Five Steps for Contented Content

June 6, 2016

As you have been expanding your marketing to increase your presence online, you may have added a blog to your website. Of course now that you have your blog, you’re probably struggling to maintain a high level of high-interest content. For everyone who’s ever been faced with producing a regular blog, content is probably one of your biggest challenges (along with just maintaining a regular schedule).

When you wander around the Internet take a look at other blogs, particularly those in industries that are similar yet different than your own. You’ll find some prolific bloggers who seem to have no problem maintaining a steady flow of interesting content. For some, creating content for a blog or other online and print marketing is no problem. Unfortunately, for most of us creating blog content ranks right up there with going to the dentist and doing your taxes. It’s a chore that’s oft times avoided. But maybe we can give you a few ideas that will help streamline the process and make your blog writing just a little bit easier.

1. Define your mission. You may recall that when blogs first were gaining popularity they were almost an online diary. A blog, a named derived from a hybrid of web and log, is one of those things that came into being with the advent of the Internet, can be an effective way of reaching to an audience on a regular basis. What’s your point? Do you want educate, entertain, inform, or sell? If you’re tasked with running a retail store, then you probably want your blog to help you stay top of mind for your customers and encourage repeat business.

2. Define your audience. Sure, your audience is going to be your customers and the patrons of your museum or institution. But who are they? Pay attention to your demographics. If your institution draws a particular clientele, then cater your content to fit that crowd. Designing content for the International Banana Museum is probably going to be different than creating content for a blog aimed at the patrons of The International Cryptozoology Museum.

3. Keep it original. Try to avoid the temptation to simply lift a blog from another website and paste it into yours. And if you do, be sure to give a credit to the original author to avoid plagiarism and copyright issues. While it’s a great idea to use other blogs and websites for inspiration, you want to make the ideas and content you own so they meet the needs of both your mission and your audience. If it’s simply a cut and paste job, there’s a good chance it’ll miss the mark.

4. Make it a buffet. It’s easy for your blog to hit one, consistent note. (I know I’m guilty of that.) But make it one of your goals that your buffet of blogs covers a wide range of topics. Certainly, your blog will highlight new products in your store and special events at your museum. But try to step out beyond the boundaries of the norm. In other words, what else is going to be of interest to your audience? Maybe there’s something new in the neighborhood like a restaurant or another museum. Does one of your staff members have an interesting story that you can share? Write a profile one of your volunteers. One of the tenants of content design, is to maintain the flexibility that allows your blog inform to what’s known as Agile Marketing. Figure out the most pressing need for the current state of your business and then create content that will help you meet those needs.

5. Support Your Brand. Let me say that again, support your brand. Your store is unique and your content needs to reflect that. People come to your store as part of the experience of going to your museum or institution. As you aggressively define your brand, your marketing content can help define the brand and help reinforce that lasting image that you want your store to maintain.

As we often say, you gotta feed the beast. When you create a blog, you suddenly have responsibility to feed and maintain it on a regular basis. It’s like adopting a pet. It can be a daunting task that grows old very quickly. But if you solicit help from your staff, volunteers, other members of the museum or institution, and even your customers, feeding the beast doesn’t have to be a chore. Once you’ve committed to your blog, then managing the content is the next challenge to overcome. Being both creative and analytical is key to maintaining compelling content. When you get into a groove, you’ll find that you’ll soon be content with your content.

Steve White is a blog writer and entrepreneur living in Denver.