sticky notes and do your thing.
Are you looking for a writing or editing refresher? Utilize Grammarly, follow Ann Handley, read classic writing books, and take free courses from BerkeleyX.
Ask Your Community
Use social media listening to see trends on social channels and through hashtags.
Brainstorm with your team or friends who are subject matter experts.
Ask your mastermind, Facebook or LinkedIn group, or peers in the industry.
Remember, marketing content includes audio-visual, interactive, and shareable bite-size messages. Use our content quadrant to win at brainstorming various channels and formats for slicing and dicing long-form content. As always, feel free to contact us if you'd like help with your organization's content marketing efforts.
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Suggested Reading:
Handley, A. (2022). Everybody writes: Your new and improved go-to guide to creating ridiculously good content (2nd ed.). Wiley.
Sinek, S. (2011). Start with why: How great leaders inspire everyone to take action. Penguin Books.
Strunk, W., & White, E. B. (2000). The elements of style (4th Ed.). Longman.