Being a content creator can be challenging. The competition is high and it seems more and more difficult to organically grow nowadays. People scroll on social media all day long but decide within 2 seconds if they like your content or not. That’s why I came up with 9 things you HAVE to consider as a content creator if you want to take your account seriously.
1. Be current
Be up-to-date and very knowledgeable about all facets of your industry, not just what’s immediately relevant to you. Say, for example, you’re a social media manager of a business in the fashion sector. Knowing as much as you can about current trends, their competition, and their customers is vital. Follow those social media experts on social media, read marketing publications, and search for the latest relevant news.
You’ll also want to stay in the know about Instagram innovations, trends, regulations, opportunities, and day-to-day threats. That’s the key to creating content they’ll find valuable as they look for solutions to their problems.
2. Stay current
Changes on social media happen fast (especially Instagram), and ongoing education is important. That means not only do you have to create content that people love, you also have to read others’ content. The best content creators are curious and look for topics their target audience likely cares about. For example if your target group lives in Tampa, FL and are around 18-35 years old, female and into fashion you should research any topics related to hotspots in this specific city, cool events, boutiques (collaborate with them) and so on.
3. Understand your audience
“Put yourself in his or her shoes” is the perfect example. You need to eat, sleep, and breathe as your best followers would, understanding their motivations, reporting relationships, social activities etc. That’s the only way to address your audience needs with your content. Don’t make broad assumptions, or you’ll sound like everyone else in your industry.
4. Improve your skills
This can be whatever. Try to get better at taking pictures, watch some YouTube videos and learn how to edit and cut videos in a more efficient and fun way. Check out other websites and tools like Canva and spice up your stories and reels. Be open to try out new things and I guarantee you’ll discover new and important skills you need as a content creator!
5. Write often
The more content you have out there, the more traffic you’ll attract to your website. Makes sense right? — according to HubSpot, brands that blog 16x per month get almost 3.5x more traffic than companies that publish 0-4 posts/mo. Same with your social media posts. And the more you write, the better you’ll get. Something you really have to learn is that creating posts and stories is not something you do only when you “have time.” Digital content creation requires a commitment (if you want to become the best creator in your industry).
6. Find a voice
Too often, posts are cranked out just to fill a content calendar or get something published quickly, and it’s dry, too similar, or lifeless. Don’t hesitate to let your brand’s (or your) personality come through! Your feed is about communicating your vision, values and ideas well and naturally while still abiding by your content marketing strategy. Talk with your audience in the stories, ask questions, go live and answer every comment.
7. Give examples
You are a social media manager and want to promote yourself and a brand? Create educational reels about your daily life, give tips and examples that people think are useful. Make your vision real and relatable. Nobody *I’m sorry* cares who you are and what you eat (unless you’re maybe a food blogger) on social media. Don’t spam your followers with unnecessary content that waters down the important stuff.
8. Don’t talk about yourself
Which leads me to my next point: When you talk about yourself, you’ve lost the opportunity to demonstrate that you understand and can address your audience’ needs and challenges. You can share every private detail about your life and yourself with your friends, family or a private social media account if you want. But if you want to grow, create an active community and become the best content creator on your social media platform you better slow down and focus.
9. Do your keyword research
Being a creator requires both art and science. Of course, you need to know what type of content to post and how to make it resonate with your audience. In today’s marketing landscape, you also need to make it appealing to the algorithm. Use the hashtags (# strategy will be discussed in my next blog post) and start your post caption with relevant keywords. Your followers usually read the first 7-10 words before they decide to keep reading or scrolling. Make sure to use triggering words and sentences such as “Top hacks for…”, “Minimalistic spring outfit inspo”, or “How to achieve.. in 1 week” etc. Including relevant keywords is a critical element of any content strategy.
I hope these tips will help you to implement a strategy when you create and post content on social media.
Just be aware: It takes time, effort, and discipline. But it is the ultimate way to achieve success and become the best content creator in your business!