3 Steps to better content (for business)

Are you struggling to create engaging content using social media? Today I’m going to share with you a 3-step process that I use when creating copy or script writing for video. Following this process has dramatically improved my watch time and engagement, if you follow this process, you will also see the same results.

Step 1 Topic:

To begin our planning phase, we should take a moment to decide what our topic is going to be. Sometimes it can be hard to figure out your topic, so you should consider reaching out to your social media network.

For example:

I reached out to my LinkedIn connections asking them what information they would find valuable when searching for a video production company. It’s important to reach out to the people who you want to market to and ask them to help you understand their buying process.

I would recommend doing this in a non-formal way allowing your connection to speak freely. Doing this allows your connection to truly speak their mind allowing you to get even more accurate information. Don’t be shy, those who respond want to help you. Ask all the questions you can so that you can be effective with communicating your message to potential clients.

Step 2 Platforms:

Most people think everyone is on social media, so it doesn’t matter which platform you use, however that is not entirely true. Understanding your client demographics will help you understand which platforms to use.

Are your customers educated, LinkedIn is a great platform. Are your customers under or over 50? If your clients are under 50, places like LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Tok-tok, and Instagram are ideal. If your clients are over 50, social media may not be your best platforms, however most people over 50 use Facebook to keep up with friends and family or YouTube for DIY and demo content.

Also, choosing the right platform means that the typical end users meet your demographics. Choosing the wrong platform or just taking a shot in the dark does not always work, I’m speaking from experience. If you’re wondering why you’re not getting results, this may be the reason.

Choosing a platform is more than just demographics, it also has to do with style. If you’re using Facebook, make a lot of I statements. If you’re using platforms like LinkedIn, use a lot of we statements, and team participation are key when creating content. If you’re using a platform like YouTube, it’s about the you statement when creating content.

Lastly, when choosing a platform, especially if you’re using video, understanding the video format will be key when deciding how to shoot your video. Platforms like Tik-Tok and YouTube shorts require a 9:16, whereas other platforms want 16:9 or 4:5. Knowing these platforms will help you decide the background of your static shots.

Step 3 What is the purpose of your content:

Most small businesses, when starting out, have a hard time with this concept. You should decide if your content is going to be Branded content, Sales content, or Explainer content. To help you understand, here’s some basic definitions of what each purpose should include.

Branded Content:

· Sharing behind the scenes content

· Sharing company culture

· Showing uses for content without asking for the sale

· Origin story

· Brand Mascot

Sales Content:

· Ask for the sale 3 times

· Content is based around one product or service

· Embedding knowledge of human psychology in the content

Explainer Content:

· Demo a product

· Share intended uses of product

· Overview of services or warranty

· How to get best uses of products or services

Conclusion:

Once you’ve answered those three questions, you can start the writing process.

When I first started out, I was all over the place, however as I began to implement the power of scripting my content, I’ve been able to see almost instant results. My retention and engagement increased so much that I realized how much money I was leaving on the table. How much would it be worth to your organization if you could cut your content creation time in half while increasing audience retention and engagement?

Creating a script or copy with your direction in mind will help you determine everything else moving forward. Scripting your content will pre determine the rest of the project moving forward such as the storyboard, background music, and overall flow of your content. I’ve found that this makes my whole content production process much easier allowing me to produce more content quicker and so will you.

Before you click record or post your copy, I recommend that you read it out loud a few times to reduce the amount of errors and maintain the flow of your content. I’ve found that this dramatically improves the overall delivery and reception of the content I post.

If you’re recording on an iPhone, a built-in teleprompter is in the pages app. What I like to do is use Pages on my iPhone and place it right over the lens. Placing it on top of the lens allows you to look like you’re looking at the camera while reading your script without actually looking like you’re reading a script.

Most importantly, especially if you’re monotone like me when reading, learn how to fluctuate your voice to emphasize the important words and not bore your listener or reader. Most people are unaware of how important tones are to human interaction. If you’re enthusiastic, not overly of course, and knowledgeable about your content, this will help you to keep your audience engaged.

All of this may seem like it’s either too simple or more work than needs to be done. In my opinion, following this process makes life easier for your video editor or video production company. When using this method, the postproduction time of my videos are reduced by 50%. If you’re paying a guy like me to edit your video, this translates into lower overall production costs and increased revenue by reducing wasteful spending.

If you’ve found any of this content valuable, please take a moment to like, share or comment. I’m always interested to hear your results and questions because it helps me make better content for you. Thank you for your valuable time, and I will see you next time. My name is Jason and I’m the owner of Garfield Media, a video production and editing company.