Content marketing is huge; there is no question about that. But, where are content marketers getting all of this winning content? How do they know what content will be a hit and what will be a miss? What is the big secret to creating great content?
Well, creating great content all depends on the audience and the subject matter. As a marketing consultant, we have to consider our clients and their needs. So, let’s pull back the curtain a little bit.
First, who is your audience? Your audience dictates what topics are going to be most successful to write about. If your audience is business owners looking to start social media marketing, this is a great start. From there, use the internet as a search tool. Look through Twitter, Pinterest, and Google. What are the articles getting most of the buzz in that specific field? Are they edgy? Are they informative?
Which content has the most shares, comments, or likes? Once you find a niche – you can figure out what to write about. Use other articles as inspiration. Cite those articles. I’m not saying use their words –I’m saying use their topics as a way to help yourself see what is popular and what you can build upon. Come up with your own take on current events, current topics, and big ideas.
You want to find some great people to follow on social media outlets that are going to shed some light on great topics that you may not have thought about. Once you find your voice, and get the ball rolling, people will be looking to your articles as ways to develop great content.
Just because John Smith is writing a killer article about marketing on Instagram doesn’t mean you should do the same. Why was his article successful? Do you agree or disagree with his points? What other topics does this make you think about? Go from there.
The secret to creating great content is finding out what your readers find valuable. Figure out what they’re searching for, where they’re looking for it, and what you can do to add to that conversation. From there, it’s all in your hands.
Just starting out in the content marketing game? What have been your biggest challenges so far? Do you experience writer’s block week after week or are you finding inspiration in similar articles? Do you think using other people’s content as inspiration is wrong? Comment below!
