Content, content, content! Everyone wants it, every organization needs to produce it. That’s right, EVERYONE is, or should be, a publisher these days.
It’s relatively easy for an organization to pump out content. But delivering interesting, unique and SHAREABLE content… THAT’S a challenge.
When creating content, think to yourself: Would I want to read or watch this? Would I want to share it? Then look through a wider lens: Would our customers, donors, or prospects want to read or see this, and share it? If the answers are “no,” go back to the drawing board.
Here are some tips that can help if your content strategy is stuck in neutral:
Video. There is a lot of talk in the content world right now about “pivoting to video.” Some news sites, such as Fox Sports, have completely eliminated writing in favor of ALL video. There is some backlash to this idea, but if you look at your Facebook feed, chances are you’ll see a lot of video in it, which indicates that social networks are giving priority to video content.
Chances are, your organization does something — hopefully, many things — that would translate well to a video. It doesn’t need to be of professional quality; you can shoot it on your phone. You can also hire professionals if you have the budget, or find some local film students who are looking to build their resumes.
Some ideas to start:
- A video where one or members of your team talk about the organization’s mission, or what they do every day.
- A video with a happy customer.
- A how-to video.
- Video from an event your organization held.
That’s just a start. Surely there are powerful video ideas that are unique to your organization.
Customer stories. You can crow about what your organization does all day long, but few things will drive your value proposition home as much as a success story featuring a happy customer, or recepient of a donation. Let your audience look through the eyes of someone whom your organization has benefitted in a positive way.
Infographics. It’s easy to create infographics now; several sites on the internet enable you to create them relatively easily, and for free. People love to share infographics. What are some statistics about your industry that people would be interested to learn about? Or what are, say, five things they can do to get the most out of your product or service? What are five things your nonprofit does to help people? Make it look pretty, and share it!
Educational information. What are some neat tips and tricks for using your product? What are some facts about the disease your nonprofit is fighting to eradicate? What are the most frequently asked questions you get? There’s a lot you can do to educate your audience — not just about your product or service, but even about the larger world surrounding it. If someone knows they’re going to learn something of value from you, they will come back for more.
Conversation starters. This is particularly for your social media accounts, like Facebook. What’s on your customers’ minds? Are there trends that they are interested in? You can even link to other people’s content and pose a question to your social audience. These are great because you want to make the discussion about your followers, NOT about yourself. Self-promotion is great, but doing it endlessly and exclusively will turn them off.
See what others are doing. Look at what your competitors and partners and even organizations in other industries are doing with content. Is it better than yours? Are there some ideas you can poach? If you’re not coming up with ideas on your own, this investigation could help kickstart your creative process.
One thing is for sure: Your content can help shape your company in terms of public perception. Be creative, think outside the box, and see what you can do, and where it will take you!