It’s a lot. Keeping up with algorithms, trends, engagement, and everyone and their sausage dog telling you that you need to be visible in order to make sales, it can be a real Debbie Downer on the creative process. You shouldn’t have to be worrying about whether to focus on shares or saves, or the best time of day to post so that your audience will see it.
You should be focusing on your GIFTS. Your CRAFT. Your MAGIC.
We’re here to let you in on a not-so-secret-secret: there’s a way to break free from this cycle of conjuring up endless social content, embrace a slower & more intentional approach, and still be authentically visible (without diluting your message)...
1. Put long form content at the top of your list
The nitty-gritty roots of a strategic content marketing approach, long form content takes the form of podcasts, masterclasses, e-books, and guides. Pour your creative downloads into original & authentic long-form content, and make it high concentrate and juicy. Expand, elaborate and generally just go to town.
Unlike hand-to-mouth content – where speed and showing up is key, long form content prioritises depth and value.
The purpose of long form content is to provide ladles of value, educate your audience, and establish yourself as the expert in that particular domain.
By really delving into a subject in this way, you can explore different aspects, provide supporting evidence, and offer a hand-on-heart comprehensive understanding of the topic. This builds trust with your audience and positions you or your brand as a thought leader in your field.
On the other side of the coin, there’s short form content - like social media posts and email newsletters. We like to think of short form as bitesize nuggets, the starter - if you will - that leads your audience to their main course of long form content. More on that later…
2. Get to know your SEO
Your website is essentially your online HQ. This is where you want your people to land and STAY, ideally for as long as possible, getting to know, like and trust you through the wealth of resources and content you offer to the Google Gods. Your website is a crucial component of establishing an online presence and should be treated with some serious love and gratitude on a regular basis.
Any long form content that you create MUST live on your blog, else it is wasted. Search engines absolutely love fresh content, and regularly publishing blogs gives the Google Gods the nod that your website is active and relevant. This freshness factor can positively impact your site's ranking, attracting organic traffic and upping your visibility (and you haven’t even had to show up on stories yet, winner winner – chicken dinner).
How to craft a killer blog post
Ready to unleash a killer blog post that not only captivates your audience but also makes search engines do a happy dance?
Well buckle up, cos we’ve put together 11 steps to set you on your way to crafting a blog post that's not only amazing but downright irresistible to your people (and the Google Gods). Click here to download The Blog Blueprint (pssst… it’s free!)
3. Roll out the red carpet, your email subscribers are VIPs
Can we be real for a sec? Your email list is made up of a bunch of amazing humans who all said ‘HELL YES, this person is cool, sign me up & tell me more’. They literally gave you their email address on a platter, which is pretty much the 2024 equivalent of giving you their home address so you can send them a postcard. These people are WARM. This is not the time or place for treat ‘em mean to keep ‘em keen. Please, please, stop copy & pasting the exact words you just wrote for a caption in your newsletter. It’s not doing you any favours and we’re about to tell you why.
You just posted an absolute corker of a carousel to the grid, it got some engagement and a few saves. One of your subscribers also follows you on Instagram and gave it a like. She then checks her inbox and sees your weekly email has just landed, and it’s got the same title as your carousel post. Is she gonna open it or archive it?
It’s time to start really and truly nurturing your email list and give it the love, care & attention it deserves. Email marketing is the PERFECT place to build your community and really up your know/like/trust game. Your subscribers should always be getting first dibs on offers as reward for being within your inner circle.
Data-driven fine tuning
Oh, and just in case you’re needing any more signs to get some emails scheduled ASAP, check out these stats for size:
Email marketing allows you to directly engage subscribers without gatekeepers [*cough* Instagram cough] filtering reach. Social platforms control algorithms - but email puts YOU back in the driver’s seat, to consistently nurture your audience.
While social statistics are nice vanity metrics, email marketing data provides a 360 view of your audience’s interests and behaviours. Use opens, click rates, and conversions to see what’s working and what’s not, and really fine-tune your content!
4. A side dish of socials
If you didn’t have to post on social media in order to, y’know, run a business and make money (no biggie), we’re gonna take a wild guess and say that you wouldn’t. We know, because we also wouldn’t.
As much as it kinda pains us to say it: your social media platform is still going to play a pretty hefty role in your content marketing strategy. BUT, and it’s a big but 🍑, this doesn’t have to mean burning yourself out on a content hamster wheel.
Your socials are the place to find and nurture relationships with your audience in a dynamic and real-time environment. This is where you can showcase the human side of your business, foster genuine connections and create a sense of belonging with your community.
A soft & sustainable content marketing strategy
Now that you are prioritising long form content with blog posts, you can start to see content creation in a whole new light.
By breaking down your long-form content and repurposing it into shorter, more bite-size chunks, you'll be able to lean into a softer content creation strategy that saves time, maximises impact and stops the scroll.
THIS is your permission slip to step back from posting on the fly with little to no strategy, all whilst still being authentically visible and without diluting your message.
Doing this not only ticks the ‘showing up’ box but also widens your reach across different platforms, helping your audience engage with your content in ways that truly resonate with them.
Building a lasting impact with your very own content ecosystem
So, as you navigate the ever-evolving landscape of online presence, remember: soft & sustainable content marketing isn't just a strategy; it's a mindset shift.
It's about taking a step back from the hamster wheel of panic posting and instead, creating a content ecosystem that nurtures your business, resonates with your people, and respects the cyclical nature of your creativity.
Here's to building a business that aligns with your values, honours your creativity, and leaves a lasting impact — one piece of Foundation Content at a time. We love a cheesy ending.
Simple, sustainable strategy to reclaim your time & sanity
If content creation gives you the heebie-jeebies at best/overwhelm at worst and you are ready for a clear, streamlined content marketing strategy to reclaim your time and sanity (zero hustle involved) then we have something just for you... 👀
Our Happy Hour 90-min Strategy Sessions are the perfect opportunity to tap into our combined expertise and gain some serious clarity on the direction you need to take.
If you're yearning for:
🌀 Organic, sustainable growth
🌀 A business that stands the test of time
🌀 A softer approach aligned with your values
We got you.
With 2 pairs of eyes and ears fully at your disposal, we'll craft a comprehensive action plan tailored to your business for you to walk away knowing exactly what you need to market your business in the most sustainable way. Tell me more immediately plz n thnx.
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