I was using the template I picked up when I joined Blogging Wizard’s vault of downloadable goodies. I decided I need to add another element to the template to serve my needs.
I’m sure Adam would agree with me when I say templates are fantastic tools and work best when used as a guide. I tweak all checklists, manuals, or templates I download to fit my needs and purposes.
*Note-templates are great guides but always keep in mind to use a template to help create your own unique format.
Having a model always makes the job easier and assists me when creating a system. I’m not knocking templates. I’m just saying take it and make it your own, so it fits your needs.
Creating consistent content requires a system.
As I got into the calendar I got distracted and started outlining different types of content for engaging blog posts. When writing content, I’ve found it’s easier and faster when I follow the system built to publish valuable content each time I write a post. I added a page to ensure his blog would always provide a variety of content that was valuable to his target audience.
My blogging before I found a system to be more productive was downright chaotic.
I freelance because I’m passionate about seeing the power of words creating excitement, thought, energy, or empowering change in readers. Hell, it’s also about the freedom and not being stuck in a cubicle. My system is giving me my time back to work on the various projects throughout the day and not worry about the types of content not changing.
I had to create a new system for writing for my clients. I created a system I change it up now and again, but for the majority of my posts, I follow it. I’ve seen improvements in productivity and final results of my work. More importantly, writing excellent long-form blog posts is fun again.
Tweaking different parts of your writing system is vital to it performing better each time you use it.
Are you using a content calendar? The argument for the need of a content calendar
If not get simple to use content calendar with an extra sheet added to schedule 4 different content types.
Looking at the content published on my blog caused me to make changes.
I saw too many of the same types of post. I was alarmed.
Taking the time to look at my blog showed me the errors I was making by not having a content calendar.
Here’s a screenshot of a perfect example of how annoying a blog looks when the writer follows a pattern. This example also gives proof to the value of deciding the format of the type of content while sitting down to write the post.
Seeing that it’s my blog I can tell you with faith that these posts were early on in my freelance career, so I wasn’t using any calendar or system for that matter.
I published when I felt I had time to write. Oh, so many mistakes in the early days of content creation.
Please learn from my mistakes, so you don’t have to chase valuable customers away.
See the pattern
I “How-to” my reader to death…Ugh *the writer looks down shamefully.
I used calendars for my clients but not myself. Why? Not a good argument when I’m trying to make a case for using a schedule for my clients. I’m getting better at sticking to my calendar, but old habits die hard.
When I create calendars for my clients, I use 3 months of posts. I usually sign contracts for 3 months at a time. The file I design looks like the calendar listed below.
Remembering the horrifying results, I found when looking at my blog made me decide to add another page to the content calendar spreadsheet.
Does your blog have variety in the types of content your creating for your readers?
My blog didn’t have enough variety of posts.
The same type of content was clumped together week after week
Choosing to define the kind of post I would create in my calendar ensured that I would provide my clients with the variety of their blog.
Doing this lets me provide content that is not just valuable to my client’s target audience. The content delivered each week is entertaining different, and I believe this makes it more pleasurable to for the audience to read.
I figured out how I could make my system work even better for me.
I also included on this page how I can align the clients’ social media (twitter, facebook or Instagram) posting schedule for the week to that week’s article, video or blog post.
Keeping content aligned across all platforms creates a robust strategy for creating awareness and ranking higher in search engines. The only way to stay consistent with your marketing messages is by using a detailed content marketing schedule.
Meanwhile back on the new spreadsheet, I created, labeling it Types of Content.
The idea here is to keep from lumping types of content together, so your blog doesn’t become habitual. It’s also important to remember to look in places to find valuable article ideas to entertain and influence the target reader.
I thought if I chose to add this to my content creation spreadsheet I would always be publishing relevant posts to keep my readers interested in coming back for more.
Besides publishing relevant, valuable posts, the other aspect of creating content is to entertain. If a blog doesn’t have variety, it doesn’t matter how useful it is because readers will get bored with the same type of content week after week.
Okay so now that you’re starting to understand why it’s best to create a calendar for your content and to stick to it like it’s your boss.
It’s also I good idea to take the guessing out of the content you want to create each week, so you are giving your reader a variety of posts to read. When you are coming up with content ideas for your client, you should look
There are always tons of different topics you can write about for a client, but when you look at the content, you begin to see patterns.
Without further adieu let’s move on to the 4 most common forms of content created.
4 types of content to make the world and the world wide web a more interesting place
1. How-to Content.
The goal of our content os to give value to our readers. There isn’t a better way to provide value than publishing content that teaches how to do something, guides readers to your service helps them to learn to use a product or service.
In my opinion, this is the number 1 form of content. Remember the screenshot of my earlier posts. All the posts had How-to titles.
This type of content appears as
- Bulleted lists
- Numbered lists
Both ways instruct the reader on how to do something, gives sound advice and is designed to teach.
Notice that how to articles are top of this bulleted list. These posts introduce a challenge to your reader.
The writer will then walk the reader through detailed steps of instructions to help the reader come to a solution to the challenge. The post is finished off with data or a case study on how the information provided previously helped solve a real-life problem as a way to provide social proof to the reader.
In this social proof, the reader comes to terms with the fact that the desired result is possible if she follows the detailed instructions listed in the post.
There are many example of how to posts on the web for you to study and understand the format.
Some examples you can use are here, here, and here.
How-to posts guide a reader through a learning experience. When you provide these types of articles, you grow closer to your reader as you provide useful information.
How-to articles assist your target audience in using a product or service better, achieving the desired result.
Build authority, and trust-using language your target market understands.
Write posts that give sound practical how-to advice makes your writing more valuable to the reader.
2. Point of view post
When you are writing content for a client, it’s good to write a post once a month that builds a strong case for the company’s point of view.
When you write an article like this, you are trying to persuade someone towards a new idea. Many content types follow this format.
A post like this will usually have many quotes, data, and arguments to help the writer build the argument for or against a certain idea.
Many of these articles get often shared because it is data driven, has many influencer ideas and is loaded with fact to support the side of an argument.
Think Neil Patel. Neil Patel’s post is always data driven. He makes a case for why you need to be using safe SEO practices here, here, and here. He not only uses this format often when he posts, but he is also the master of making a case for producing high-quality, valuable posts. When he chooses to write an article to support his point of view he loads it with screenshots, data, charts, and infographics to guide the reader to follow his lead.
Sharing information on your blog helps readers to keep informed of your business changes, victories, even failures. Maybe you experienced a loss, or a project didn’t produce the results you expected. When something doesn’t work, you always investigate to see where it wrong and correct the issue and try again.
Try and try again is the process all businesses procure. Trial and error. When you write an article or blog post and share this information publicly, you are opening the humanity of your business to your readers.
Being transparent and outlining the positive outcomes and your shortcomings with your target audience is the quickest way into their hearts.
You might have a new product or service ready to launch, a trade show, or industry news that is important to your clients.
Are you going to have a booth at Content Marketing World Espo 2018 write up a post including where you’ll be, what you’ll be distributing, your expectations about the event?
When the event is over, you’ll now have room for another post on your calendar by relaying the information and what you learned during this monumental event.
Or maybe just a soft promotion; not a full-blown sales page or promotional sales article, but perhaps something highlighting the launch to create a little buzz for your audience to get excited about. A post to ready the public for something new that is happening in your business delivers helpful information to your target readers.
4. Case Study
Tricky but great – A little more complicated.
A future post is scheduled to outline the case study as a blog post.
~Turning it over to you~
Creating a list when creating your calendar. Put each category on the calendar and then mock up your content to your blog takes form and works as an enjoyable information magnet.
Doing this when your planning content will help you get better results with your content for your client. It helps to keep your readers informed and delighted with the information they read.
Take your business to the next level provide readers with a carefully planned blog organized and mixed up with these four types of content.
- How to guides and detailed lists
- Arguments for specific points of view
- Helpful information about your product or service
- Case studies that show the whole story of success
Until next time keep creating compelling content to fix your readers craving.
Please share with your colleagues and friends and let me know what you think about the post below.