When you\u2019ve spent years in media newsrooms\n\u2013 as most of us here have \u2013 some ways of working stay with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Working for online publications, newspapers\nand magazines has taught us a number of approaches that help us in agency life,\ncreating content for our clients. Here are lessons that anyone can apply to their\ncontent marketing too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Be reactive \u2013 but also plan<\/strong>: You know certain things are coming up, so have a proper plan for\nthem \u2013 an announcement from your company, new research, an industry event or\ndozens of other cues. But also be prepared to tear up plans. React to news,\nwhether new developments from your company or what\u2019s happening more generally\nin the market. Who else tore up content calendars in March 2020 when it became\nclear the year would be dominated by COVID-19?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Time your publishing<\/strong>: Ever see someone set live 10 posts on social media at the same\ntime? It\u2019s not good. Timing is key but don\u2019t listen to those articles that tell\nyou the optimum times to publish on different platforms. It\u2019s all about your\nintended audience<\/em>. When are they active online? In which time zone? And\nover which channels \u2013 LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, newsletters, your website\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Cut to the chase<\/strong>: Every journalist knows the model of the inverted pyramid. Get to\nthe point and front-load your most important information. This then leads to\ncontextual information and recaps. People talk about storytelling. You\u2019re doing\nthat, but this isn\u2019t usually the A\u2013Z of a fairy tale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Have a stable of writers<\/strong>: Good publications use a mix of staff writers, freelancers and\nguest experts, the latter not professional content creators but people with\nunique things to say, with your help. Follow a mixed approach, also drawing on\nemployees, your agencies and customers. Your in-house team might feature\nprofessional writers and editors, as will your agencies<\/a> (cough), but others\nhave valuable and valid things to say. Don\u2019t just look to the C-suite for\ncontent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Legal \u2013 with a single sign-off<\/strong>: Follow the lead of every great publication and consider legal\nissues up front, knowing what you\u2019re willing to say or not. Don\u2019t be the person\nat the end who tells the content team, \u201cThis is signed off \u2013 I\u2019ll just run it\nby Legal.\u201d Have a single person who knows at the beginning of the content\ncreation process that they will be responsible for sign-offs. At a newspaper,\nthis is part of the editor-in-chief\u2019s role. Have your own EIC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Team work<\/strong>:\nThey say it makes the dream work. Pah. More likely it makes\nyour content workflow work<\/a>. Make sure everyone knows what your process is:\nfrom ideation and planning, through creation, quality control (that\u2019ll be\nediting), design, publishing (including to third-party platforms), audience feedback\nand metrics informing future content. Know everyone\u2019s role across each item of\ncontent, including the different roles your people from (4) play, especially\nfor those you don\u2019t communicate with every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n