There’s no “right” way to do this…
I grew up in a household without a lot of money.
One of my favorite things to do is swap stories with others whose families did all they could to save, scrimp, substitute, and improvise.
One of the little “hacks” my mom had was around working out.
She was a huge Jane Fonda fan and would work out to videos in the living room, using soup cans as her hand weights.
A few other things my mom did to be resourceful:
- She duct-taped my brother, Luke’s thrice handed down snow pants when they ripped to patch them up! (I have photo evidence of this).
- When our winter boots leaked, she wrapped Market Basket bags around our ankles to keep our feet dry and carried on! Pretty sure duct tape was involved in that solution as well.
- And she’d store loaves of bread and other freezer items in the trunk of the broken-down car that sat in our driveway one winter because we didn’t have freezer room. That was before the chipmunks and mice figured out how to get into the trunk and eat them.
My mom taught us to be scrappy and was always creating ways to use things in how she deemed them worthy of being used.
Who cares if a soup can isn’t USUALLY a hand weight? My mom used it as one anyway.
Who cares if you’re supposed to sew pants instead of duct-taping them? My mom decided it was duct tape for her all the way.
And who says a car can’t do double duty as a freezer?
As entrepreneurs, we sometimes need to solve problems using out of the box-methods and be resourceful.
I find myself channeling my mom’s scrappiness a lot in my business. There’s no, zero, nil, none, no right way to do this thing called entrepreneurship or content creation.
There’s no one sure-fire plan for entrepreneurship, business growth, or success.
You and only you can define what it means for you and what types of content you want to put into the world. And I’m here to help you choose!
I was recently on Kim Dawson’s The Sassy Strategist Podcast and she asked me, amongst many brilliant questions, why content was so important; why am I SO all about it?
For me, it’s simple.
Content is just a fancy way of saying communication. It’s your tool for communication with your customers and community. Content is about connection and relationship-building. It’s about building a bridge between your world and someone else’s.
In order to get clearer on the direction of your content, and HOW to communicate, you need to be clear on what you’re communicating and WHO you’re communicating to.
You have to understand a little about what they’re thinking, feeling, struggling with, concerned by, excited about, and what’s life like on their side of the pond.
Once you get clear on that, you can start deciding what types of content you want to show up and share with the world. There are lots of choices out there. I’m a firm believer that any type of content done well can create engagement, connect with your audience, and work for you.
4 Types of Content to Consider to Create Connection
1. SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT
This is what so many people think of when they think of types of content.
Maybe you’re still wondering if you’re business even NEEDS social media?
If that’s you, I did a whole podcast on this, back in May of 2021 if you want to go back and listen.
MOST businesses, even those that primarily build and grow through referrals and networking do in fact need social media as a type of content, to some extent.
Your ideal clients go to social media to check you out, even apart from your website prior to choosing to work with you nowadays, and having some sort of presence on there is helpful, in most cases.
When choosing a social media platform, we have to factor in:
- Where our people are
- Where we like to be
- What we have the bandwidth for to be consistent.
What I LOVE about social media as one of the types of content, is there’s something for everyone…
You can be creative when choosing social media as a type of content.
- You can create videos and use Reels on Instagram
- You can go LIVE
- You can share long form, short form, quotes and inspirations,
- You can share client wins and success stories
- You can share other people’s content that’s educational, insightful, or just downright funny
- You can engage in groups and communities like She Built This
- And more!
I’d challenge you to ask yourself if you’re pressuring yourself to do one you really don’t like or can’t keep up with and if so, why?
The more yourself you are, the better all this is going to feel, and the better it will sound and be received on the other side.
2. Blogs as a Type of Content
Do you need a blog?
While I think many businesses can benefit from having a blog, you don’t necessarily NEED one as one of your types of content.
I’m a content writer, I LOVE writing. I also have a solid repurposing strategy so every blog I do really gets the most bang for its buck. I write blogs with SEO best practices so that it helps drive traffic to my website and offer spots for people to click links from my blog that take them places I want them to go: like listening to my podcast, coming to my programs, and working with me. So for me, it’s a no-brainer. I want a blog as one of the types of content I create.
People often ask, isn’t blogging dead? My thorough answer can be found here and the short answer is no, blogging is not dead.
I love blogs because they can help you with your SEO, you don’t need to know much to launch one, and with clear calls to action, you can draw new leads to working with you or enter your world. The real magic of a blog as one of your chosen types of content is that it can be broken down and used for tons of other bits of content including a podcast episode, video, social media posts, emails, and the list goes on…
Blogging does take time, consistency, commitment, and a little bit of research on your end! You absolutely must make your blogs about your people and that can take time to figure out!
You have to think like your reader. Need help? I can help you think like your reader!
3. Podcasts as a Type of Content
Not everyone needs a podcast.
Podcasting is AWESOME but it’s not for everyone. If talking and audio aren’t your thing, you don’t have to make them your thing and choose podcasting as one of your types of content.
Podcasting is a good choice if you’re SO excited and have oodles of options and ideas and don’t see yourself running out of content… for a very, very long time.
Pros of podcasting as a type of content is that it’s not hard to get started, it helps build brand and human connection, and a podcast plays nicely into your SEO strategy (with just enough know-how to be dangerous, you can be successful!). And just like blogs, podcasts are full of repurposing magic. Most podcasts are a blog (or two), an email (or five), and maybe even a video. Some podcasts contain an entire course or workshop within themselves!
The cons are, like blogs, they’re time-consuming, there’s lots of competition, and it requires you to be consistent and offer value to your listeners.
When you do decide podcasting is for you, I highly encourage you to determine a frequency you can keep up with.
And don’t expect your podcast to take off right away. Most podcasters can expect to see traction after showing up consistently for 24 months straight.
Podcasting is a long game.
Alternatives to podcasting include: doing lives or videos, doing interviews with others in video, guesting on other people’s podcasts, being a speaker at workshops and events, and running your own workshops or masterclasses.
Want to get started on podcasting? Listen to my episode on what to consider before you start HERE!
4. Facebook Groups as a Type of Content
Facebook groups are one of the more popular types of content and have been used a lot in the online marketing world in the past six years. It might seem like “everyone” needs one to be successful in their content strategy.
Facebook groups are a great way of building community and relationships, and when done right, they can offer a lot of value to your people.
They are not:
- Just a selling tool for the person hosting the group
- A place to get people excited and then SELL to them right outta’ the gate
- The me me me me show (as the host)
The She Built This Facebook Group has been a regular commitment for me for five+ years. It’s been consistently engaged and exciting. We’ve also been through a lot together. Pivots, pandemics, wars, elections, policy changes. I can honestly say that there were times when running sounded way more fun than being the leader of a community. I love the members of my community so so very much and support them in every way possible. I have such a strong why behind running a Facebook Group and fear me, it’s never been about me. The group is about our mutual success and growing together.
If the sound of having a Facebook Group as one of your types of content is exhausting, don’t do it! It can be tiring sometimes, it requires a level of showing up, consistency, and boundaries that are not for everyone.
Two tips if you do decide to use a Facebook group as a type of content:
Tip #1) Make it about the members of the group, not about you. Share your stories, personality, experience, expertise, etc. etc. But remember to keep the focus on your members and how to make them feel like it’s a party they want to attend!
Tip #2) Show up consistently. Whatever that means to you. I cannot tell you how many Facebook groups I leave because there’s no action after I join, and ones that I’m considering leaving right now because it’s just crickets.
A great alternative is joining other people’s Facebook groups and engaging and giving value in there. Follow the rules, make connections, give more than you get, and you’ll do just fine! Being part of other groups is a great way to get referrals, make new friends, and learn more about your ideal clients simply by being around them.
Remember, no one is telling you a soup can’t double as a hand weight. You get to figure out whatever healthy mix of all this feels and looks right to you. You get to choose which types of content you’ll create in your business.
Whatever type of content you choose, be consistent. Test and experiment with what’s working well so you can keep doing more of it.
Content is a beautiful communication tool. It’s our way of spreading more positivity, life-changing results, and abundance into the world.
- I can help you create all four of these types of content and would love to meet you!
- I work with entrepreneurs on their types of content and choosing visibility methods that work for them! I offer a Marketing Momentum Lab small group three times a year where you’ll get a dedicated container and strategies unique to YOU!
