4 Simple Steps to Create Content That Converts

The driving force behind every successful marketing plan (especially those for social media) is strong, strategic content.

Whether you are using social media to increase traffic to your site, build your brand, enhance your reputation, connect with your market or inform your audience, sharing the right kind of content for your audience is essential because, if you don’t, they don’t have a reason to continue reading or listening to what you have to say.

In The Content Pilot one of the first things you learn is that it doesn’t matter if it’s a Facebook post, your Blog, in a Tweet, or even pinned on Pinterest – Good content is the key to building your list and creating more sales opportunities. <—Click to Tweet

And, here’s the best part: Finding content that works for your brand and helps you meet your marketing goals doesn’t have to be overwhelming!

No, really! It can be easy to create awesome content that everyone wants to read because you already have everything you need.

Here are 4 Ways to Create Great Content:

1) Start with What You Have – Depending on what kind of strategies you are using, you may already have some content that can and should be shared through social media. Existing content like blog posts, website pages, company resources, product reviews, annual reports, company videos and photos are all excellent sources of content. Creating content in your business for other purposes? Don’t stop there! Evaluate whether or not the content is also conducive to your social media campaign and plan accordingly. In other words, try not to “date” the material and ensure that it includes images, catchy titles, etc. so you can use it over and over again on social media and it will really capture your audience’s attention.Also, as you gather the content you have, decide how it best fits into your overall strategy. Focus on sharing content that aligns with your goals for your business as well as the values of your company and your followers.

2) Find Your Audience’s Interests – Make a list of the types of content your market would be interested in. Chances are, you already have a good idea of who your market is and what kinds of things would influence a potential customer. If you aren’t sure, step back and do some market research. Creating this list will lead you to different content sources. For example, if your market is interested in how-to or informational content, you can start researching those areas.Another way to find content for your market is to find out where your audience already is and what draws them there. This can give you insight into how to create and share content that will resonate with your market. Are they on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social platform? Are they mobile fanatics or do they consume content via the computer? Are they taking part in groups or engaging on other pages?

3) Follow Thought Leaders – Thought leaders, industry experts and people likely to influence your market can be great sources of content. Start by making a list of 10 industry leaders and 10 respected industry publications. Follow what these people are doing and publishing and what topics the publications are focusing on. Share this same content with your followers (remember to always give credit to the original source), and create new content around these topics. This type of sharing can really give you a boost because it helps you to form relationships with clients, prospects, and others in your industry.

4) Tune in to Current Events – Keeping up with current events is a good way to find fresh content to share with your followers. Subscribe to industry newsletters or RSS feeds and use tools like Google Alerts to keep yourself aware of current happenings.It’s a good idea to focus on current events that directly relate to your business, industry and market. However, sharing and commenting on community news or major national developments can help your business join online conversations and can help you establish goodwill among your audience.

Finding fresh content to use for your social media campaign begins with understanding your market. When you know what interests members of your audience you can assess content your brand already has and decide what to use for your campaign. Then, you can find ways to use what industry leaders are saying and incorporate current events into your social media strategy.

Want to learn more about creating great content that your customers want to see? The Content Pilot is a 10-week intensive program that can turn you into a content pro! Click Here for more info —> www.LisaLarter.com/ContentPilot

Ready to get going but need some help? Check out the Shop Talk Video below for ways to get started then join the conversation! Share some of your favorite sources for content in the comments below.