content inspiration

Why Waiting to be Inspired is Not the Answer

Don't you find that even if you take just a few days away from your creative work that it's easy to forget where you left off? Even if you can only spend 15 minutes on your content development, that daily effort will make it much easier to sink back into what you were working on and keep that creative flow. By consistently practicing our craft, we create opportunities to be inspired rather than wait for it to happen.

via upsplash

Like "The Tortoise and the Hare" folktale, sometimes slow and steady wins the race. 

When it comes to content creation, many people I speak to get tripped up by feeling the need to have everything just right before getting started. I understand this and commend their commitment to excellence. Yet, sometimes, just diving in head first and keeping up a continual routine is going to serve us better.  

My best advice is to carve out some time at the end of each month to brainstorm/research some content topics for the following month.

For example, if you know you want to blog once per week, you might want to draft a handful of potential post titles and source related images and/or necessary facts/quotes. This effort helps to just get some ideas forming. Your actual content may shift, but at least you have some great starting points for when you get down to work.

I will say, sometimes planning too far in advance doesn't always work for me. I'm usually inspired by what is going on at the moment which allows me to be really connected to what I'm writing. This post was inspired by my own planning efforts for upcoming social posts.

I was super lucky and had a free Sunday morning (kiddos are at Grandma and Grandpa's) to gather a bunch of content for my Instagram posts. Feeling so organized right now! I'm guilty of usually only preparing a few days ahead or even the day of, which results in me posting a lot less often then I'd like. 

After you get in the habit of carving out that time to brainstorm and research ideas, commit to working on developing that content every day. 

“A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labours of a spasmodic Hercules.”
— Anthony Trollope

Cheers to consistency!

-Arica

image via Thought Catalog

Inspiring Examples of How to Create Content with Value

What is content marketing? To keep it simple, I see content marketing as the voice of your brand and what you consistently put out into the world that conveys the value of your business, products and services. The content itself must be useful and relevant to your audience. You want your audience to look forward to what you have to provide. Just because it's free, doesn't mean people automatically want it.

The most important aspect is that it provides value. 

content-creation-written-and-styled

Content Marketing can take on many forms. Here are a few vehicles for content marketing:

  • Videos
  • Books
  • Infographics
  • Podcasts
  • How-to Guides
  • Testimonials
  • Blog Posts...wink wink ;)
  • Lookbooks

Ok, what about the actual content?

When I'm working on content, I find having too many options is actually stifling. It's easy to get overwhelmed and fear there is something else better out there I could be providing. What can help is to actually give yourself boundaries. For content creation, here are three types of value you can bring:

You can...

  • Entertain
  • Educate
  • Inspire

If you're like me, things start to click with examples. I pulled a couple that relate to each of the three value buckets listed above. 

You'll love the video below - pinky swear.

In 2014, Kate Spade launched a series of videos featuring Anna Kendrick, Zosia Mamet, Kat Dennings among other fabulous and very likable female actresses, comediennes and even political activists. I dare you to watch just one and not click to the next...

Kate Spade did an AMAZING job of integrating their new product collections into comedic adventures. Yes, you know they want the clothes, shoes and accessories to take center stage, BUT the girls are so impeccably styled, you don't mind and kind of like it.

 

The Lego Movie

If my little dude wasn't already obsessed with Legos, the Lego movies and other programs have won his heart - and mine. They do such an killer job of making you forget you're excited about paying to essentially watch an advertisement about toys. Genius...

lego-movie

Educate

 

Co-Schedule's Headline Analyzer

A brilliant way to provide value to the user regarding how to improve their headline copywriting skills, the FREE headline analyzer provides a score based on the overall structure, grammar and readability of your headline.

With this valuable free resource, Co-Schedule positions themselves as a voice of authority in the space which invites the user to check out other products and services without sales pressure.

Amber Renae's True Colours Kit

For less than a couple of lattes, you can change everything you thought about what colors work best for your skin tone, hair and eye color. I spoke about this on Instagram recently and I'm telling you, I thought I knew what colors suited me best, but I couldn't have been more off!

Amber created a super easy way to determine what "season" you fall into: Winter, Summer, Autumn or Spring. Then she created videos for each and a handy pocket guide so you can reference your best shades when out shopping.

It's a great way to get into the fold with Amber, understand her teaching style and check out her programs and courses on personal branding and presentation. What season are you??

 

Inspire

 

Sharpie Creations

You might think content marketing would be tricky for a company that sells markers. Sharpie thinks outside the box by helping YOU think outside the box.

To inspire current and potential Sharpie fans, they launched a campaign to share all the ways people use the classic permanent marker in crafts, around the house, on clothing, art and more. Website visitors can browse, rate and get inspiration.

 

The 'Dove Real Beauty Pledge'

Dove has been an inspirational force in the beauty industry for sometime now. In this campaign, Dove invites all women to realize their personal potential for beauty by engaging them with products that deliver superior care.

This concept both encourages and inspires women to be themselves by clearly defining the Dove core values and vows:

  1. Feature real women, never models.
  2. Portray women as they are in real life.
  3. Help girls build body confidence and self-esteem.

 

My best advice is to begin by:

1. Determining how you can bring value to your audience.

2. Make a list of the ways that you (or your products/services) can provide value before asking your audience to purchase from you. 

3. Look for even more specific examples within your industry. You never want to steal ideas, but you might get a spark of inspiration for your own content by checking out successful campaigns by your peers or completely different types of businesses that might have a similar audience to yours.

Cheers to creating content with clarity!

-Arica