Creating New Content Out Of Existing Ones
As much as I like writing, I only have so much time I can dedicate to it. So to help create new content for my blog or social networks, I re-purpose my existing content. For example, I’ll take an article previously created and chop it up into 3-4 smaller useful posts. I do the same with my videos and presentation slides. It’s amazing the wealth of content you can create and share from just a few of your previously created information.
Creating Content
One of my favorite marketing activities is to create posts from existing articles. So much time can be saved by doing this. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard small business owners complain about how they don’t have time to manage their social networking accounts. That it takes too much time, time they don’t have, to come up with new posts to share.
Yet they have an arsenal of content already created and at their disposal but don’t think to re-purpose that same content.
Then there are online tools that can be used to schedule posts into the future. I use Hootsuite to help me schedule my posts and those of my clients. Not that I’m advocating all posts be automated – just the core ones. Nothing can take the place of live interaction so you still need to get involved with those that follow, friend or connect with you or your brand.
Do you do this? Share with us how you create new content and what tools do you use to help you save time when posting to your social networks.
Marketing Using Twitter
In my daily interactions with small business owners, I often encounter a look of disdain when I bring up marketing using Twitter. Most of them don’t get it and therefore opt to stay away from the social network. That is until I give them the 411 on Twitter:
In April 2011, a study by ROI Research found that Twitter moved into the number two spot for active social networking users listing it as the most important social account. LinkedIn ranked number one! Further, the study also found that active Twitter users who follow at least one brand are more likely to recommend a brand they follow and more likely to buy a product they follow. But how often are they doing this? Well, according to the same study, 70% of Twitter users visit their twitter accounts weekly while 44% of them visit daily.
So why are we ignoring Twitter again?
Article Writing Quick Guide
For those of you who told us that getting started to writing an article is your challenge, we put together this quick guide to creating an article.
Getting Started
Start by outlining your article. Make a list of ideas, concepts or problems you want to address. Write down 3-5 points you want to make in your article. Remember to keep your audience in mind and keep marketing pitches out of the article, especially if you are writing for a magazine, newspaper or blog.
Research keywords or keyword phrases you’ll want to use throughout your article to ensure your article will get found in search engines such as Bing, Yahoo or Google.
The Headline
Create a catchy headline that will make your audience want to continue reading the rest of your article. Be sure to include your keyword in the title.
The Introduction
Start your article off with an overview or introduction of the point or points you will be discussing in larger detail within the body of the article. Include, if possible, a short story of why you are discussing your topic, your experience with the topic or problems you plan to resolve in the article.
The Body
Break up each point you want to make and write a solution to them in separate paragraphs. Some points may be up to three or so paragraphs but we suggest keeping paragraphs to no more than 5-6 sentences.
The Conclusion
The end of your article should be a short paragraph where you summarize what you’ve told your audience, repeating your main point or points. Then add a call to action, what is it that you want your reader to take away or to do upon reading your article. NOTE: Be cautious when adding your call to action. If you are trying to educate your audience on a particular topic or are writing for a magazine, newspaper or blog, you may want to include the Call To Action in the About The Author Section.
Now that you have this quick guide, getting started in writing your article should come a little easier. Once you have your article created, learn how to re-purpose it into revenue generating products.
If you have tips or tricks to writing an article, share them here.
How To Create Multiple Content From One Article
How To Create Multiple Content From One Article
Many times I get asked the question about how to create content for a business blog or networking site. This question is usually followed by “…but I don’t know what to write!”. I usually follow-up by giving them two choices to solve this problem. One, hire someone to create content for you, or two, if you don’t have the budget to do so, then start writing one article on a topic their customers want to know about. Make the article 500 words or more.
Once that completed, break down the article into a series of statements. Those statements can then become posts for a social network site like a Facebook fan page. For instance, let’s say you wrote about the top five reasons to purchase your next car through a car broker. Take each of those individual five reasons and post them separately in intervals on your social networks. Elaborate further on just one of those reasons to create a post for your business blog.
Voila! You have just created multiple types of content from just one article.
Online Posting
Other Places To Post Your 101st Post; Your Offer!
You’re ready to post your 101st post on your social networking sites. That post is a post where you are going to drive traffic to an offer on your landing page before starting over on your 100 posts of free content. (See Marketing Tip #158) So, how else are you going to get the word out about that 101st post? A trick I like to use is to visit group pages or fan pages (such as on LinkedIn and Face book) that I’m a member of and will post that 101st post there. It’s important to know that I’ve also been posting my 1st through 100th post of free content there too because I want to build creditability before I sell anything to anyone. I have found that by doing this, I’ve widened exposure of my offering.
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100 Posts Before Sales
Only Sell Your Product/Service After Your 100th Post
This is a little trick I learned from a well known internet expert out of Milwaukee. The name of the game for businesses in Social Media is content and that’s all you want to give – till you’ve given your 100th advice, tip or tool. At the 101st post, NOW you sell! This builds creditability, trust and increases the opportunity for sales!
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Marketing Your Booth
When Exhibiting, Do Your Own Marketing For The Event
Many small businesses exhibit their products or services at small local events hosted by networking groups or other business professionals. Others will exhibit their company at larger events such as industry trade shows. Wherever you choose to exhibit your company, never rely on the host to do all the marketing for the event. It’s your job to market the event too. But how you market will be different. The host will be more concerned about getting people to the event. You’ll want to concentrate on getting people to your booth. Market to your list, tell them where you’ll be and offer a special promotion that can only be had at the event. Run a sweepstakes or contest at the event where your customers, prospective customers and attendees must stop at your table or booth to enter. Either way, by doing your own marketing, you can be sure you will be busy at the event, even if the host’s marketing efforts turn out to be a bust.
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