There’s a lot to think about when you’re running a start-up. There’s all the front-of-house stuff like your actual products and services, and then there are all the behind-the-scenes tasks that keep the front-of-the-house looking good.
Put simply, you’re busy!
One of the elements of your start-up you probably struggle to find time for is content creation. It’s one of those niggly little tasks that you know needs to be taken care of, but its potentially time-consuming nature means it keeps getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list.
If that’s the case for you, the tips below are designed to make content marketing for your start-up as easy and as efficient as possible – you’re welcome!
Content Tips for your Start-Up Business
1. Sort out a content schedule
When you’re creating and posting content here and there, it becomes a pain. One of those things you try to squeeze into your day as and when you can but usually ends up taking longer than you thought, slowing you down and keeping you from other tasks.
To combat this, try designing yourself a content schedule. If you know, for example, that’ll you’ll post on Instagram at 8.30 AM every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, you’ll be able to get your head around dedicating these times to your content.
You could even schedule an hour per week into your diary to create these posts – then all you have to do is post them.
Not only does this help you in terms of time and feeling organised and on the ball, but it’ll also start to build consistency across your content channels; something your growing audiences will appreciate.
2. Utilise your business blog
If it’s building credibility you’re struggling with for your start-up, you can use content marketing to help cement your reputation in your niche area.
One of the easiest ways to do this is through blogging for your business. Take some time to decide on a few topics you’d like to cover and have a go at writing some pieces that you think will benefit your audience and potential customers in some way.
These blogs don’t have to be perfectly polished. Just an authentic piece sharing your opinion on something or reviewing one of your products will help start to build those customer relationships and make you stand out as an industry expert.
Bonus – you can also turn these blogs into social media posts. Two birds, one stone!
3. Know your audience
Creating content that converts takes a lot of hard work so don’t be put off if your first few pieces of content as a start-up don’t see the engagement you’d like them too! If the issue persists, however, you might need to do a deep dive into your audience.
As a start-up, it’s vital to spend some time getting to know your audience so you can provide content that they’re going to be able to relate to. Join groups and forums that you know your audience uses, interact with them on social media and try to pick up things like tone, language and topics that seem to be popular amongst them.
You can then use this information to appeal directly to those that you’re trying to attract.
Remember, content is a work in progress so keep an eye on your audience as it builds and evolves and adjust your content accordingly.
4. Automate your processes
If it’s speed you’re after when it comes to content creation, automation is going to be your new best friend!
With so many helpful technologies out there, you can schedule content ahead of time so it’s done and dusted and you don’t have to think about it. Use tools like Loomly or Hootsuite to schedule your social media posts, and schedule your blog posts on WordPress in advance.
If you dedicate perhaps an hour a week to doing so, the rest of your time will be freed up. You’ll also avoid accidentally forgetting to post thus missing opportunities for engagement and audience growth.
If you’re pushed for time, definitely sign up for some scheduling tools – they’re a game changer!
5. Be authentic
When you’re running a start-up business, it’s only natural to look at what other businesses are doing in terms of content. You see their success and want to replicate it. Sometimes this works, but when it comes to content, we find honesty is the best policy.
Be honest with your audience and potential customers by creating authentic content. Write captions and blog posts in a way that is relatable and sounds like you – imagine you’re chatting with your audience rather than sharing content with them.
This authenticity will really set you apart from other businesses in your niche and will allow you to establish your start-up in its own right. People invest in people, not businesses – if you can remember that when you’re creating your first few bits of content, you’ll be off to a brilliant start!
Content Support for Start-Up
Navigating the world of content can be tricky when you’re running a start-up. You want to be successful and build audiences as quickly as possible, but you also know that these things take time – time that you don’t always have!
By planning ahead with schedules and scheduling tools, understanding your audience, being your authentic self and utilising platforms like your business blog, you’ll find your content groove in no time.
If you’re worried about getting started with your content or would like some support to free up a bit more of your time, please feel free to get in touch with our Content Creation team.
We create content for businesses like yours to ensure your start-up sees the success it deserves.