Scrappy Content Production
HOW TO MAKE BETTER SOCIAL CONTENT, FASTER
How can we create better content, faster, with stronger results? Amid waning attention spans and more competition, capturing audience attention is an ever-growing challenge for marketers. "Social Content" can be any combination of copywriting, photography, video, etc. made for social channels. In order to be successful, social media marketers have to find ways to produce this content in more nimble, agile ways.
Whether you are creating custom content in-house or partnering with social media content professionals, there are a few production tactics I've found to be particularly helpful on an ongoing basis.
Align with a process and stick to it. This Could be a 10 step one-pager. It could be an "if this, then this" map. If there is a good reason to adjust the process, do it, but make sure it makes sense and is adopted throughout your team (including clients).
Determine frequency and format, and map out the future. Content calendars are a pivotal tool for brands to plan content in advance. Calendars and post frequency plans help you plan ahead and get a better sense of what you are "saying" to your audience long term.
Create a master dashboard that shows you everything you have in progress, the status, who is assigned to it, and other relevant information to your team. I have been utilizing Google Spreadsheets for a free and user-friendly solution, and I'm a big fan of Salesforce dashboards. Kanban boards may also be useful to your team if you want to have a top-level view of what's in progress.
Batching is Better. When you're creating upcoming visual content for social channels for the same brand, theme, products, or season, there are most likely efficiencies you can find by creating all or most of your content at the same time. Do 10 of your upcoming posts include pineapples in the photos? Find efficiencies across projects.
Set aside time for innovating. How can you be more effective at accomplishing your goals? How can you deliver better results for your client? What trends and patterns are occurring in the industry? What is inspiring your team right now? Don't stop improving.
Embrace change. It will be the only constant. KPIs will evolve. Unexpected projects will blindside you. Deadlines will change. Rain will delay your outdoor photoshoot. Adapting should be your way of life. Often, what you set out to create in the first place may no longer be the ideal deliverable. Be flexible.
The business side and the creative side need to be partners. If you don't have a solid partnership between business needs and creative problem solving, your work will suffer, and the process will be painful.
Delegate whenever possible, and stretch "traditional" job roles. Can someone edit an image while you work on copy? Can the person you hired to moderate a brand page also write some great copy for upcoming posts? Keep challenging the team to stretch and grow. Just because your title says "account" doesn't mean you can't have an amazing idea to solve a creative problem, and vice versa.
Never lose sight of your "North Star." What is the purpose of what you are doing? What are your key business goals? Does everything you do day-to-day ultimately serve those goals? Staying true to your "Whys" will keep you on track when challenges arise, or when shiny objects appear. If it doesn't make sense for your brand, you don't need to do it.
As this type of content production becomes more common in agencies and brands, I'd like to know how other teams manage increasing demands for higher quality, custom branded content. For those involved in creating content for social: What are your top tips for getting great work out the door quickly?
