You’ll already be well aware of how important a content marketing strategy is to get right. It can twist and turn so easily, and one click of the upload button and your content could be on the screens of millions of internet users around the world.
It’s an exciting time.
However, you’ll also be aware of just how time-consuming this content creation process is, and if the return on investment isn’t there, your business is going to go under. So, what, as a business, can you do to make things better, helping you get things done quicker but for a reduced cost, leaving you with more budget to play with?
The answer: automation.
Here are five steps your business can start taking right now to implement automation in your content marketing workflow, helping you to be the best business you can be!
1. Defining Your Purpose
Okay, this point goes without saying, but it’s so important that it’s vital that you remember this aspect of every single decision you and your content creation team make. You need to be 100% aware of who your target market is and the reason for your content getting in front of them.
For example, are you going to be promoting your business and making anew target audience aware of your presence? Maybe you’re trying to entice users into buying your new product or service? Perhaps you’re simply trying to educate your followers about the latest goings-on within your business.
“Whatever the purpose of your content, you can automate this entire process by setting up a schedule. This means you never have to think about what’s coming next, but you can simply refer to your pre-organised workflow” – explains Jeffrey Thomas, a Marketing Strategist at Big Assignments.
2. Creating Your Content
Now that you’ve defined the purpose of your content and your entire workflow, you can start creating the content for your strategy. You can do this by ordering a content request. Wherever this quest originates, there’s a couple of processes that need to take place.
Primarily, this will be regarding SEO analysis of the content, so you can have a list of keywords to use when creating your article. You’ll also want to consider the length of the post, the due date, the release date any other important information.
In regard to automation, all of these processes can be optimised. By using keyword research tools, as well as creating a guideline to work through this process, you can be sure that you miss no important details, and everything runs smoothly.
3. Identifying Content Distribution Channels
This is one point you don’t want to miss out until it’s too late. Of course, your content is going to be posted on your blog but where else are you going to share it? Are you going to submit it as a guest post, what kind of social media platform would be best suited for this content? Maybe you’re going to email out as exclusive content to your newsletter subscribers.
This is a process that should be decided as a group, but it will be worth automating this technique by creating guidelines you can work too. This can help you to quickly and efficiently decide the distribution channels, so you can focus on other important things.
4. Ensure Your Content is Engaging & Release
Once the content has been written and approved by the person in charge, it’s time to move that forward up through your content creation process. Now you’re going to want to create visuals that help to captivate and engage your readers, boosting those all-important engagement rates.
This means sourcing and working alongside your graphic designer. Once you’re happy with the final product, it’s time to release your product to your audience and watch your followers go crazy!
Be sure to use scheduling apps and platforms to make sure you’re posting at the right times, to the right people using the right hashtags and content identification methods for maximum reach.
5. Continuously Follow Your Content
Once you’ve posted your content, keep watching those KPI’s to measure the success rates of your content piece. If it needs optimising while it’s live, do so for maximum effectiveness.
Many scheduling apps and platforms will have the ability to automatically show you the results of your release in real time, helping you know the exact reception that it’s getting. Continue to optimise and distribute your content and record your findings for the next piece. – says Kenneth Garcia, a Content Marketer and Huffingtonpost contributor.
Recommended Tools for Content Marketing
As you can, even in five steps, content creation is a long and laborious process but, so many tasks can be automated, and tools can be used to help you effectively and quickly carry out certain tasks. Here’s a collection to get you started!
1- Inbound
Site: inbound.org
Inbound is a free-to-try content tool that’s great for sourcing ideas and content concepts that you can write about by showing you exactly what’s trending right at this very second. You can receive daily or weekly updates.
2- Essay Roo
Site: essayroo.com
Essay Roo is an online writing service that can help to guide you through the content creation process. There are also professional writers on hand who can answer any questions and help you to tackle any problems you come across quickly.
3- Buffer
Site: buffer.com
A leading platform when it comes to content and social media, Buffer enables you to schedule your posts, search trending keywords and topics as well as providing you all the data you need to know about the performance of your piece.
4- Boomessays
Site: boomessays.com
Boomessays is another leading online writing service that can help you proofread your content to ensure perfection. The writers can either guide you through the process or complete your proofreading tasks on your behalf.
5- Google Keyword Planner
Site: adwords.google.com/intl/en_my/home/tools/keyword-planner/
Google Keyword Planner is so important to get the right keywords in the right places when it comes to your content, especially if you want it to have a high SEO ranking. Google provide their own keyword planner you can use to make this process a whole lot easier.
6- Easy Word Count
Site: easywordcount.com
Use this free online tool for tracking and monitoring the word count of your posts in real-time. This ensures that you’re providing your readers with valuable content and meet the recommended search engine guidelines.
7- UK Writings
Site: ukwritings.com
UK Writings is an online writing service that specialises in editing content like yours. If you’ve already created a piece and need it edited, the writers here will work alongside you to ensure it’s perfect. They can also carry out the task on your behalf.
8- Cite It In
Site: citeitin.com
If you’re adding citations, references and quotes to your content, something that you should be doing anyway, you can use this free tool to make sure that they are professionally formatted and look great.
9- Paper Fellows
Site: paperfellows.com
Is you’re in desperate need of some content and simply don’t have the time or the resources, you can use this professional writing service to create the content from scratch on your behalf.
Conclusion
As you can see, creating content for your business doesn’t have to be the overwhelming task that it first seems. By taking your time to set up profession processes and automation, you can save time and budget every step of the way while taking your business to a new level of success.
About the Author: Gloria Kopp
Gloria Kopp is a digital marketer and a content manager at Academized. She regularly contribute posts to Semrush and Oxessays blogs. Gloria is an author of Studydemic educational blog full of advice for students and educators.