Producing a consistent stream of content for your website, social media profiles, marketing materials and blog is a necessary but sometimes arduous task. When you create a schedule for posting new content, be realistic about how much time you and your associates have to spend on writing and commenting. Aim to post something at least once a week, but do not over schedule. Writing three social media posts and two blog entries every week sounds wonderful, but only if your team can keep up with that pace. Inconsistency is more harmful that less frequent posting.
Once you have established a regular posting schedule, coming up with a continuous flow of ideas can become your next challenge. You want to produce interesting content that others will want to link to or share. It is also important to write from your own perspective to help establish your personality and build influence and trust. But beyond that, what is there to write about week after week? Try some of the following approaches to create content that will gain traction among your readers.
1. Write about what you enjoy. Do not try to be all things to all people. You should know what your target clientele will be interested in, and you should write within those parameters. But do not try to write about topics that are of little concern to you. When you try to force yourself to expound upon a subject about which you do not care, it will likely show in the finished result. What is your passion? What piques your curiosity? You may find your enthusiasm is contagious among your followers.
2. Remember not all content must be text driven. Posts that contain pictures and video are most likely to be shared and to generate links. Try placing a favorite phrase over an image and writing a brief post about it. Use an online chart tool to share an interesting fact or statistic. Turn a presentation into an online slideshow. Snap some quick pictures around the office, throw a filter on them in Instagram and post away. Have fun with options that are available beyond just writing.
3. Rely on the help of others. Tap into your professional network to find potential interviewees. Interview pieces do not have to be long and involved to be highly trafficked. People enjoy reading the opinions of those they see as authority figures on a given subject. Just a little time on the phone or a few questions sent over email can help you produce insightful content that helps both you and your interview subject gain exposure. You may also want to express your willingness to do interviews yourself.
4. Experiment. Website visitors and social media users can be unpredictable. Try a variety of topics and methods of presenting information to see what catches on. You may find that certain segments of your audience respond to video while others prefer how-to style articles. Allow your personality to show - it will help you find a tone your readers can relate to. Even if an idea seems silly, try it out. Be open to new ways of looking at content and be willing to take criticism – constructive and otherwise – from your audience.
5. Make a list. Lists are one of the most highly-clicked upon forms of content. Think of some “best of” or “top ten” ideas and make out a few lists. List content tends to be evergreen, so you can keep a supply of potential lists at the ready for times when you need an idea boost.
6. Recycle. The concept of upcycling originally caught on in art and architecture spheres as a way of reusing old pieces in new and creative ways. Now, marketers are starting to use the word upcycle when discussing content strategy. Research and writing are a part of day to day business in a law office, and some works you and your associates have already produced might be prime subjects for upcycling.
There is no reason to start completely from scratch every time you need to write an article or blog post. Take advantage of things your firm has already produced by retooling them for use in new applications. For example, if you give seminars, consider turning one into a series of short podcasts. If you have written an article for a legal journal that contains facts that would be relevant to your readers, turn some of those facts into sharable infographics. Take pieces from longer articles or presentations and divide them into a series of shorter pieces that can be scheduled for posting in advance.
No matter where your content marketing strategy takes you, always remember step one: do what you enjoy. Your readers will appreciate your passion.
