Why Content Production is an Essential Aspect of Growth and Profitability
Are you interested in Content Production that will help grow your brand and increase your profitability?
Of course, why wouldn’t you be?
But in today’s highly competitive market, it can be hard to make your digital stamp on any industry.
Unless you follow the advice outlined in this article, that is.
Here, we will discuss the main issues that brands face during content production. We will also offer you guidance on how you can get the most out of your resources, make content that can get transferred to many channels, and get the most from your content marketing strategy.
Let’s dive straight in.
Why do Companies Need New Content All the Time?
Many organizations and brands are already aware that content marketing is essential. Well-known, highly successful companies like Microsoft, Disney, IBM, and others have seen noticeable benefits from well-executed content marketing plans, but they are not the only ones.
Smaller businesses have also begun to take advantage of content production to reduce the costs associated with traditional marketing methods.
But even some of these companies forget one key aspect.
Marketing teams always reference engagement, but ultimately, the content will have a small impact at best without consistency. Producing consistent content is not an easy task, though.
However, organizations that produce consistent, engaging content tend to see incredible benefits.
Here’s why.
It establishes authority and credibility
Because more businesses have begun to understand the value of a consistent and high-quality marketing strategy, competition is rising. One of the best ways to establish yourself and set yourself apart from the competition is by getting content produced consistently.
Creating consistent, high-quality content allows your brand to establish itself as a market leader in your industry.
How regular your content is will directly impact your brand’s credibility with potential customers—the more consistent, the more credible.
Consistent Content Production develops brand awareness
How people consume information has shifted entirely in the last ten years.
People now have plenty more choices and control over where they get their information. This change is brilliant, but it does mean that brands must change how they communicate with their potential audiences.
The traditional communication style of marketing doesn’t have a place in today’s communication plans when it comes to motivating people to take action.
Instead of traditional platforms, many businesses have turned to other platforms like Instagram, YouTube, or Twitter to speak to their customers. Successful brands develop videos, webinars, blogs, and other easily shareable content. The most successful brands are doing all of this consistently.
High-quality Content Production engages the audience
It can sometimes feel extremely tricky to continue creating engaging content, but it is worth the hard work for several reasons. For starters, it keeps loyal customers engaged. Loyal customers are always looking for new ways to engage with your brands, and they are the backbone of your business.
It is much easier and cheaper to keep loyal customers and gain repeat business from them rather than attempting to generate new customers. This reason is another example of why keeping content consistent is so important.
When your content engages your audience, they continue to return for more. If the content is exciting, they might even share it with other potential customers on your behalf. However, if a brand does not produce regular content, or the content is varied and confusing, that is much less likely.
Consistent Content Production generates leads
Due to significant advances in data collection technology, it has never been easier to gain information on your audience. Take advantage of this information and provide consistent content that resonates with your leads, such as useful whitepapers or newsletters.
Consistency generates website traffic and SEO
Over recent years, we have seen physical and digital spaces combine, making having an online presence even more important. Search engine optimization (SEO) has become highly competitive, and Google’s algorithm has become much more sophisticated. However, there are still a few contributing factors that have not changed.
Two crucial factors impact SEO, frequency and quality. For a business to capitalize on the power of content, it must ensure its content meets these requirements.
Consistent content tells search engines that a brand’s blog or website gets well looked after, and the information provided offers readers value. After all, search engines do not want to promote useless content to their users for fear they may choose to switch to other search engines.
Content marketing is here to stay and will continue to be a leading method for brands to engage with their audiences. However, as more companies are building their content production processes, you must be cleverer about how you create content. Consistency is the easiest way to distinguish yourself from other marketing contenders.
What are the Five Key Challenges Companies Face When Producing Content?
Producing high-quality content
Content is easily one of the best ways to promote your business or brand, but only if it is of the quality your B2B buyers expect it to be.
That means resisting the temptation to create more of the same content that others have built instead of offering reading something new that contains a real value.
Diving into your competition’s content and analyzing its performance is good to start identifying the content you need to beat. Google uses several metrics to calculate engagement, including bounce rate, depth scrolled, and time on page.
If you find yourself in a competitive market where it is tricky to rank well for relevant searches, focusing on these metrics alone isn’t going to cut it. Your content needs to be original and bold. Without a strong opinion, you will probably not draw attention to your content.
Gone are the days of getting away with creating “one-size-fits-all” content. To develop high-quality content, identify a unique angle and delve into it fully. Strive to develop content that is much better than the current Google SERPs.
Generating content consistently
If you want your brand to get seen as a market leader, it is essential to generate content regularly. While many content teams are happy to produce a piece of content from time to time, the best Companies publish articles and other content frequently.
One of the main reasons businesses produce content erratically is not having a content production process in place.
Establishing a clear content production plan will make sure you prioritize content and its value to stakeholders. Remember, not every stakeholder understands the impact of content, so it is important to spell that out clearly for their benefit.
Prioritizing Content Production expertise
Creating excellent content is tricky without the right team in place. You need staff skilled in design, journalism, creative thinking, and technical execution.
If you are planning on producing content in-house, you must establish a project team to delegate tasks to by reallocating staff with the required skills or recruiting staff with the skills required for your chosen type of content, which can be costly.
Another option if you review your current staff skillset and think it will struggle with this task is to appoint an external content team to execute the tasks. With external teams, you can be confident they already have a strong system and the tools needed to execute your desired content plan.
Content Production in suitable formats
When working through the content production process, it is essential to consider a variety of content formats for B2B buyers. Each business will have various requirements, so a variety of formats helps you reflect this diversity.
Especially when you have already spent money and time building a flagship content piece, you will want to use it to its full potential. That means repurposing it across various formats. For example, if your flagship content piece is an eBook, repurpose the book in other formats such as blog content, podcasts, or infographics, to maximize the exposure on various channels.
Creating buy-in among stakeholders
As I have already touched on, getting buy-in from every stakeholder on your content strategy can be extremely tricky.
Sure, from time to time, a well-researched, carefully written piece of content can explode overnight into a huge success, but this does not happen often.
It’s more normal to build a content base before you begin to gain traction in your area. The process is not immediate and takes time and effort to achieve this traction. Therefore, it is important to manage your stakeholders’ expectations to let them see the value of content production in the long term.
At first, this could mean implementing case studies, statistics, and online resources to get stakeholders to buy in on the potential benefits of content marketing.
How often should you produce new content?
Simple answer? As often as possible, as long as the content remains relevant and high-quality.
It might be tempting to continue regurgitating content that has already gotten produced and slapping your brand logo on it, but soon readers will become bored of your content and stop engaging with you.
However, if you can continuously provide your readers with useful content regularly, your brand loyalty, respect, and popularity will grow.
What are the 20 most popular types of Content Production in 2022?
Copywriting
Copywriting is the phrase used for describing the creation of text content, with the intent to persuade readers to take a form of action, often concerning your business’s sales process.
So, for example, if you were trying to sell a particular product, you might use copywriting as part of your marketing strategy to persuade potential customers that the product is worth purchasing.
Or, if you are trying to create more enquires regarding the services your business offers, you will need to use copywriting as part of the content production process to convince readers to call your company.
You can read our blog here about copywriting
Copywriting is the art of convincing readers to take sales-related action. Popular examples include:
- PPC ads.
- Cost-per-mille (CPM) ads.
- PPC landing pages.
- Website sales copy.
- Sales emails.
- Social media ads.
- Product pages.
- Short Message Service (SMS) ads.
Video Content
Video content refers to any content format that uses or includes video content. The most common form of video content used within market strategy includes vlogs, live videos, customer testimonials, webinars, recorded presentations, and animated GIFs.
Read more about video content here
Pictures can support many types of Content Production
The old saying “a picture says more than a thousand words” is highly relevant for content production. If you are selling a product or service that is aesthetically pleasing, be sure to show that off to your customers!
You might sell the best bedding in the country at a great price and an excellent value for money for customers, but if your pictures show the bedding in a dimly lit room, creased or not laid out in a nice format, that will be a major detriment to your sales.
Blogs
A company blog can be an excellent addition to a marketing strategy. It offers your company an outlet to share your expertise with potential clients. It shows them how much you know about any chosen topic and might convince them that you are the right choice for their business needs.
A blog doesn’t have to be extremely formal like other forms of writing, and you don’t need to always write about content that tries to persuade readers to take action. Sometimes providing fun, light-hearted content is an excellent way to get your personality across.
Blog content is also an excellent way to garner more organic traffic to your website. Each blog post you create is another branch of your business that a reader could find, click through, and end up on your website.
Success Stories
Sharing success stories from real customers with your prospects is a fantastic way to provide them with proof that your business will help them.
Success stories are a fantastic content piece, as they offer you the chance to use them across a range of marketing platforms. They are excellent for social media posts, blog content, weekly newsletters, or even as part of an eBook.
Podcasts
Our voices can convey so much more meaning via inflexion and tone than the printed word will ever be able to. That’s why so many people gathered around the radio, listening to a range of different content.
The broadcast radio faded out with the emergence of television but has come full circle with the invention of podcasting.
With a company podcast, you can easily discuss topics your potential customers might be interested in while also getting across your expertise and personality, which is why it is a useful part of any content strategy.
Interested in podcasts? Read more here
Websites need Content Production
Having a website might seem like a no-brainer for some readers, but even in 2022, some businesses do not have an online presence!
If you need any further persuasion, you only need to look at some businesses that have struggled due to not building an online presence quickly enough.
Debenhams in the UK, for example, were extremely slow to set up an online store and were ultimately forced out of business. At the time, other fashion brands have risen to market leaders, such as Boohoo.com and ASOS, both of which are exclusively online.
Product announcements
Product announcements are a great tool for re-engaging former clients or re-igniting cold leads. We are willing to spend plenty of time and money developing new products and often wonder why they are not gaining the expected traction when you push them live.
But if you haven’t communicated these new products to clients and leads, how can you expect them to know about them? Product announcements make an excellent email newsletter feature, a fun eBook giveaway piece, or a new blog or social media post.
eBooks
You might be surprised to hear this, but eBooks are one of the best lead magnets for almost any business.
They are completely free to create if your team has the right skillset. You need some great content and a skilled designer, and you’re good to go! The only cost eBooks incur is time, but the rewards are worth it.
Once you have created your perfect eBook, you can place it on your website and link to it with all of your other marketing. It is the easiest way to gain the email addresses of warm leads, and by offering these people something great for free, they will be fascinated and intrigued by what you can offer them as paying customers.
E-Courses
Similar to eBooks, e-courses are another excellent option for lead generation. Providing potential customers with small e-courses is an excellent way to introduce yourself to them, show off your expertise, offer valuable insights, and become a viable company for them to work with.
People love free stuff, and you will get a few people who do not convert to customers from your e-course.
However, once it is uploaded online, it takes very minimal effort to upkeep, making it an excellent tool to have in your content production process.
Infographics
For people like myself, I prefer to digest visually appealing content rather than lots of text. Infographics are an excellent way to communicate key information in a bright, clear, and engaging format.
Infographics can also get used across various marketing platforms, such as social media channels, blog content, and eBooks.
How-to guide
How-to guides are an excellent form of content you can use for breaking down complex concepts into simple, easy-to-follow guides.
How-to guides can be posted as blog content, included as part of an eBook, or even used as a lead magnet on your website.
Case study
If a client is unsure whether your offering is too good to be true or has concerns about certain aspects of the product or service, a case study is sure to settle those issues.
Like customer testimonials or reviews, a case study is an excellent way to show what real customers think of your product.
Webinars are a great way for Content Production
Webinars are another fantastic lead magnet opportunity that you can capitalize on. Businesses’ are always hungry to learn more, but often purse strings are tight, and they are unwilling to spend money on something they are unsure about. And why should they be? It is your job to convince them that what you are offering is worth their money.
A free webinar is an excellent way to achieve this. It serves as a fantastic lead magnet that you can promote across your marketing platforms, which will lead to a lot of new prospects. These prospects will then have the opportunity to sit in on your webinar, become more familiar with you and your brand, and be more likely to purchase products or services from you.
Read about Vimeos webinar tools here
Testimonials
Customer testimonials are a fantastic way to show off your brand. Think about it from the customer’s perspective. Customers expect you to say how great your company is as a business. After all, it’s your job to tell them it’s great so that they sign up or purchase from you, right?
That is why customer testimonials are so valuable. Potential customers love to see what other customers think of your business. It shows them that you are a legitimately high-quality business when other customers say so.
Reviews
Similar to customer testimonials, your product reviews are another vital aspect of any content strategy.
As you will have noticed on prominent travel websites or product websites like Amazon, customers have the power to filter results by their star rating. This filter got included due to customers’ desire to only consider the very best when purchasing.
Even if you are not selling your product on these wholesale websites, it is still important to show your customers your star rating from other reviews.
It will show potential customers how happy similar purchasers were with their choice. It will also show them how many other people have chosen your brand, making your company seem more trustworthy and legitimate to new customers.
Remember, while you know that the business you run is legitimate, new customers might not be so sure, especially if your offering seems too good to be true!
Presentations
Another useful form of content comes through presentations. Presentations offer you the opportunity to organize content in a clear, concise, and persuasive manner and allow you to take your audience on a journey through each slide.
Presenting ideas clearly and high-quality is an essential part of almost any B2B content marketing plan.
Promotions
Running digital or in-person promotions is another excellent option your team can use as part of a content strategy.
Running promotions is an excellent way to generate new leads and gain information to contact them about future offers or to convert them into paying customers.
You can highlight your promotions in blog posts, and social media posts, or go old-school and stick up flyers around town.
Ensure your promotion is enticing enough to generate many leads but not too appealing that you give away your best content for free.
Campaigns
Marketing campaigns are an excellent way to ensure that all of your content production is heading towards the same goal and has the same look and feel.
When you create a brand campaign, identify a campaign slogan, and select the type of imagery you would like to use, you can then implement this style across all of your marketing platforms.
This type of content production allows leads to becoming accustomed to your brand when they see the same wording and imagery across several platforms. That will help your brand become more prominent in their mind and make them more likely to purchase from you.
Collaboration equals Content Production
Collaborations are a fantastic way to get your brand in front of a whole new audience, especially if it is a collaboration with a brand in a similar field to yours.
For example, if your brand was heavily involved in the home furniture field, a partnership with a paint company could be an excellent approach.
Customers interested in painting their home are more likely to also want to invest in new furniture for their freshly painted room.
Content Production: Summary and Key Takeaways
Now you have everything you need to know about making consistent, high-quality content to help grow your brand.
Here are a few key takeaways to keep in mind:
- Produce high-quality content: Be sure to always produce content that is of a quality that your readers would expect from you for maximum impact.
- Generate content consistently: Try to generate content as consistently as possible.
- Prioritize content expertise: To ensure you create the best possible content, prioritize content expertise and allocate time to the content production process.
- Produce content in suitable formats: Be savvy with the type of content you create. Try to think about what content you can create to convert into other marketing tools and share on other platforms for maximum exposure.