I think about content like a pyramid.
At the base is something big and in-depth, usually an ebook or white paper (I do B2B content marketing). From there, I can usually extract 4–5 blog posts (1,000ish words each) from that longer document, along with 10–15 social media posts and usually at least 1 infographic / data piece. Maybe we take the topic we covered in-depth and create a conversation around it for a webinar or podcast. Maybe we run video of that session and share it on YouTube.
You get the idea.
This is the most efficient process I’ve found, and it works especially well when writing for clients because they don’t have to be reading everything and approving all the way down the chain.
Start with Research
This is my favorite part, but my process starts off with a research project. I usually look at what the client is doing and look for ways to turn their (usually) deep, technical work into something that a general audience can appreciate and would want to read. Usually this involves pulling out some stories, but it depends.
From there, we research and gather data to anchor that story in some real facts. White papers in B2B aren’t opinion pieces, but a deeper look at what a client’s company is doing and what they’re seeing in the world. No one knows their market better than they do, so we want to showcase that expertise with data.
This turns into a 15–20 page report.
Segment Longer Content
But I go into the process knowing that the longer report will be used for other content, so I make sure to format and think about ways to segment it down as I’m writing it. The data we gather can be used to create a visual / infographic, and I always work to include at least 3–4 different points in a white paper that can be used as standalone blog posts / shorter content. I will also often pull email campaign content from existing works like this too.
I target 4–5 blog posts from each longer work.
Use Content to Promote Content
From there, it’s simply a case of splintering off even shorter bits to promote the client on social media and elsewhere. There’s nothing unique about this, but if I do my job properly I should be able to pull daily posts from all of the above for at least a week.
This way, I’m effectively writing and researching once, then making adjustments to fill out the other channels. It’s quicker, more efficient and more effective because it’s cohesive.
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