Blogs, newsletters, websites, emails, brochures, annual reports, ads–just about every marketing initiative requires fresh, relevant content, yet with to-do lists growing longer and resources getting scarcer, it can be challenging to produce good quality content. Here are a few tips to help you keep the copy flowing:
1. Recycle: part of the beauty of an integrated marketing strategy and strong brand communications is that you get to ‘borrow’ content from one vehicle and apply it (with a few modifications) to others to send a cohesive message to the intended audiences. A blog post can be reworked to become an email or traditional newsletter, brochure copy can be condensed and made web-ready quite easily.
2. Designate a collection agent: one of the most common reasons for a website becoming stale, a customer communication never making it into the mail, or an ad failing to inspire action is that there isn’t a point person responsible for either creating, or collecting from others, the necessary content. This is especially true in organizations without a formalized marketing plan or trained marketing expert on staff. If no one is responsible for managing content, chances are no one will.
3. Remember, content is everywhere. Not all of your content has to be original. As long as you give credit and acknowledgement when appropriate, you can always incorporate others’ content into your own media. In fact, linking to other blogs in your own can boost your search engine rankings considerably. Quoting a noted expert in your own publications adds credibility and interest. Sometimes just perusing existing content is all the inspiration you need to produce some excellent information of your own to share.
Write on!
