The content you produce to feed your inbound marketing program must be of the highest quality. This is simply non-negotiable. But if you can create outstanding content more rapidly, you are not only increasing your output but cutting costs as well. Like any improvement you want to make in life, getting better at content creation requires focus and effort. But with that commitment, there’s no reason you can’t start cranking out material twice as fast as you are now.
6 Tips for Upping Your Output
If you’re like most content creators, some days you are “in the groove”, and other days you struggle. Here are some tips for helping you consistently bring your A-game.
- Create and continually fine-tune a content creation process
If it seems like your method for creating content is a little different each time, you almost certainly are not as efficient as you can be. While the material you create will be of varying types, lengths, formats, etc., you should still have a standard process you use—the when, where, and how of your craft. If, at times, you need to change that process to spark your creativity, that’s fine. But in general, you should stick with the approach that works best, tweaking it as needed. - Outline every piece
When you’re pressed for time, developing an outline can feel like it’s just an obstacle between you and the finished product. But the fact is, every minute spent outlining your project will increase the speed with which you can complete it while also improving the quality. The outline can be as simple as grouping the points you want to make into logical sections, but an outline should always be part of your creative process. - Think about the takeaways upfront
As part of your outline, you should note what the takeaways will be for the reader. It’s not uncommon to create an otherwise excellent piece, only to get to the end and realize it doesn’t really offer much to the audience. And that’s the kiss of death for a content marketing program. So, rather than investing a great deal of time and effort only to have to rework the piece to add value, you should know what the intended value is upfront. - Consider outsourcing your research
Research can be one of the most time-consuming parts of content creation. And while you may be good at it, there are services that can find the information you need in half the time it would take you.
- Include outside resources
Of course you should NEVER plagiarize. But if there’s something you want to say in a piece and it’s been said really well elsewhere, there’s no reason you can’t refer to that source as long as it’s properly cited. And doing so can save you an enormous amount of time rather than trying to rewrite that material.
- Use templates
Please note… you don’t ever want your content to appear “templated.” But using a template as the foundation of a piece and then modifying it as appropriate is much more efficient than reinventing the wheel for every project.
Content Marketing from Start to Finish
From helping clients develop engaging content quickly and efficiently, to helping them promote it successfully, we work with companies around the country who are experiencing dramatic upticks in awareness, interest, and engagement from their target audience. If you’re new to content marketing or just need a new perspective on your efforts, we’d love to lend a hand.
