In 2019, hiring content creation services is a great idea for any business looking to get ahead. Any business can benefit from a well-cultivated, frequently updated website and engaging content that tells a compelling story.
Whether your content strategy is to increase your brand’s presence on social media and build a following, improve website content, or make your message more accessible through content marketing, content creators can help. At times, however, it can be a challenge to pass the reins over to somebody else.
If you are interested in third-party content creation services, but you are worried about losing control over your website or having to stay on top of yet another team, the good news is that creatives are actually very comfortable with collaboration.
However, if you are still feeling apprehensive about the situation but still want quality content, here are our best tips to make your partnership with content creators a successful one:
Be Willing to Listen
When it comes to your business, you are the expert. You know everything about the manufacturing process for your products, the quality of your services, and the dynamic between you and your team.
However, content creation companies employ experts when it comes to online audiences and the content that they love and resonate with. They know everything there is to know about social media, infographics, web content creation, digital marketing and, of course, relevant content.
You might have a very specific vision for your online presence, but it is important to listen and be willing to hear out content creators when they offer feedback for your marketing plan. Maybe your goal of posting three photographs on Instagram every day would be seen as overkill rather than an active account. Perhaps your long-standing tradition of posting recipes to your blog would be more successful if you considered a video format.
When it comes to listening and collaborating, it is important to remember that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain to ensure optimized content.
Speak Your Mind
Collaboration does not have to mean sitting by idly and letting another team determine all of the creative choices that you face.
A great partnership will feature individuals who are willing to listen but are also unafraid to share their vision. Ultimately, content creators can help you adjust your vision to something more attainable and effective, but they should not be rewriting your plan altogether.
Simply because Instagram spamming was taken off the table does not mean your goal of having an active, frequently updated account is. Just because your creative team is advising you to pivot to video content does not mean there is no place on your website for good old-fashioned written articles.
Sometimes, we can assume others know what it is we want or what it is that bothers us, so we can grow resentful when those around us cannot read our minds. From the very start, you should be open about what your vision is, what your limitations are, and the things you are and are not open to.
Collaboration can be incredibly effective at melding together both of your talents. However, you need to be willing to accept where your talents begin and end, and be transparent from the beginning about how you plan to meet each other halfway.
Understand Your Audience
One of the biggest challenges business owners face, in terms of a successful content marketing strategy, is that it can be difficult to determine who your audience is. This is true, in many circumstances, but especially marketing on the Internet. Even if you believe your business would be a hit among a specific demographic, you cannot always review how many of your website hits or online orders are coming from this customer base.
In fact, you might actually be surprised by your audience. Who knew how many men liked recipes and home decoration videos? Who could have guessed that your raunchy humor website was an equal hit among men and women?
Having an understanding of who you want to appeal to is a great first step, and should probably be determined before you settle on a content creation service. That being said, content creators can actually help you find the best strategies to appeal to your specific audience.
Everything from the tone of your writing to the graphics you post on social media will be influenced by the people you are trying to target. Hiring a content creation firm that is business-savvy and familiar with your specific audience is a smart idea to ensure the optimal results for your business.
In fact, when you hire a service with search engine optimization (SEO) experience, you can actually attract your audience in very measurable ways. You might not always be able to break down online customers in terms of gender, age, location, and background, but you can certainly divide them into what they Google, and what you can incorporate into your writing to attract their attention in the first place.
Be Open to the Power of Multimedia
Content creation is not just another term for “writing.”
Yes, sharp writing remains the backbone of any great marketing plan. From a media release to snazzy Instagram captions, a strong writer can bring so much to your team. However, online audiences are more attracted to multimedia than ever before. The end result is that most businesses would benefit from incorporating videos, audio, graphics, and more into their online publishing strategy.
Multimedia is attractive to those of us who resonate strongly with audio or pictures over words. Additionally, multimedia offers a lot of benefits for customers on the go. If you want to introduce a new influencer to your team, some may appreciate the fact that they can cook dinner and fold the laundry while listening to a podcast interview, rather than carving out time to read an article.
Most of the time, different mediums will work together. The perfect graphic is a great way to wrap up an article, and an embedded video link can keep people sucked into your website all day.Whatever your needs are during the content creation process, you do not have to work toward them with writing alone. In fact, with the right balance, you can connect with every kind of customer, which is truly a powerful feat.
