Rachel Moffett, Author at Express Writers
Express Writers
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

by | Jan 6, 2023 | ContentWritingChat

There’s no denying that social media is a busy place with tons of content being shared every second. That paired with tricky algorithms makes it hard to stand out from others in your niche.

So, what are you to do when you want to build a strong social media presence that gets your brand recognized? How can you ensure you’re rising above your competitors?

The answer is publishing incredible, highly valuable, shareable content.

If you want to learn how to do just that, this #ContentWritingChat recap offers some helpful tips that will allow you to truly transform your social media strategy.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

Our very first #ContentWritingChat of 2023 was all about creating shareable social media content. Perfect as you’re finalizing your content strategy for the year!

Q1: Social media is a great way to reach and connect with your audience, but how do you choose which platforms are worthy of your time and attention?

To determine which social media platforms to use, you need to know your audience. Figure out where they’re spending most of their time online so you can build a presence on the same platforms.

Not only do you want to be where your audience is active, but you also want to focus on platforms that allow your strengths to shine. When you enjoy creating content for the platforms you’re using, that passion shines through.

It’s also smart to consider which platforms are aligned with your brand’s voice so you can determine what would be the best fit.

Q2: Once you’ve chosen your go-to social media platforms, it’s time to plan and create content. How do you figure out what your target audience wants to see from you?

Your analytics can provide a tremendous amount of information regarding what your audience is interested in. Pay attention to the data to see which posts performed well in the past, then use that to shape your content strategy.

It never hurts to ask your audience what they’d like to see from you. They can give you suggestions directly, meaning you don’t have to spend time researching or stressing about what to post.

As you gather this information, it’ll provide clarity on who your target audience is. Then, you can create ideal reader personas that you can refer to in the future whenever you need to generate new content ideas.

Q3: What makes a social media post shareable? Are there certain elements that can be replicated to spark engagement and shares?

The truth is, everyone is different. What works for one brand might not work for you. It’s ultimately going to depend on what appeals to your unique audience.

The key to creating great content is ensuring that it resonates. That’s why it’s so important to get to know your audience on a deeper level so you can create content they’d be interested in.

Over time, you may notice patterns in your social media content. For example, you might discover that tweets with certain hashtags generate more reach and engagement. Or you could find that posts with images perform better than a text-only post. Replicate the success of your previous posts with future content.

Q4: Images and videos can make your social media content more eye-catching. Are there any dos and don’ts when creating imagery for your posts?

Make sure your content is on-brand, as it’ll be easily identifiable for those who stumble upon your content. It’s amazing when someone can recognize your graphics without ever looking at your social media handle.

All sorts of graphics can be appealing to your audience, even data-packed charts. Be willing to experiment to see what they like the most.

And remember! You don’t have to be a graphic designer to create something that looks incredible. Tools like Canva make it easy to make quality graphics.

Q5: Social media is a busy place, so it’s easy for your content to get lost in the crowd. How can you ensure your posts are getting seen by your target audience?

When you post matters. Experiment with posting at optimal times to see if your content gains more impressions and engagement. You can get this information from industry studies or through certain third-party schedulers that analyze your data.

Just make sure you’re experimenting with posting times. While it may seem time-consuming, it’ll pay off in the end when you’ve developed a posting schedule that performs really well.

Don’t forget to also repurpose some of your older content, as many of your followers might not have seen it previously. This breathes new life into content you created previously, plus saves you time since you won’t have to come up with an entirely new idea.

Make sure social media is part of your overall content strategy, including your content marketing and email marketing efforts. It’s smart to have everything flow and work together.

Q6: How often should you post on social media to see success? And are there optimal posting times to stick to?

Post regularly, but don’t forget that quality is important. You don’t want the quality to suffer because you’re trying to meet some sort of daily post quota.

Consistency is key when you want to grow your social media presence, so make sure you’re posting often to stay top of mind.

Q7: How do you know if your social media content is performing well? What are the key metrics you should track in your analytics?

You want to establish KPIs based on your goals because this will tell you which metrics are most important to track. For example, you may want to track things like impressions, likes, shares, clicks, and conversions.

Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Follow @ExpWriters and be sure to join us on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing Predictions for 2023

by | Dec 9, 2022 | ContentWritingChat

As the year winds down, everyone is thinking ahead to their 2023 content marketing strategies.

We find ourselves asking questions such as… Which content formats are worth focusing on? And which platforms deserve more time and effort?

One way to answer these questions is to pay attention to the trends and what the experts predict will be big in the year ahead. This way, you can stay ahead of the game.

To help you get started on planning for next year, we talked all about 2023 content marketing predictions in this month’s #ContentWritingChat.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Marketing Predictions for 2023

Our community had some amazing advice and valuable thoughts to share with us, so let’s dive into the recap!

Q1: Although it may be tempting to stick to the same old strategy, it’s important to be mindful of experts’ predictions and current trends when it comes to content marketing. Why?

As Andrew mentioned, marketing is dynamic. Because the industry is always changing, you need to stay on top of the latest news, platforms, and trends so you can adapt your strategy accordingly in an effort to boost success.

However, you don’t want to get too carried away with trends. While they’re important to be aware of (and even great to experiment with), Joana knows that you ultimately want to rely on actual data when crafting your content marketing strategy. Pay attention to what works for you and your audience.

As Andrea pointed out, what worked last year might not necessarily work this year. By being aware of what’s happening in your industry, you’ll be able to stay on top of the trends and craft the most relevant strategy possible.

Q2: Let’s make some predictions! What do you think will be a must for a brand’s content marketing strategy in 2023? Will certain content formats will be the most valuable?

Some things never go out of style! Joana feels some strategies will always be important to implement. Those include things like listening to your community, being consistent, and trying new things.

Andrew feels 2023 will be the year of short-form video, podcasts, polls, user-generated content, and interactive audio events. All are great options that are worth experimenting with to see what performs well for your brand.

Q3: Are there any platforms you think brands need to be on, or at least test out, in 2023?

Andrea knows that video is where it’s at! Video is a fantastic way to build a strong connection with your target audience while also providing valuable content. You simply need to decide which platform you want to focus on. Short-form videos can be uploaded to TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Or you might opt to launch a YouTube channel to share long-form video content.

If you’re not already serious about LinkedIn, it’s time for that to change. Andrew feels it’s a worthwhile platform for B2Bs, especially due to some newer features that have been implemented.

As Joana mentioned, it ultimately depends on whether you have someone on your team that can help with incorporating new platforms. After all, it’s better to do a few platforms really well than to juggle too many with lackluster effort.

Q4: How can you determine if pursuing a specific content marketing trend will be a worthwhile venture? Are there certain questions you should ask yourself before diving in?

You always want to consider what appeals to your target audience. Is there a particular content format that really seems to resonate with them based on past engagement? Are there certain platforms they spend more time on? Answering these questions will help you make smart decisions to shape your content marketing strategy.

Andrew pointed out that you also want to consider your goals. That’s a crucial element because you want to develop a strategy that will help you get from where you are now to where you want to be.

Q5: Based on previous success, which elements of your 2022 content marketing strategy will you be carrying over into the next year?

Video is a big one for Andrea. She also feels it’s still worthwhile to invest time and energy into blogging, as it’s great for driving organic search traffic.

For Andrew, he intends to continue focusing on sharing industry news, polls, and graphics. He also wants to make sure he’s participating in relevant Twitter chats, which can also be a great way to learn and make new connections.

Q6: Of course, what works for one brand might not necessarily work for yours. How can you determine if your new content marketing strategy is paying off?

Set goals first. This way, you’ll know which metrics to track to determine whether or not your content marketing strategy is working.

Some metrics you’ll want to track include engagement rate, clicks, feedback, leads, and conversions.

Q7: Where can someone go if they want to stay updated with the latest in content marketing? Do you have any favorite resources you turn to?

Andrea shared some great resources to dive into, such as Social Media Examiner.

Andrew recommends checking out HubSpot, Hootsuite, and others for more information.

Content Marketing Institute is a great resource as well!

Did you know? #ContentWritingChat happens on Twitter on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central. Follow @ExpWriters and mark your calendars so you can join us for the next one!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Mastering Your Email Marketing

by | Nov 4, 2022 | ContentWritingChat

When building a brand, nurturing your relationships with those in your target audience is crucial to your success. You need to be able to position yourself as an expert in your field, as well as become a trustworthy resource of information. And you need to ensure you’re doing this consistently by staying in touch with your audience regularly.

But how can you do this effectively? Through email marketing!

Email is a powerful way to connect with your audience and build relationships over time. Instead of fighting with tricky social media algorithms, you can reach people where it matters the most: their inbox.

However, you might find it’s a bit tricky to truly master email marketing when you consider you need to build your list, create a welcome sequence, and develop a newsletter. Luckily, we’re here to help! That’s exactly what we talked about in this #ContentWritingChat.

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Mastering Your Email Marketing

This month’s #ContentWritingChat was packed with valuable tips that will help you become a true email marketing master. Whether you’re just getting started or email has been part of your strategy for a while, you’re sure to find some great advice here.

Q1: Why is email marketing important to a brand’s overall marketing strategy? What benefits does it provide?

As Andrew said, email is one of the most effective forms of digital marketing today. It provides an easy way for brands to communicate with their audience while delivering content that’s tailored to their needs and interests.

Joana feels email is fantastic for creating a strong connection between you and your community of subscribers. And that will go a long way when it comes to your brand’s success!

Another great element about email marketing is that it can keep your brand top of mind with your audience if you’re consistent when it comes to sending emails.

Email subscribers are often warmer leads than those who merely follow you on social media. That’s because your subscribers have taken that extra step to provide their name and email in order to receive a freebie and access your newsletter.

Q2: The first step to email marketing is building your list. What’s your advice for getting more subscribers?

A freebie is going to be essential to getting people on your email list. Everyone wants to know what’s in it for them, so give them a reason to sign up. This could be a short ebook, free training, or anything else they might enjoy.

Once you’ve chosen your freebie, don’t forget to write a powerful call to action and make it easy for people to join your list.

Q3: Once you’ve started building your list, you need to send captivating content to your list. How do you know what to write about?

As Carla said, you need to pay attention to what your subscribers are responding to. Give them more of what they’re interested in and they’ll want to stay on your email list.

Andrew suggests sharing research studies, blog content, promotions, event details, helpful tips and tricks, industry information, and the latest news. Ultimately, it’s about providing value to your audience.

Nicole recommended sharing interesting statistics, promotional content, and updates on the happenings within your industry.

Q4: Inboxes get crowded! How do you write a subject line that grabs attention and gets people to open your emails?

Your subject line will get cut off in an inbox, so you want to keep it short and sweet.

Andrew said to make a statement with your subject line. You can even try incorporating a call to action to entice people to open your emails.

It’s also helpful to pay attention to the latest data on what makes an effective subject line. Then, you can test and see what works best for your audience. And as Kat said, a great test is to ask yourself if you would actually open your own emails.

Joana suggested asking questions or using emojis in your subject lines. Both can be very effective at increasing your open rates.

Q5: Are there optimal times to send your emails? How can you find out what works for you?

As Andrew said, you can do research to find the best times to send emails, but it’s ultimately going to depend on your audience. Run some A/B split tests to determine your ideal da and times to send your newsletter.

Nicole feels mornings are the best times to send emails, as this is when many people check their inboxes. Give it a try and see how it works for you!

Carla takes her own time zone into consideration when sending emails. She opts for 12 pm and 5 pm and they generate the highest open rates for her.

Q6: How can you keep your subscribers engaged, ensuring they regularly read and interact with your emails?

Great subject lines and captivating content are essential if you want to keep your subscribers engaged. Don’t. forget to monitor your analytics to see what performs the best as well.

Send content that’s relevant to the lives of your subscribers. This will give them a reason to stick around.

Make sure you create a schedule and stick to it. This will create consistency for you, as well as your subscribers. They’ll always know when to expect a new email from you.

Take it a step further and create a nurture sequence that’s personalized to your subscribers. You can send a welcome sequence to introduce them to your brand and warm them up to potentially make a purchase, for example.

Q7: What’s your favorite email marketing platform? And what are the main features you suggest someone look for when choosing a platform to create and send newsletters?

ConvertKit is a popular option due to its robust features and affordability.

Carla uses ConvertKit as well, but has also used MailChimp in the past.

Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Mark your calendar for the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central and follow @ExpWriters on Twitter for all the latest!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Establishing Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Field

by | Oct 7, 2022 | ContentWritingChat

By now, you’ve probably heard the phrase “thought leader” thrown around quite a bit.

But what exactly is a thought leader? And how can you become one in your field?

That’s what we talked about in this month’s #ContentWritingChat! So, if you’re ready to establish yourself as a well-known industry expert, keep reading for all the tips!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Establishing Yourself as a Thought Leader in Your Field

Our community offered some valuable advice in this month’s chat. It’s everything you need to know if you want people to see you as a go-to resource.

Q1: In your opinion what does “thought leadership” actually mean?

To establish yourself as a thought leader, you want to consistently offer new and unique information for your community to consume.

A huge element of thought leadership is sharing your ideas and encouraging others to get involved at the same time, so don’t be afraid to speak up!

Q2: Why would someone want to establish themselves as a thought leader in their field? What benefits does it provide?

Building the Know, Like, and Trust Factor is crucial for creating success as a brand. When people view you as a thought leader in your industry, they have developed a trusting relationship with you and will be more inclined to support your business.

As a thought leader, you’ll have a certain level of credibility and respect in your field. This is great for getting your content shared widely, but it can also lead to tons of new opportunities for your brand.

Q3: What are some of the top qualities you feel thought leaders typically possess?

Thought leaders have a desire to help others through their content. They are also confident and willing to adapt over time.

Adaptability, flexibility, focus, and accountability are all characteristics you’ll want to have if you desire to be a thought leader. You also need to have a willingness to teach others, plus a desire to learn and grow.

Q4: What are the first steps in building a thought leadership strategy?

First, you need to set goals. What do you hope to achieve by becoming a thought leader? It’s also smart to research other thought leaders so you can learn from them.

Creating a thought leadership strategy starts with knowing who your audience is, what their pain points are, and what kind of expertise you have that will serve them. From there, you can begin creating content that appeals to their needs.

It’s important to have conversations with your community and other experts in your field. This is a powerful way to learn what others are looking for and what gaps currently exist in your industry that you can address.

Q5: Creating high-quality content is an effective way to position yourself as a thought leader. Is there a certain content format that’s best for doing this?

Always create content that showcases your strengths while also appealing to how your audience likes to consume content. You can also repurpose your content into multiple formats to reach a wider audience, as we all like to learn in different ways.

Be flexible with your content formats and remain open to trying new things to see how they work for you. There are tons of options available to us today, so it’s smart to experiment.

Q6: Part of becoming a thought leader is getting your content noticed. How can you increase traffic and impressions on the content you’re publishing?

Getting your content noticed starts with SEO. Make sure you’re taking the time to optimize your content so you can rank higher in Google’s search results.

Cross-promotion is another great tactic. If you can collaborate with other bloggers or podcasts, you can generate tons of traction for your brand and its content.

Make sure you have a digital marketing campaign in place if you’re serious about generating brand awareness. You may also want to contribute to leading publications in your industry for more exposure.

Q7: How will you know if you’ve successfully established yourself as a thought leader? Is there any way to measure this?

If you notice people are reaching out to you for help or advice, that’s a good sign! It shows they value your opinions and consider you a trustworthy source.

Focus on putting your best content out there and serving your audience and you’re on the right track to becoming a true thought leader.

Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? Mark your calendars for the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central and meet us on the @ExpWriters Twitter account!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Creating Shareable Social Media Content in 2023

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Copywriting Hacks to Up-Level Your Content

by | Sep 9, 2022 | ContentWritingChat

Looking for some copywriting hacks that will help you level-up your content?

Well, you’re in the right place!

For this month’s session of #ContentWritingChat, we asked our community to share some of their best copywriting tips that you can take and implement in your own content. Perfect if you’re looking to generate more traffic, engagement, and conversions. Let’s dive in!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Copywriting Hacks to Up-Level Your Content

Be sure to check out our blog post, which is linked in the embedded tweet above. It was the inspiration for this month’s chat!

Q1: The first step in creating amazing content is to know your ideal reader. How can you learn more about those within your target audience to create content that serves them?

Always take the time to get to know your audience by having conversations with them.

You can talk to your audience via social media or even have 1:1 calls as market research if you have the time to dedicate to it.

Use this as an opportunity to learn about their favorite content, pain points, and more.

Q2: How can you differentiate yourself from your competitors and communicate your unique value proposition through the content you create?

It’s important to define your voice if you want to stand out from your competitors. It’s what makes you unique compare to everyone else.

Showing you care about your audience goes a long way.

Q3: Part of generating traction for your content is creating a headline that will get people to click. What makes a clickable headline?

Headlines should be on the shorter side and need to be relevant to your content. Never mislead your readers with a clickbait headline.

Bold claims can be an effective way to grab attention and drive traffic.

Q4: How do you ensure the body of your content is intriguing enough that people read it the whole way through?

Formatting plays a major role in your content, so don’t just focus on the copy. Sub-headings are a great way to make your content easier to consume.

You can even break up text with images to add visual interest and to provide a way for them to better understand your content.

Q5: When it comes to copywriting hacks, what are your favorite ways to encourage people to take action? Urgency, FOMO, etc.?

Urgency is great, especially if there’s a deadline. Just don’t lie about deadlines or limited spaces to fake urgency. Only use this tactic when it’s legitimate.

These simple tips will allow you to effectively incorporate urgency!

Q6: Editing is key when polishing your content. What does your editing process look like?

Combing through your content multiple times will allow you to spot grammar and spelling mistakes, as well as overused phrases and words. Perfect for tweaking your copy.

If you can, have someone else review your content. A second set of eyes can be a huge help in spotting mistakes you overlooked.

As you edit, remove anything unnecessary, revise for flow, and correct any spelling and grammar mistakes. Your readers will thank you!

Q7: How soon after your content is published do you monitor its analytics? Which metrics do you track to determine success?

You’ll want to give it some time for your content to gain traction on Google, so two to four weeks after publication can be a great time to start seriously tracking metrics.

Monitor things like link clicks, time on page, and acquisition to gain a better understanding of the actions your readers are taking.

Want to join the next #ContentWritingChat? It happens on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central! Follow @ExpWriters to stay updated!