Content… Brand… Create… Write… Engage… Be relevant… Be consistent…
My fingers tremble as I type this blog. I mean… you do not know the HORRORS I’ve seen. The TRAGIC mistakes that could have been avoided. The truly ghastly hiccups in content development I made when I first started The Write Harle. Horrors that haunt me to this very day.
And I do NOT want you to meet the same feat I did early on – curled up in a corner…rocking back and forth…wondering, “why is it all so very, very hard to create content that has impact?!”
Don’t get me wrong, my pups were there to comfort me in the corner, making it super tempting to stay there. But, that didn’t do anything for my business OR my clients who invested in me to create content for them.
Instead, I faced these horrors head-on. And now, connecting brand and strategy into content for my clients more are even more amazing than I could have imagined when I was rocking away in the corner.
If you avoid these three horrors that I experienced, putting up the right booby traps along the way to trick yourself into creating content that connects and even convert, you’ll conquer any ghosts whispering “content creation is hard” in your ears…
Horrific of Horrors One: No Brand Voice Means YOUR Unclear
It can be hard to write if you don’t even know who you are, what you stand for, and even what you sound like. Personality transfers through text too!
When there is no clear tone or personality; no vision of who you’re aspiring to be; and no clearly defined values that to guide your actions, can you really create content that has an impact?
In defining your brand voice, you are able to build a strong foundation to guide your creative process in content development. Specifically, a brand voice can give you:
- Pillars to build your specific blogging topics on, helping to keep topics relevant
- Messaging to support who you are as a business, building trust in who you are
- Clarity on where you’re going, helping to direct what content to develop when
- Insight into your true unique way of connecting (and converting!) with YOUR audience
- Consistency in your voice, no matter who is developing content for you.
Remove the horror of not even knowing who you are by developing a solid brand voice foundation!
Horrific of Horrors Two: No Content Strategy Means Reacting, not Responding
I get it – the desire to create content, “when inspiration hits.” However, to create content that has influence, that gets seen, and even create engagement from your audience requires a deeper strategy than when the mood hits.
Building out a strategy for your content – whether this is for your blogs, creation of brand assets (e.g. photos, social media posts, etc.), or even adding/updating content on your website – helps you align clear messaging, coordinate your resources (time, financial, AND people), and calmly respond to changes if needed rather than reacting frantically to them.
A content strategy gives you:
- Clarity on what to write when
- Who to write for where
- Consistency in your messaging across mediums
- Ability to more easily pivot in topic creation if needed.
Remove the horror of flying by the seat of your pants by building out a coordinated content strategy.
Horrific of Horrors Three: No Content Commitment Means Giving Up
Content development is a commitment. A commitment to your voice; to creating consistently; to connecting with your audience.
Two blog posts and then stopping does not make for successful (or even found) content. I myself did not have a commitment to my own blog for three years…and it showed in a lack of voice. A lack of focusing on my business growth. In 2018, I apologized to my blog and I’ve been consistently developing since. Building stronger topics; connections; and even engagement with the topics developed because of the clear brand voice I now understand. That… AND the strategy for development.
For blogs, give it a minimum of six months to really find your groove. To understand your voice, your audience, and where you’re engaging. This allows you to learn where to deepen your commitment.
Committing to consistent content allows you to:
- Enjoy creating again! You are connected to WHY you’re creating content in the first place!
- Be accountable! Blogs share your insights and understanding of your industry. By committing to consistently posting, you’re committed to continually learning and sharing
- Engage with meaning! Commitment is a way to see your values in action, making them more meaningful to your business as a whole.
Content, no matter its form, is only as successful as the energy you give it. And that starts long before the first word of a post is even thought of in the brand voice, content strategy, and your commitment to it.
I know you have the courage to see your way through these horrors before they befall you. However, if you need a bit of support from someone who’s been there…let me know! Always happy to have a chat and help you turn your content horror into branded content hope.