2021 is bound to be the breakout year for your brand’s content efforts.
To get things started strong, this article shares several content ideas that are sure to engage. So, follow along, take notes, and leverage these ideas to have fun, build a stronger online presence, and find success!
Let’s get to it!
FAQs and ‘Ask the Experts’
There are many instances where a topic (or keyword) doesn’t warrant a whole article.
Pushing 500+ words for a one-line answer is overkill and bland because it’s mostly filler. But, it would still be nice to cover that item for readers and get indexed for SEO. That’s where FAQs and ‘Ask the Expert’ style responses come in.
Here’s how the FAQ could work:
- Collect queries from site analytics, customer responses, and social feedback
- Add a FAQ section to pages/posts, delivering answers to those gathered queries
Here’s how the ‘Ask the Experts’ could work:
- Either collect queries or add a query submission form to the site
- Create a page that condenses the responses from your team and 3rd party experts
By exploring these two concepts, you’ll easily add content in chunks without committing to full blog writing. It’s a great way to capture long-tail keywords and offer valuable content to the community.
Behind-the-Scenes and Updates
Take a page from Kickstarter and explore releasing behind-the-scenes updates on new product development. Or, use this opportunity to share a peek at what goes on at the business, day-to-day.
These features and updates add a wholesome layer of personality to the operations.
Those passionate about your brand get to connect with it on a deeper level. In some ways, it feels like they’re contributing to its success by way of support, engagement, and feedback. By the time a new product does come out, these individuals will have already told themselves to get one (or two!) at launch.
Live Streaming
Live streaming builds off the previous behind-the-scenes concepts. This time, content is twice as engaging because it’s live and there are interactive elements (ie. chat, emotes, and more).
All that’s needed is a quality phone and account on a service with live streaming:
- Twitch
- YouTube
- Periscope
What you decide to do when streaming is up to you. But, here are a few ideas to get started:
- A behind-the-scenes look so viewers can see what’s going on
- Vlogging-style content so viewers get to tag along on the fun adventures
- AMA (ask me anything) style spotlights so viewers get to know you more
- Product demonstrations so viewers see how things work or get answers to questions
Live streaming also lets you record VODs for later playback. Smart marketers will take these, chop them up, and republish the best bits on the YouTube channel. Or, they’ll use parts to craft new blog content for their site!
Holidays and Celebrations
Holidays are the perfect time to hop on board with promotions.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two “shopping holidays” that can spark a flurry of sales. The easiest leverage of these two days is with a strong social media push. Combine content, social updates, coupons, and deep discounts to draw attention and sales.
As for the major holidays:
- Use holiday templates to share wholesome messages
- Give back to the community with freebies or a donation
- Encourage users to submit their holiday experiences
- Theme content around the holiday’s meaning and activities
These concepts work for smaller celebrations, too, such as birthdays and life events. Basically, you’re using any fun event as an opportunity to connect with audiences. So, use a holiday calendar to influence your content calendar.
Music Playlists
Many brands have taken to publishing their in-house music playlists. While this doesn’t have anything to do with promotions it does add something fun to community engagement. After all, who doesn’t enjoy listening to music?
Spotify has already begun exploring features like Group Session which lets several individuals control a playlist. The music platform also offers collaborative, community playlists via user submissions. Other music services have followed suit, providing users with unique features that add a social layer to music listening and sharing.
Why create a community playlist?
- It’s fun
- It’s good for brand visibility
- It gets users discussing the picks
Think of the playlist the same as product promotional items like a branded mouse pad or t-shirt. The individual is exposed to the brand, generally creating better long-term engagement.
Give it a try by having each team member select a song or two for the initial playlist. Then, open it up to your community. Share and embed this playlist on the site, and kick up discussions around it!
Teardown Videos
Embrace the inner geek in yourself and the community through a teardown video.
A “teardown video” is like the name implies. You (or someone on the team) walks people through the components of a product. This shows off the inner workings while also letting the presenter share details of how it all works.
The recent teardown of the Playstation 5 has almost 10 million views. That’s sure to provoke your interest.
Obviously, you’ll want to use discretion so company secrets aren’t exposed. But otherwise, it’s a fun and engaging way to highlight the neat product features. Combined with a Q&A live stream, this is a fantastic way to make products stand out. You can also screen cap and craft these teardowns into engaging blog posts!
User Highlight
There’s a psychological spark when we hear our own names. Scale that up and it’s much of the same reason why we all like to humblebrag about our achievements and experiences. We love being the center of attention.
Why not use that for content?
Putting community members front and center is a great way to engage the rest. It lets you build a strong connection with the individual while also conveying subtle elements of your business. This person is proud to be part of the community, and this creates an emotional connection with others like them.
Here’s how to do user highlights:
- Put out a call for community interviews
- Vet and connect with a few people
- Do a Q&A or let them speak their mind
- Publish and share the piece
That person is bound to share it. They’re proud and enamored that they were chosen. Their words are glowing for your brand, and this gets others interested in being part of it all.
Never Run Out of Fresh Content Ideas
There are countless ways to express creativity on the Web. With a few of the content ideas from this post, your organization is primed to create a great impact in 2021 and beyond. Now, all you need is a little push to turn ideas into reality.
If you’d like to amplify your message, then explore what’s possible by hiring a content professional (or two!).
iWriter makes it easy to create, publish, and share great content with your community. Each deliverable adds to your brand’s reach and success. Whether it’s a compliment to your own production or the whole thing, don’t miss out on opportunities!
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