If you want to step up your content marketing in 2021, you’re in the right place!
For our very first #ContentWritingChat of the year, we felt it was only fitting to share some tips to help you boost your content marketing efforts.
After all, we’re pretty passionate about creating amazing content around here!
This topic was actually inspired by a talk our CEO, Julia McCoy, did during a virtual summit back in December. Now, we’re building off of Julia’s advice by learning even more great tips from our community.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: How to Fuel Your Content Marketing in 2021
🎉 Welcome to our first #ContentWritingChat of 2021!
To kick off the year, we're hosting a community chat all about fueling ⛽️ your content marketing efforts.
Who is excited for this topic? pic.twitter.com/VXfbedt1XU
— Express Writers | Your Content Writing Partner (@ExpWriters) January 5, 2021
This month, we opted to do a community chat, opening the floor up to everyone as they shared their thoughts and opinions. So many great tips were shared during this chat, so let’s dive into the recap!
Q1:2021 is upon us! Have you developed your content marketing plan for the year ahead yet?
Some people are eager to get started with their planning, while others take their time and plan quarterly or even monthly. Here’s what some of our chat participants had to say:
A1: Of course, but the content marketing plan has wiggle room so our strategy can change as needed. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) January 5, 2021
Lexie is prepared with a content marketing plan ready to go! However, she also realizes the importance of being flexible. Things can change and you have to be willing to adapt as needed.
A1: I'm trying to take it quarter by quarter so I am more agile in terms of how I deliver. #ContentWritingChat
— Kushlani De Silva (@kushlani_ds) January 5, 2021
Kushlani tackles her planning on a quarterly basis, which is a smart way to go about it.
A1: Yes, spent the last 2 weeks of December putting it together. Not an entire year, but at least the first 3 months. #ContentWritingChat
— Chris Roberts (@BetterSmallBiz_) January 5, 2021
Chris is in the same boat and focuses on planning three months at a time.
A1: Not the full year ahead. I mostly do month-to-month revising it weekly given the traffic. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/nY5mSeU3WS
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) January 5, 2021
Carla prefers to plan month-to-month, allowing her to revise as needed based on her weekly findings within her analytics.
Q2: To cultivate success in your business, you need to invest in your personal growth first. How are you planning to prioritize and invest in your content marketing growth this year?
If you aren’t sure how to invest in your growth and knowledge, these are some great suggestions:
A2: Great question! Connecting with fellow marketers and spending time with valuable resources such as blogs, podcasts, and community chats like this one brings us the insights and the knowledge we need for growth. #contentwritingchat
— LiveHelpNow (@LiveHelpNow) January 5, 2021
Connecting with others can be an amazing way to experience growth since you can learn so much from other experts. Reading blogs, listening to podcasts, and participating in chats are great options as well.
A2: Twitter chats (like this one); reading blogs and attending webinars/virtual conferences.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) January 5, 2021
Danielle is a fan of participating in Twitter chats. She knows there’s so much to be learned, as you’re exposed to so many new perspectives.
A2. Keep learning a priority always… This year I am doubling down on reading books in Marketing, Business, Copywriting genres…#contentwritingchat https://t.co/gWaunvZRCd
— Vivek Nair – The Thrifty Marketer (@vivektweetsso) January 5, 2021
Vivek is committing to personal growth by reading books that are about marketing, business, and copywriting.
A2: I’m going to every virtual event I can this year, and any time I hear about a book I should read, I’m adding it to the list! Taking notes on how others are succeeding and looking to apply it myself. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) January 5, 2021
For Rachel, she’s going to be attending a lot of virtual events. They can be an amazing way to learn from other experts without having to leave the comfort of your own home.
A2. I completely agree with the first part of this question. Honestly, it’s something I try to do anyway. Reading, watching films, taking classes, volunteer work, & talking to people are all great ways to grow on a personal level. #contentwritingchat
— Dana Lemaster (@DanaLemaster) January 5, 2021
Dana loves to read, watch films, take classes, volunteer, and talk to people. All are great ways to expand your knowledge and strengthen your skills.
A2. For myself, I've chosen a few areas of interest that I want to learn about. I'll start with reading books and blogs on them. Perhaps I'll invest in a course this year. Who knows! 😀 #ContentWritingChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) January 5, 2021
It may help you to choose a few key areas that you’d like to learn about and find dedicated resources on them, such as any interesting books.
A2: I have dedicated a budget towards sharpening my #digitalmarketing and #contentmarketing skills. You must stay current with the latest tech changes in order to stay relevant. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/WbPD2IsGcb
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) January 5, 2021
Carla’s advice about having a budget is great. You want to be smart about where you’re investing your money so you don’t spend beyond your means. Set a budget and determine which areas you’d like to give your attention to.
A2: Time blocking my calendar has allowed me to set time each week to learn something new. Also planning on attending plenty of chats! #ContentWritingChat
— Chris Roberts (@BetterSmallBiz_) January 5, 2021
And once you’ve found some great resources, schedule time into your calendar just for you. This way, you’ll be able to prioritize your education this year.
Q3: Ranking in Google search results is a win for any content creator. Our CEO, Julia McCoy, suggests studying the top results for your target keywords. What can you learn from doing this?
It turns out there’s a lot you can learn! And it can be pretty beneficial for you, so you might want to get started on that ASAP.
A3 By studying what's in Google for your client/customer pain point (ideal traffic keyword), you can see:
💡 What content gets ranked for this kw
💡 Who's doing it well
💡 Who's NOT doing it well
💡 This will spur ideas on how YOU can do it better!#ContentWritingChat— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) January 5, 2021
From Julia herself, she said doing this research will help you see what content gets ranked for your keyword, who’s doing it well, and who’s not doing it well. It just might spark some new ideas for you too!
A3: First, @JuliaEMcCoy is right! Second, you can learn more than potential keywords. You can learn what writing style the audience is favoring and roughly how long the content should be. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) January 5, 2021
You can also notice things about the writing style and the length of the content that’s being ranked.
A3. Studying the ranking results gives a good idea of how to rank. Look at the KWs they've used, where they've used them, and how frequently they've used them. Keep an eye on the format too — is there a pattern that all results follow? And analyze the intros. #ContentWritingChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) January 5, 2021
Masooma suggests looking at how they’re using keywords, as well as paying attention to formatting. Also, do you notice anything special about the intros of the posts that are ranking?
A3 – Here's what you can learn:
1️⃣ Their uniqueness
2️⃣ Things they're covering
3️⃣ How the post is structured
4️⃣ The main zest of the post
5️⃣ Their level of detail
The top 10 results can tell you a lot!#ContentWritingChat
— SEO Charge 🦄 (@seocharge_) January 5, 2021
You can even learn how the post is structured and how detailed they are, as well as a number of other things that can help shape your own content.
Q4: When it comes to content creation, practice makes perfect. What can you do to become a better creator this year and produce content that generates conversions?
The secrets to becoming a better content creator are as follows:
A4. One thing I'm doing is writing every single day in 2021 & I KNOW that playing with all types of content, from creative to short stories, I'll become a become a better creator. Even creative writing can be valuable for business-related content creation! #ContentWritingChat
— Jessica Thiefels | Mindset + Marketing (@JThiefels) January 5, 2021
Jessica is challenging herself to write every single day. She’s experimenting with different types of content as well. After all, the more you write, the better you’ll become at it!
A4: Commit to a creation goal! Give yourself a goal per week/per month, & hit it. Note that in this scenario that NOT every piece has to hit 💯. But if you post 1 piece of content a month, that’s only 12 chances a year. Up your odds, & you’ll learn more, too. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) January 5, 2021
Rachel suggests setting a content creation goal to inspire you to keep writing.
A5: I think you have to keep learning about your customers and what they want and need. The more you know about them, you can customize content and aim to increase engagement–which always makes us even more proud of our work!#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/xbPEXwkSMu
— Maria Gebhardt (@mariacgeb) January 5, 2021
To create better content, it also helps to learn more about your audience and what they need so you can better serve them.
A4. Two things that I've planned for myself this year to create better content:
– Take a deeper dive into my target audience's problems and pain points
– Talk to experts and request them to share their lessons/takeaways with me#ContentWritingChat— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) January 5, 2021
Masooma is also planning to do more research on her target audience this year so she can gain a better understanding of their pain points.
A4: Be open to feedback. It is one of the best ways to grow. The feedback might come from an editor, but it could also be a lack of engagement or website visits too. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) January 5, 2021
Lexie’s advice is to be open to feedback. If you want to get better, you need to be able to accept constructive criticism so you can learn where you need to improve.
Q5: Storytelling is important to content marketing success. What are the characteristics of a good brand story and how can you tell it effectively?
This advice from our chat will help you up your storytelling game:
A5: Brand stories need to articulate a problem, show how that problem impacts others, and how the brand can be the bridge to solve it. I always like to think of a brand as a concierge. For every potential issue in your space, you should have an idea to assist. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) January 5, 2021
Rachel feels a great brand story should communicate a problem, how that problem impacts others, and how the brand can solve the issue.
A5: I think you have to tell your story with authenticity and passion. If you believe in what you are writing, it will make people want to read it and make it more effective for readers.#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/8fTbGWSmiZ
— Maria Gebhardt (@mariacgeb) January 5, 2021
Maria knows great stories have authenticity and passion.
A5:
Authenticity
Easy to relate to
Have a set of 3-4 takeawaysWith story telling, the best approach is to be simple and not try to include too many sub topics and just stick to the main plot. #ContentWritingChat
— Kushlani De Silva (@kushlani_ds) January 5, 2021
A relatable story is also a great way to draw your audience in.
A5 –
1️⃣ Your story must resonate with your audience
2️⃣ Define your core message
3️⃣ It should inspire people to take action
4️⃣ Throw in creative conflicts
5️⃣ And lastly, add a personalized action trigger#ContentWritingChat
— SEO Charge 🦄 (@seocharge_) January 5, 2021
And of course, you want to inspire people to take action after hearing your story.
A5: Authenticity, consistency and staying power #contentwritingchat
— SashaWallinger (@SashaWallinger) January 5, 2021
Authenticity, consistency, and staying power are definitely key.
A5: Same as any story. Does it follow a compelling narrative? Does it have characters people would care about? Does it speak to some universal truths?#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) January 5, 2021
These questions Danielle asked will help you determine if your storytelling is moving in the right direction.
Q6: Google searches went from 3.5 billion per day to 6 billion per day and it’s still climbing! How can brands take full advantage of this in 2021?
These are the tips you’ll want to know if you’d like to climb to the top of the search results this year:
A6: Writing for the reader/audience is becoming increasingly important. SEO is a moving target, but if you write *quality* content that resonates with the audience, that will help. #contentwritingchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) January 5, 2021
Always write with your audience in mind and create the quality content they’re looking for.
A6: By knowing what topics and keywords people are searching for and positioning your content as the answer. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/40kKBWEetW
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) January 5, 2021
When you know what people are searching for, you can create the content that answers all their questions.
A6: This is the height of social listening. Taking the time to see relevant queries in your space can set your content for the YEAR. Directly responding to need by creating a guide, doing a video series, or a Twitter chat is a great strategy to create value. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) January 5, 2021
Social listening is so important to gain a better understanding of your audience and their needs. This will tell you exactly what kind of content you should be creating.
A6: Listen to what your audience needs. Listen to what your audience is asking about. Then answer these queries with content. You’ll never run out of story ideas and you’ll build your brand authority!#ContentWritingChat
— Kaitlyn Arford — Freelance Writer (@kaitarford) January 5, 2021
At the end of the day, it’s all about serving your audience.
A6: Create valuable, trustworthy content. Leverage SEO but don't try to game the system. If you write what your audience wants, your content will find its readers.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) January 5, 2021
And make sure your content is always valuable and trustworthy.
A6: I think we should look at this as an opportunity to reach more and increase our potential to do more in 2021!#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/GypII0Np5q
— Maria Gebhardt (@mariacgeb) January 5, 2021
Whatever you do, see this as an opportunity as we head into 2021 and use it to your advantage.
Q7: Do you have any favorite tools or resources that have shaped your content marketing over the years?
Check out these tools and give them a go! You might find some great ones to add to your content marketing efforts:
A7. Lots of blogs that I love, for instance, @CMIContent, @Backlinko, and @AnimalzCo blogs to name a few.
Several books have helped me too. As for tools, I appreciate @answerthepublic a lot! Guides my content creation process quite a lot. #ContentwritingChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) January 5, 2021
Some of Masooma’s go-to resources include Content Marketing Institute and Answer the Public.
A7: Tools! Everyone's favorite. 😍
* @CoSchedule has a free headline analyzer, but now they have a "premium" tool for headlines that I'm trying out
* @Grammarly – follows me from content creation to email to social media
* @buffer – helps me post consistently#contentwritingchat— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) January 5, 2021
Michelle loves CoSchedule’s headline analyzer, Grammarly, and Buffer.
A7: KWFinder from @mangools_com has been immensely helpful for doing initial keyword research. #ContentWritingChat
— Chris Roberts (@BetterSmallBiz_) January 5, 2021
KWFinder is an essential for Chris.
A7: Topic Research tool from @semrush, Content Explorer tool from @ahrefs and @answerthepublic are great for content and keyword ideas. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) January 5, 2021
And Lexie’s favorites include SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Answer the Public.
Q8: What are some of the biggest lessons you learned in 2020 that you will carry into your content marketing for this year?
These are lessons that we can all take to heart:
A8: I think the most important lesson I learned this year is to be flexible and then be more flexible. In 2020, things were constantly changing with all of the challenges we faced.#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/ZQcKwpMMQ6
— Maria Gebhardt (@mariacgeb) January 5, 2021
Be flexible! This is so important to remember.
A8. Talk to people – whether it's your target audience, an expert in the subject you're covering, or sources for your piece. Talk. That's the way to creating truly helpful, valuable, and authentic content for your readers. #ContentWritingChat
— Masooma | Content Writer (@inkandcopy) January 5, 2021
Spend time talking to people and learning from others.
A8: People were/are overwhelmed. Messaging needs to be clear – otherwise, it's hard to capture attention.
Also – having a digital presence is more important than ever. That means – content, social media, PR. And, they all work together SO nicely. 😊#contentwritingchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) January 5, 2021
Make sure your messaging is clear.
A8: Pay attention to your surroundings. I've gotten so many opportunities from writing content that helped my readers deal with the pandemic right now. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/NWQ8waO3oN
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) January 5, 2021
Adapt to what’s going on in the world and deliver relevant, timely content.
Want to join us next time? We chat on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central. Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat for updates.