We’ve all done it — sat looking at our business social media apps or WordPress blog with no idea where to start or what to share. Here, we’re sharing the why, where, what and how of content batching for days, weeks or even months in advance.
The Why.
Content batching is when you set aside intentional time to focus on content creation, caption crafting, and digital strategy, allowing you to work smarter, not harder. Depending on how much content you’re working to create, you might set aside a few hours or even a whole day. This might seem like a lot of time to dedicate, but think about all of the time spent scrolling through your image assets, trying to think of a clever and engaging caption. Batching content creation will also allow you to develop a marketing arch, highlighting services and products strategically, so that you can start to tell the story about who you are as a business.
The Where.
Social Media platforms serve as a great way for you to connect to your audience, letting them know more about who you are and the services you offer. Each platform does something different and it is important to plan for that.
Twitter is a place to build quality connections as well as your brand — not a place to drive traffic to your site.
Pinterest is the second biggest social media platform after Facebook, and users are typically ready to invest in products and services.
Instagram can drive traffic to your website and is a great place to build credibility as an expert in your field.
Facebook, the largest social media platform by far, is a great place for ads, quotes and photos. Posts do best when they keep users inside the platform itself, instead of linking out.
While it is suggested that you grab your business’ name on most social media platforms when you start out, don’t fall for the pressure of needing to cultivate and grow every single one at once. Commit to the platforms you can consistently keep up with and begin with those, growing to other platforms once you’re ready.
The What.
You should be creating content that educates, excites and empowers your audience. In order to do this you must identify who your target niche is and spend some time researching what interests them and what competitors are offering. This will allow you to see what is already out there and create different content that digs even deeper showing your target audience your unique genius.
Some ideas of what to share on your social media channels:
- Original content
- Photos of you working or in your daily life
- The story of how you started your business
- A bit about your team, if you have one
- Wins for you and your clients!
- Testimonials
- Guest posts or great posts from others you follow
- Favorite podcasts
- Your products and services
- Infographics
- Quotes
- Newsletters
- Events
- Your sense of humor… mix it up!
The How.
You may follow some accounts or brands that post multiple times per day. You can take this on through content batching, however, the most important thing in this process is to stay true to yourself. Make a plan that includes both quality and quantity guidelines. Remember, you can always add more as you learn more about how to tell the story of you and your brand!
Interested in learning more about helping your content shine on your social channels and website? Check out SEO is Content Marketing and 4 Secrets to Stunning Product Photos on the Alchemy + Aim blog.
