.png)
As social media professionals, we understand the challenge of constantly coming up with new content ideas. Even the most creative minds can experience a dry spell from time to time. But don't worry, we've got you covered. Here’s a detailed look into how we generate content ideas for our social media management clients and how you can do the same for your business.
Step 1: Develop an Extensive Social Media Strategy
Creating content that resonates with your audience starts with a well-thought-out strategy. Here’s what that includes:
Audience Research
Knowing exactly what your audience wants to see is crucial. Conducting thorough audience research helps identify their preferences, needs, and pain points. This information will guide your content creation process, ensuring that your posts are relevant and engaging.
Competitor Research
Analyzing your competitors' content gives you insights into what works well in your industry. By understanding the types of content that perform best for them, you can adapt and innovate to stand out.
Mapping Out the Buyer’s Journey
Understanding the different stages of your customer's journey allows you to create targeted content for each stage. Whether they're just discovering your brand or ready to make a purchase, tailored content will guide them along the way.
Identifying Buyer Types
Each buyer type has unique characteristics, needs, and pain points, which influence their purchasing decisions. By recognizing these differences, you can tailor your messaging, products, and services to meet their specific requirements.
Establishing Content Pillars
Content pillars are the foundation of your social media strategy. They are the 3-4 key themes and topics that you will consistently cover. These pillars ensure that your content is aligned with your brand and goals, making it easier to brainstorm ideas month after month.
Once your content pillars are set up, you'll make different content types (educate, entertain, inspire, sell) in different formats (short-form video, blogs, static posts, carousels, infographics etc) to address each stage of the buyer's journey in your funnel.
Tying It Together
Each stage in your buyer's journey should have content that serves each different buyer type and your overall business goal. If your goal is brand awareness, then you should be focused on top-of-funnel attraction content that speaks to each different buyer type.
Step 2: Monthly Client Check-Ins
Communication is key. We make it a point to chat with our clients monthly to understand any special deals, launches, or events they have coming up. This helps us tailor the content to highlight these promotions, keeping the strategy dynamic and timely. For you, that will mean going over your event/promo schedule and planning accordingly. Be intentional and book a meeting with yourself to stay consistent.
Step 3: Additional Sources for Content Ideas
Beyond strategy and client updates, here are some additional sources we use to generate content ideas:
Competitor Comments
Look at the questions and feedback your competitors are receiving in their comments. This can provide valuable insights into what your audience is curious about, allowing you to address these questions in your content.
Answer The Public
This tool shows you what your ideal audience is searching for on Google. Creating posts that answer these questions can attract more attention and provide value to your followers.
Existing Materials
Leverage your existing materials, such as newsletters, blog posts, eBooks, and new photos or videos. Repurposing this content can save time and ensure consistency across different platforms. For example, take a blog post and repurpose it into 3-4 reels, a carouse, a static post, an infographic, and a thread on Twitter (X) or Threads.
Analytics
Review your past content to identify what performed well. Repurposing high-performing content can help maintain engagement and reach new audiences. Watch for patterns in what performs well and what doesn't. Don't be afraid to leverage that information in your favour!
Google’s “People Also Ask” Section
When you search for a keyword on Google, the “People Also Ask” section provides a list of related questions. These can inspire new content ideas that are directly related to your audience’s interests.
What's Trending?
People like to dismiss trends (and not all trends are for everyone), but they can be a valuable way to get your message out there in a way that is easily understood and doesn't feel like advertising. If it serves your business goals and is aligned with your brand persona, we say jump on the trend. Social media is meant to be social, and trends are about as social as it gets.
The Key to Success: Understanding Your Audience
Remember, the foundation of a successful social media strategy is a deep understanding of your audience. By knowing what they want and need, you can create content that not only engages but also converts. Sometimes inspiration will come in a flash and need to be jotted down in your notes app, but consistent strategy always trumps flash-in-the-pan inspo.
Did you find this useful? Let me know in the comments below! And if you need a solid social media strategy for your business, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Comments