How to Create Content on the Fly

At the start of every new month; social media managers have this one main problem to tackle; the social media calendar. Whether it’s on an excel sheet or a Trello board; this problem is consistent and persistent.

Given the number of priority tasks on hand, a majority of the time social media calendars take a back seat. Though the importance of that one plan, does not reduce, the impact due to the lack thereof definitely does.

So we have a few tips on how to better that content creation process.

Before we reach the solution to this problem; let’s breakdown today’s social media reality.

1. Everyone’s a creator. An estimated 2.95 billion* people were using social media worldwide in 2019; this number has obviously increased this year. So a large number of people create, publish and share content on a daily basis; making everyone a creator.
2. Since everyone is a creator; everyone automatically becomes a competition. So now you’re not only facing the problem of this dynamic world but also a highly saturated market.
3. Unlimited Channels. There are multiple different channels catering to different audiences. Though an efficient tool to distinguish and categorise audiences; creating content that sticks on each platform becomes difficult.
4. With an explosion of channels; comes a fragmented audience. With Linkedin being more professional, Instagram being visual and Snapchat being casual; finding the correct form of content for each channel and its audience type; that’s an additional pain point.
5. Today the lifespan of each published post does not exceed more than 2-3 hours. That’s your make it or break it period. Your Instagram algorithm updates and in an instant, all your published content is drowned in a sea full of social media posts and captions.

Now, we have summarised the landscape today but have a harsh picture painted in front of us. The reality behind the powerful tool of social media. So that brings us to the question: How do you win?

Here are 6 ways to create social media content on the go!

1. Repurposing Content
   

   
   

Image Source – https://ie.coca-colahellenic.com/

The idea behind repurposed content lies in this picture. Each bottle in this picture is produced for a different user audience. Similarly, you can take one piece of existing content and transform to add a new perspective and reach more people. With repurposed content; you’re creating new and original content while being managing to remain quick and efficient.

2. Stop Paraphrasing

When we say repurpose content; we don’t mean copy. Repurposing content is adding value to an already published source to show it in a new light. While paraphrasing is simply duplicating that source. Identify the difference and stay on the right side of the line.

3. Micro Content

Micro Content is another additional avenue to create content quickly. Break down larger pieces of content into smaller ones to write on and create an entirely new post. This not only ensures that you do not run out of content ideas but also gives you the opportunity to explain concepts in detail. A simple yet beneficial trick that boosts your productivity and reduces the time taken.

4. Knowing your industry

This is the most basic yet the most helpful trick that will help speed your content creation process. A list of competitor pages will help you analyse what works and what doesn’t. It gives insights into customer reactions and engagements. A database of bloggers, thought-leaders and individuals who post content related about your industry is another aspect of knowing your industry.

5. Social Listening

As a social media manager or content creator; you have to spend a majority of your time on the platform. You have to be present on each and every social platform, analysing our people react and engage with brands. By being informed of activities which are happening in real-time you can latch onto them and capitalise on its potential. Trending formats and ongoing conversations are now your new opportunities to grow. Your best source of content is the platform itself.

6. Networking

To build and retain your strong foothold in the social media landscape, you have to network. Reach out to brands and pages in the same industry. Follow several pages which can add value to your online portfolio. Like, comment and interact with people. Tag creators in your posts to get more views. If you get a feature, post about that and add to the conversation. Using the platform for its number one benefit, that is to network and connect, can bring attention to your page.

With a plan already built in advance using these tricks, gives you more room to work on the creativity, visual and designs of your posts. An added benefit, if any changes do come up, your plan is flexible enough to effectively manage the shifts.

If you consciously apply these tactics, we promise you, you can capitalise on the full potential of a social media calendar. A little bit of practice and you can check one heavy task of your day plan within a matter of hours. This allows you an optimum distribution of your time and resources and correct prioritization of tasks on your part.

To know more on how to ace the social media game, watch this webinar “Social Media Post Jam”