The Wittery Blog (The Witty Writer Marketplace)

The Serious/Not Serious Series on Jargon

YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS:

Content with your content? You can’t just put any old thing in there, as the Vatican Council said to the bishop.   Imagine if women didn’t take a firm line with the management of content vis-à-vis their handbag.  Handbags require monitoring in order to retain a high quality of outgoing product.

How would the world proceed if women handbags (or ‘man bags’ if that doesn’t prompt an inexplicable cold shudder down the spine) became a black hole of eyeliner pencil stubs, foreign coins, used tissues and hair-laden combs?  It would be a disaster, a ‘chrome-plated, steam-powered ocean-going disaster’ as David Niven once said about a truly dreadful movie for which he was at least partially responsible.

But this isn’t the case, for has there ever been any example in the record of any woman, anywhere, admitting that her handbag was bang out of order?  Obviously since no one can ever recall such an admission, there are no handbag horror stories, so therefore it stands to reason that all women are perfect. Dipso facto, notonyournellium.

See how logic is so important to providing coherent content? Content that exists outside handbags is clearly not so very vital to the space-time continuum, so can be left to the devices of those that only carry wallets, and who stuff them unappealingly into the back pockets of their trousers, thereby creating content that’s one-sided and the enemy of good tailoring.

SERIOUSLY:

The very mention of the phrase “Content Strategy” can drive the most confident, hardened (online) small business owner to the verge of a nervous breakdown. Chillax, it doesn’t have to be this way. With a little bit of planning and thought your content handbag doesn’t need to be empty or mixed-up, dazed or confused.

Publish and be Damned – Use that Soapbox

If you have an online business you are a publisher. Accept this basic fact and start thinking and acting like a publisher.  Plan ahead for the creation and publication of your content. That’s what Content Strategy is about.

Your website Content is your soapbox. It’s how you deliver your message online. Content marketing helps you to reach out and connect with your potential customers. By having a Content Strategy, you can plan more effectively for the delivery of your business message over a sustained period of time.  You can build relationships with your prospective customers through your business blog. You don’t need an elaborate content strategy, but it helps to have a general roadmap so that you have an idea where you are going with your content.

The Cure for The Content Development Headache

Content development can be difficult for small business owners. However, by taking a bit of time to plan ahead you can ease your workload (and stress levels) in the long run. Set aside some time to have a brainstorming session dedicated to developing a content strategy. Try using some of these questions to help you find suitable topics for your business blog:

Who are your customers, what problems do they have and how do you solve these problems?

What questions/information do your customers most frequently ask?

What specific problems have you solved for individual customers in the past? Could you use some of these as stories or case studies in your business blog?

What news/developments are there in your business niche?

Are there terms or practices in your business/niche that you could explain in ordinary language to your customers?

Are there other blogs in your niche that you can look at for inspiration?

It is a good idea to stock up on some timeless blog pieces ahead of time.  This will give you freedom to write about topical items if the need, inclination or opportunity arises, but you will also be comforted by the fact that you have fall-back, timeless content for publication.  You will then have the freedom to diverge from your planned publication schedule if you choose. The key here is that it is your choice.

Get Close and Share

Building relationships with your customers through the development of your content can become an enjoyable experience.  Encourage feedback.  If you allow comments on your blog, you may find inspiration for future posts in the comments that your visitors leave. Remember that whilst you are developing your content, you are building the case for why your visitors should trust you and buy from you. Share your knowledge with your visitors and make it easy for them to buy from you when they are ready to do so.

Don’t underestimate your own expertise.  Brainstorm with other co-workers, employees, family or friends about your content strategy.  Think about engaging a professional freelance writer to assist with tidying up your content (or adding personality) for publication.  If you have the skills to do this yourself, lucky you.  By involving an experienced writer in the process, your business knowledge can be transformed into compelling, engaging content that will bring your blog content to a higher level.  Your customers will notice. Your accountant will notice too in time.

Other Jargon Buster Articles:

Attraction Marketing;  Buzz Marketing;   Duplicate Content;  Linkerati;  PageRank;  SEO;  SERPS; The Cloud; User Experience

Other Resources:

Copyblogger.com is an invaluable content marketing resource.  The tagline (Copywriting Tips for Online Marketing Success) aptly describes what you will find inside this Pandora’s Box of a website.

D.J. Francis has a neat video over at Online Marketer Blog where he explains Content Strategy in under 3 minutes using post-it notes.  (“What is Content Strategy and Why Should I Care?”) Nice work Mr Francis.

A guy by the name of Oscar Wilde once wrote a play in which a chunk of humanity (called Earnest) was found in the contents of a handbag.  It serves as a reminder that a big dollop of Earnest and a hint of humanity works well in your Content Strategy (and your handbag or man bag).  The mention of this resource is nothing other than a shameless attempt to squeeze in a reference to one of the greatest Wits of all time.  At the risk of being pedantic, you will notice the clever way that I managed to connect handbag contents and Content Strategy in order to justify the appearance of Mr Wilde in this Resources Section. (At least I thought it was clever, so please don’t burst my bubble – go burst someone else’s bubble if you must). Remember The Importance of Being Earnest in your Content Strategy and the next time you are trying to recall the name of a good play.  A little bit of trivial comedy for serious people can also add a splash of magic to any content strategy.

How’s your content strategy coming along? Are you a seat-of-the-pants content strategist or do you have all your blog posts lined up well in advance of publication? Feel free to pop a comment in the box and let me know the issues you encounter or any tricks that you use. If you’d prefer to waffle on about Mr Wilde instead, that’s perfectly fine with me.

Welcome to The Wittery Blog (aka The Witty Writer Marketplace)

You’re in the right place if you’re looking for Witty Freelance Writers to add zest to your business content. (Simply click here,  click the Register button [remembering to wipe your feet first] and give us some info about you. We don’t do spam (can’t stand the taste). There’s even a limited free trial where you can post your project for free.)

Witty Freelance Writer with a burning desire to join the wit mob? Click here, remove your shoes and then come through to the application form (you can’t miss it. It says “Apply”)

If you’d prefer to follow the scenic route instead, start off at the home page. See you soon.