Can you believe this year is quickly coming to a close?
It seems like 2020 has flown by, but also gone by very slowly at the same time.
No matter what, it’s safe to say it’s been a whirlwind year for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of stress and it required each one of us to change up our daily routines. We went from working in the office to working at home, we started going out less, and we’re all wearing masks.
So, we thought it was only fitting to do a #ContentWritingChat wrapping up 2020 so we could all reflect on just how much our lives (and businesses) have changed over these past few months.
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Wrapping Up 2020
Welcome to #ContentWritingChat! 👋🏻
We are so excited to have you with us for our final chat of 2020. It's been a crazy year and we thought it would be fun to reflect on what we've all learned and how this year has impacted us. pic.twitter.com/NT97w2JHIW
— Express Writers | Your Content Writing Partner (@ExpWriters) December 1, 2020
Instead of having a guest host, we opted for a community chat this month. We had some great conversations and received some insightful tips from everyone who participated. Let’s dive into the recap to see what some of them had to say.
Q1: Overall, how has 2020 been for you? Any big lessons you’ve learned?
As we’re wrapping up 2020, we definitely have some important takeaways that we’ll keep in mind as we move into the future. Here are some of the lessons our community members learned:
A1: Big lessons learned:
*Don't take things for granted.
*Appreciate your loved ones.
*Live in the moment.*Business-wise – put your customers FIRST.
And:
*Digital – it's all about your digital presence. Don't neglect it – it'll only become more vital— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) December 1, 2020
Michelle shared some great lessons that she’s taking away from 2020. Personally, it’s so important to stop taking things for granted, appreciate your loved ones, and live in the moment. And her business advice of putting your customers first is on point!
A1: This year gave me time to evaluate my future. While it’s been a struggle to navigate the day-to-day, I’ve found it easier to think in big picture terms. It gives me hope for what’s to come, and what I want that to look like. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) December 1, 2020
For Rachel, this year was all about evaluating her future. Looking at the big picture can really help you determine what you want life to look like moving forward.
A1 I'd say, the importance of focusing on yourself, your health & well-being. The importance of shifting to a hybrid model of offline & online (especially in #remotelearning) and the power of connections and community > build your own safety net & your "pack" #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/B31Y3dZXpd
— Zala Bricelj – 🇸🇮 😊 #edutech is my jam (@ZalkaB) December 1, 2020
Zala is spot on when she says that it’s more important than ever to focus on yourself, your health, and your overall wellbeing.
A1: I think the universal lesson this year has been "There is power in content…and you can't deliver too much of it." #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/a5xwTIUSR9
— Shawn Paul Wood (@ShawnPaulWood) December 1, 2020
In terms of business, content is key! And Shawn knows that you can’t have too much quality content to share with your audience. It’s the perfect way to grow your brand and establish your authority in your field.
A1 –
Actually, it's been a great year for us.
The biggest lesson that we've learned this year is –
"You have to leverage an omnichannel approach and build a personalized connection with people to survive."#ContentWritingChat
— SEO Charge 🦄 (@seocharge_) December 1, 2020
Also, building a personal connection with the people in your audience is key to surviving in business. It shows them that you really care about their needs.
A1: I think a lot of companies could say they learned that an online presence is more important than ever. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) December 1, 2020
And as Lexie said, many brands really saw the importance of an online presence this year. Since many businesses had to close down their physical locations, going digital was crucial.
How did the pandemic impact your business? Did you need to shift how you’ve been working?
Many companies had to make changes to how they operated. Some had to start working from home and relying on Zoom calls to stay in touch with other team members. And others had to completely pivot their businesses.
A2: My work completely changed. As an online educator, my work is determined by the assignments my students get done. And we’ve all seen how pandemic impacts productivity! My role has shifted to confidant & cheerleader to help my students. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) December 1, 2020
When it came to adapting to this year’s changes, having a supportive person in your corner was a game-changer. Rachel found herself essentially becoming a cheerleader to keep her students motivated.
A2: For me, the pandemic caused a surge in biz in the spring. I saw more clients trying to be present on social media and increase visibility through content and PR. #contentwritingchat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) December 1, 2020
Michelle actually saw a surge in business during the spring, as more brands started to realize the importance of being present online and social media. That’s a huge plus!
A2: Our team, like many others, shifted to fully at home. In terms of client work, some paused work while they were closed, but restarted when it was right for them. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) December 1, 2020
Lexie and the rest of the Netvantage team had to say goodbye to their offices in favor of working from home full-time. She also noticed that many clients had to pause their usual work. A lot of businesses had to scale back on their expenses to keep afloat, so it’s no surprise that many service-based companies lost clients.
A2: We shifted our content calendar to address COVID-related challenges faced by our audiences. Actual work process did not change too much. I work on a team that's spread across the country so we were used to meeting virtually.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) December 1, 2020
Tweaking the content calendar to address timely topics (such as the pandemic) was definitely an important step that many brands took this year.
A2. It has honestly been one of the most creative times of my life! Business has been shifting and growing—but the only working-environment change is that I had to stay home instead of going to coffee shops 😂 #ContentWritingChat
— Jessica Thiefels | Mindset + Marketing (@JThiefels) December 1, 2020
For Jessica, she found a bright side to 2020 because it turned out to be a very creative time for her. That’s definitely a win!
Q3: In January 2020, Google’s daily searches were 3.5 billion. Today, they are 6+ billion! How have you adapted to this change?
There’s no denying we all spent a lot more time online conducting Google searches and shopping this year!
A3: I think those who were consistently blogging/creating content before the pandemic had a real advantage. #ContentWritingChat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) December 1, 2020
As Michelle said, if you were already blogging regularly, you certainly had the advantage this year as search traffic increased.
A3:
If anything, this underscores the importance for #SEO and why writing content for the Web matters. If you write a post and it dies on Page 4 of @Google, does it exist? #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/9gte0m0EyN
— Shawn Paul Wood (@ShawnPaulWood) December 1, 2020
And of course, that increase in searches only reminds us just how important it is to optimize our content. It’s worth putting in the extra effort so your content can rank highly in Google search results. After all, you want to be seen!
A3 –
Absolutely, there are more people online now than ever.
And we think SEO was the #1 thing that helped us sail through.
Start optimizing and add more value to the community.#ContentWritingChat
— SEO Charge 🦄 (@seocharge_) December 1, 2020
If you already had optimized, evergreen content on your blog, then you were in a fantastic position. Hopefully you saw some more traffic as a result!
A3: Yes, I am using GoDaddy's search engine visibility tool. I have reached first page Google search with my blog content. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/WyBbPt0SN2
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) December 1, 2020
Carla even noticed some of her blog content was ranking on the first page of Google. As a content creator, is there any better feeling than this?
Q4: How important was it for you to write timely content this year, as opposed to just evergreen?
Planning your content ahead of time is key for consistency. However, it’s smart to adjust your plan to discuss timely topics (such as the pandemic). Here’s what some of our #ContentWritingChat community had to say about evergreen and timely content this year:
A4: Timely content showed our audiences we cared about their businesses and had answers to their questions. It was very important.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) December 1, 2020
Like Danielle said, sharing timely content was a way of showing your audience that you care. You were taking the time to answer their questions and addressing what was going on in the world.
A4: It's indispensable because people are looking to you for up-to-the-minute info. People have commented on how my livestream show is relevant to what's happening now with the pandemic. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/t4oV34xl4u
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) December 1, 2020
Carla is absolutely right. People look to content creators for up-to-the-minute information. Don’t you want to be a source that your audience can count on?
A4: With everything that was happening, readers wanted content that applied to the now. They would use this content to adjust or finetune marketing strategies. Evergreen content can wait, timely content cant. #ContentWritingChat
— Kushlani De Silva (@kushlani_ds) December 1, 2020
Many people were looking for content that could be applied directly to what they were experiencing during the pandemic.
A4 I think understanding what the need is now and what content people are searching for now, is key to be of value and add value. You wish to be one of the go-to-people/places that users will check out/visit/click when they're searching for what they need #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/uTg2ROhoYa
— Zala Bricelj – 🇸🇮 😊 #edutech is my jam (@ZalkaB) December 1, 2020
As Zala said, you always want to consider what your audience is searching for. Then, you can create the content they need and add value.
A4:
Like @PRisUs and I were discussing: When you write for the Web, you write what people want WHEN they need it.
If you provide quality content with attention to algorithms, it will be found.
Don't, and enjoy Page 18 of Google. #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/HbhWAynsRu— Shawn Paul Wood (@ShawnPaulWood) December 1, 2020
Just remember that high-quality, optimized content wins at the end of the day!
Q5: With many more people working from home, what tips can you offer on staying productive?
Working from home isn’t exactly as glamorous as some people may think! And there are many who realized that this year as they transitioned from working in the office to working remotely. Here are some tips for staying productive while at home:
A5 Find your own space, rhythm, workflow. Find your productive peak time. Put more focus on clear and precise communication and be mindful with your & people's time (video calls, emails,….). And remember – it's OK to not be 100% productive ALL the time.#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/XnXGlkNe2p
— Zala Bricelj – 🇸🇮 😊 #edutech is my jam (@ZalkaB) December 1, 2020
Zala’s advice of finding your own workflow is key, as we all work differently. It’s smart to do what works best for you. And as she pointed out, clear communication was essential since many people were no longer chatting face-to-face and instead meeting over Zoom or discussing work via email.
A5: I could write a book! But:
*Set your hours
*Close your door, if you have one
*Take breaks
*Let your family/housemates know when you can/can't be interrupted
*Get a comfy chair#ContentWritingChat— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) December 1, 2020
These are all great tips from Michelle! It really helps to inform other members of your household when you absolutely cannot be disturbed.
A5: Time blocking! You rarely need to do this at work bc your day is naturally broken up by other things. A meeting, a coffee, a coworker stops by, etc. At home, you have to build break time so you’re not completely out by EOD. 20 min timers ever 90 minutes. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) December 1, 2020
Rachel suggests time-blocking to boost your productivity.
A5: Take breaks! It's important for your productivity to step away from the screen once in a while.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) December 1, 2020
And don’t forget to take breaks once in a while!
A5. Schedule and time block. Make sure you take breaks-meals, stretching, etc. Don’t scrimp on the stretching-you’re probably doing more sitting and less moving than before lockdown. #contentwritingchat
— Dana Lemaster (@DanaLemaster) December 1, 2020
During those breaks, make sure you get up and stretch. Being stuck in a chair, staring at a screen all day isn’t good for you.
A5: I think it really helps to have a morning routine where you're doing something that boosts your mood and your energy. It really sets the tone of the day ahead. #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel (@rachmoffett) December 1, 2020
Boost your energy and your mood with a morning routine. It could include things like meditation and exercise.
A5: Have a hard start and stop. People are awaking and going straight to the computer at 7am then look around and it's 7pm. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/uoENOLW2Ks
— Carlarjenkins (@carlarjenkins) December 1, 2020
Don’t forget to actually set office hours for yourself so you know when you’ll start working and when you’ll stop.
A5. Don't hold yourself to the usual hours of 9-5, if possible. For example, if your peak productivity hours are 10-2 and 5-7, work then instead! #contentwritingchat
— Jessica Thiefels | Mindset + Marketing (@JThiefels) December 1, 2020
If you can, implement Jessica’s advice. While not everyone can set their own hours, if you’re able to, you can work during your most productive times.
A5. #ContentWritingChat
Keep a sleeping schedule. Netflix is cool, and working after midnight may seem the best thing ever, but you won't be able to keep up without a night of good sleep.
And give yourself time to adapt to change.— Teodora Ema Pirciu (@emapirciu) December 1, 2020
And don’t get sucked into Netflix at night! Make sure you’re still getting a good night’s rest because it’s important to recharge for the next day.
Q6: Will you be introducing new content formats into your strategy after this year?
Part of wrapping up 2020 is looking ahead to 2021. It’s the time of year where people still considering their content strategy for the new year. Will anyone be incorporating new content formats into their brands?
A6
✍️ The written word will never fail. We're going to continue to double-down on weekly blogs!
🎨 More custom-made visuals and graphics by our talented @ExpWriters team (original concepts especially)
📹 Video will be a 🔑 More simple, elegant videos!#ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) December 1, 2020
Julia definitely wants to feature more custom-made visuals and graphics from our team in 2021.
A6: I hope to branch out into more interactive, visual content next year. #ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) December 1, 2020
Danielle would like to create more interactive, visual content.
A6. Absolutely. This year was livestreaming and podcast. I am gonna double down on those anyways. Also bring in more varieties of educational content#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/RZ4VuscNbH
— Vivek Nair – The Thrifty Marketer (@vivektweetsso) December 1, 2020
Vivek plans to double-down on live-streaming and podcasting, two things that were certainly popular in 2020.
A6: While I’m not introducing new offerings, I’m hoping my clients will take me up on some of the things they had originally classified as “too experimental.” My clients who actually embraced Instagram stories, for instance, have seen great results! #ContentWritingChat
— Rachel Wendte (@rkwendte) December 1, 2020
Rachel won’t be adding new content formats herself, but she hopes some of her clients will.
A6 –
Yes, we are working on it. It always a good idea to introduce new content formats to surprise your audience.#ContentWritingChat
— SEO Charge 🦄 (@seocharge_) December 1, 2020
After all, you never know how your audience might respond! They just might love to see something new from you, so it’s worth experimenting.
Q7: Which brands have stood out to you as successfully adapting to this year’s changes?
There are a few brands we can all learn from when it comes to how they handled this year’s events. These are a few you’ll want to draw inspiration from:
A7: I've so appreciated all the options @Target has offered. You can order & pick up; you can order & have it delivered for free with their 2-day delivery for card members; or you can use @shipt & get it delivered the same day (incl fresh items). Life saver.#ContentWritingChat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) December 1, 2020
Being able to have things delivered from stores like Target via Shipt was a huge help this year with many people wanting to stay home and avoid the stores.
A7
Our local @HEB in Texas has been OUTSTANDING. They partnered with @Favor and offered in-app grocery orders that get delivered straight to your door for a $5 service fee and a small gratuity.
It has come in handy more times than I can count this year!#ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) December 1, 2020
Julia really appreciated some of the local businesses in her area.
A7 –
Here are some brand that we think did a great job this year:
SEMrush (@semrush)
Grammarly (@Grammarly)
Awario (@AwarioApp)
( and we too😊)#ContentWritingChat
— SEO Charge 🦄 (@seocharge_) December 1, 2020
SEMrush and Grammarly were just a couple brands that did a great job adjusting this year.
Q8: What is your biggest takeaway from 2020 that you’ll bring into the next year?
And finally, we ended the chat by asking everyone to share their biggest takeaway from this past year. Here’s what a few of them had to say:
A8
The awareness that EVERYTHING as you know it CAN CHANGE in a second…
And you must adapt and be ready to weather.
We did this, as a team of 90 at @ExpWriters, in 2020. We lost 50% of our income in 1 month… & recovered. No one here lost their job. 👏#ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy (@JuliaEMcCoy) December 1, 2020
As Julia said, everything can change in a second. Are you prepared to handle that?
A8: Remember to show genuine care & concern for others – check in, ask how ppl are doing – and *really* listen.
And take care of yourself – burnout is REAL. #ContentWritingChat
— Michelle Garrett (@PRisUs) December 1, 2020
Michelle knows that it’s so important to show your audience that you genuinely care about them.
A8: To have strategies that are flexibile. To not focus 80% of your efforts on one thing – diversify. To keep learning and staying on top of what is happening. #ContentWritingChat
— Kushlani De Silva (@kushlani_ds) December 1, 2020
Kushlani said the key to success is flexibility. You need to be willing to adapt, whether that’s changing up your content strategy or completely pivoting in your business if needed.
A8 Don't give up. When the going gets tough, it's important to remember we can all be tough cookies <3 Reach out, connect with others and most importantly find new ways how you can do the work you love and love the work you do. #ContentWritingChat https://t.co/2a9cwDpU0i
— Zala Bricelj – 🇸🇮 😊 #edutech is my jam (@ZalkaB) December 1, 2020
And finally, Zala’s advice here is perfect. Don’t give up.
We’d love to have you join us for the next #ContentWritingChat! We chat on the first Tuesday of every month at 10 AM Central. Just follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat to stay updated.