Welcome back to the #ContentCreateHustler! In this 4-week series, I have been teaching you the simple process I use to create content that makes content creation easy and even fun!
I ran into a slight tech problem which is why this one is a bit late.
The post I had lined up somehow vanished. *face palm* I am not sure how that even happens. But it was a great reminder to make sure I have it backed up on Google Drive! Learning something new everyday! Moving on…
Today I am talking about the importance of promoting your amazing content and how to create a plan to do so using a promotion strategy!
If you are joining us mid series, I recommend starting at the beginning and reading the first two posts and snagging both of their workbooks:
Quick Reminder
When I am talking about content creation, I am talking about content for blog posts, podcast episodes, YouTube videos, content upgrades, social media posts (including those you make in Facebook groups), emails and even your paid products.
Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s move onto one of my favorite topics promotion strategy!
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Why Promotion is More Important Than Content Creation
You can have written the most amazing blog post or shared an out of this world tutorial on YouTube but how will people find it?
The thing is, it takes time for things like SEO (search engine optimization) to actually work for you. And don’t get me started on ACTUALLY doing SEO properly. That is a topic for another day.
But promotion is extremely important when you are just starting out.
Who ever said “make it and they will come” was forgetting a key aspect.
People need to know you exist. They need to know your blog exists. Your course exists. Your email list exists. And so on and so on.
Or else you are just putting content out blindly!
And that my friends is definitely NOT what you want to be doing with your business.
There is More Content Than Ever
It seems that every single day I see new bloggers or businesses pop up. And with them new content being created.
There are more options to choose from than ever before and they just keep increasing by the minute.
That is good news because it shows there is a place for content creation and just how important it truly is in 2017.
But that is also bad news. That means you have more competition than ever before. You are constantly competing for visitors to come to your site even if you don’t know it.
So picture this…
You want to learn how to knit. So you go to Pinterest to search for a tutorial. A ton of options come up and you finally decide on one from Blogger X.
That is great for you. You found a helpful tutorial. But what you didn’t know was Blogger Y actually had a better one. And you weren’t able to find it because she didn’t take the time to promote her amazing post.
What a sad day for Blogger Y. She missed out on a potential reader and customer all because she spent all of her time creating content but no time promoting it.
Not a situation you want to find yourself in.
You create your content to actually help people – whether it be with business tips, makeup tutorials, inspiration or simply entertainment. And you WANT people to find it.
That is where having a promotion strategy comes in.
And you should be applying the 80/20 rule to your content creation process. 80% of the time you should be promoting your content and 20% of the time you should be creating your content!
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Creating Your Promotion Strategy –
8 Ways to Promote Your Content
So this is the fun part! Ways to actually get your content out there and be seen.
1. Share to Social Media
I think this one is pretty obvious. But you should make sure that you actually share your content on social media repeatedly. This isn’t just a once and done step.
The Channels
- Post to Facebook
- Tweet it (Twitter)
- Pin it (Pinterest)
- Gram it (Instagram)
- Publish on LinkedIn
- Share to Google+
Now the channels will depend on your audience but I would say pick at least 3 of them. For example, every blog post I write I make sure to share on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter. When I remember and have time then I will also share to Instagram. I haven’t tried LinkedIn for myself but if you are very B2B then it might be a perfect place for you.
Facebook Groups
Join a few promotion groups on Facebook when you are first starting out. It is all about getting your content out there and creating brand awareness.
I know some people aren’t a fan of them and think they are a waste of time, but I disagree. When you are first starting out it is paramount that you start building some traction. They just take a lot of time, so be intentional when joining threads.
To find Facebook groups to join PLUS a promotion schedule check out my Ultimate List of Facebook Groups for Bloggers and Creative Entrepreneurs.
I also have a few posts on how to properly use Facebook groups:
- Why You Should Join Blogging Groups
- 10 Blogging Group Mistakes to Avoid
- How to Manage Blogging Group Tasks
Pinterest Group Boards
This is where you will really start to get your pins out there.
If you don’t know what a Pinterest Group Board is, it is basically just a board with multiple members. These members all pin their own and other people’s content to the boards. They tend to have larger audiences and gets your pins seen not only by readers but also your peers.
Jenny of Confetti Social has a great Pinterest Group Board List that is niched down for only $10. It is definitely worth checking out.
Tailwind Tribes
I am a HUGE fan of Tailwind (and yes I am an affiliate!) and think EVERY blogger and business owner should be using it.
One feature that really makes it stand out is this thing called Tailwind Tribes. Basically you join a tribe where people add their pins to it and then you pin each other’s content. There are usually rules that for every pin you add you have to pin two others, but that is VERY easy to do.
Not only do you find great content to pin and fill your queue with but you are also getting your content in front of people more likely to share it (at least if you choose highly targeted tribes).
2. Share to StumbleUpon (or other bookmarking sites)
StumbleUpon is a hot topic. Some people think it isn’t worth the effort others swear by it.
I fall somewhere in between.
I think you should be sharing everything single one of your posts to StumbleUpon. I mean why not? It has the chance to get in front of a new audience.
Just be aware that usually this traffic bounces more often or doesn’t spend too much time on the site. However, I have had visitors come from StumbleUpon and spend a decent amount of time on my site. It just depends on who the Stumbler is.
Also remember you should be spending a little time Stumbling organically as well so it doesn’t look like you are just sharing your own content.
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3. Send to Your List
This can kill two birds with one stone.
You can have content for your mailing list as well as getting your new post out to people who have already shown interest in you!
You could do this every time you have a post if it is like once a week or less. Or you could sent out a round up of recent posts if you tend to post more often. That will prevent you from SPAMming your audience.
4. Encourage Sharing of Content
This can be in a subtle way to let your readers know that if they like what they see then they can share it or with a more direct call to action (CTA)!
You can do this by having:
- A program like Sumo to have social share buttons on your blog
- Click to Tweet plugin with pre-written tweets
- Links at the end of your freebies with pre-written tweets and Facebook posts
- Adding a CTA asking people to share the Facebook post
- Asking for a RT (retweet)
5. Setting Your Facebook Personal Profile Up for Success
Make sure you use the intro area, work experience, header and featured image to let people know what you do! This won’t necessarily be promoting a piece of content itself but promoting you as a brand and business.
It is a simple step but remember how I mentioned participating in Facebook Groups? Well by having your Facebook profile optimized, you are a step ahead of the game when people want to learn more about you.
6. Add Your Blog or Website Link to Your Social Media Profiles
Once again this isn’t promoting the content itself but making sure that when potential readers or clients find you on social media, they know where to find more!
That means make sure your profiles on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+, etc. and your business page on Facebook all have a link back to your main site or the place where they can find more valuable information.
7. Interlink Your Posts
If you write a blog, one of the best things you can do is interlink your posts. This post makes use of this strategy actually. I link to past posts that relate to the topics I am talking about. That way if a reader wants to learn more, they know where to go next.
In this series, I am actually going back to the older posts and linking to the newer ones where appropriate. It brings the content full circle.
8. Repurpose Your Content
I wrote a pretty in-depth blog post on this called 10 Surprising Ways to Repurpose Your Blog Posts so I am not going to go into too much detail here.
But basically it is when you take a piece of content you have already created such as a blog post, Facebook Live, etc. and repurpose it into another DIFFERENT piece of content on the same subject.
For example, I can take this blog post and do a Facebook Live in my Facebook group The Lovely Entrepreneur Society, creating quote graphics to share on Instagram, creating small tip posts to share on Twitter, and even creating an email series or course on this topic to share it in a different way.
There are SO many possibilities and each way presents your content to a new audience – to people who may have never discovered it otherwise.
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How to Create Your Promotion Strategy
I am sure your mind is spinning with a bunch of new ideas now.
Be sure to download the workbook to create your own promotion strategy and a checklist of what you should do after you hit publish.
Makin’ Progress
You now know the importance of promoting your content and how to create a plan to get it out there.
Be sure to use the workbook to create your promotion calendar!
Leave a comment below if you get stuck, have any questions or just to let me know how you are enjoying this series! And if you share your progress and this series on social media, use the hashtag #ContentCreateHustler so we can follow along!
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Ready for more?
Check out the next post in the #ContentCreateHustler series: The #1 Tip for Content Creation from 15+ Industry Leaders.
Thanks for these tips – I’ve been feeling somewhat invisible online for the entire 5 years I’ve been blogging. Half-hearted attempts at promotion aren’t helping 🙂 Planning to use the workbook and see what promotional approaches I’m missing and need to focus more on!
I can’t wait to know what you think!