THE IMPORTANCE OF CREATING CONTENT FIT FOR FORMAT

Today creating content that cuts through is essential and that requires creating content optimised for platform, format & context.

Creating (digital) content that actually delivers results is a constant struggle in todays day n’ age, the benefit of so many publishers (whether that’s film, radio or editorial  publishers, bloggers, vloggers or even advertisers) and so much content is not only a huge improvement in the standard of content out there, but also the volume of it too (content of anything, for anyone, at anytime). But what comes with an almighty content typhoon is quite naturally the challenge of getting that content seen, engaged with and shared. And that’s a battle that any content producer has to face.

I’ve talked a lot on my blog about getting your content seen, whether that’s optimising your content production versus content distribution strategy, driving traffic to old content, producing evergreen content, driving your organic blog referrals or even advice to help you increase engagement with your content. But perhaps the one thing missing to date, is what that content actually IS.

What form your content should take to deliver the best results. Content fit for format.

We know that finding ways to evolve your blog content strategy to stay relevant is critical. And that means optimising the content you produce too.

HOW TO CREATE CONTENT FIT FOR FORMAT

Today I wanted to share a few tips & considerations to help you create content fit for format. The first step to creating content fit for format is of course defining what platforms you need to produce content for (defining your channels strategy), once you’ve done this you can start focussing your content creation on content not only fit for your audience & your brand, but fit for the platform, format and context it will be seen in too.

Think Platform (where)

Whilst its easy to fall into the trap of simply creating content for one platform (lets say your blog) and repurposing it for all your other social channels (guilty as charged), the reality is this isn’t what is going to deliver the best results for your blog and blogging business.

People go to different platforms for different things, for example the reasons to browse Pinterest are likely to be quite different to the reason you’d go on youtube. Yes you might be looking for ‘inspiration’ in both cases, but you’ll expect to see very different content  depending on where you go right? And so thinking about the platform and how your audience use that platform, is something you need to take into consideration when you’re producing content.

Understanding the role of all of your channels will really help you define the sorts of content you should be sharing on them.

Think Format (what)

Whilst one shoot might (and probably will) allow you to produce enough content for all of your channels … you need to think about the different types of content (style, tone, length etc) you need to capture for each channel and importantly what format it needs to take.

And when I say format I mean, 2″ / 10″ / 30″ / 90″ video, gif, image, audio, snackable versus long form audio visual, journalistic text or editorial story telling etc. The list and options go on. The point is one size doesn’t fit all. If you want to make your content work hard, you need to make it not only fit for the platform it’s going on but also for the format it needs to take on that platform too.

Reviewing your content performance through google analytics and other ‘on platform’ data analytics (like twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin, Facebook, Instagram apps etc) will really help you understand what content style and format works best for the platforms you’re using and optimise your approach accordingly.

Think Context (when & why)

And finally, and another important thing to consider, is context.

It’s not just about understanding the platform you’re using (where you place your content) and the format of your content (what type of content you create), it’s also about layering in context too (when you share it & why your audience will engage).

What are your audience looking for? What’s topical or seasonal right now (think moment marketing) ?What’s relevant to my brand & the content story I’m telling?  What’s right for this channel?

Understanding the context will allow you to better tailor the content you produce (perhaps through messaging and format) and how, when and where you share it (e.g. the time of day & platforms you use); Optimising your content based on the context of it being seen, will only garner better results for your brand and blog in the long run.

YOU ALSO MIGHT FIND THESE POSTS HELPFUL

. 5 WAYS TO TRACK THE SUCCESS OF YOUR CONTENT (AND GROW YOUR BLOG AS A RESULT) . HOW TO USE DATA TO FUEL YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY & GROW YOUR BLOG .  THE 80:20 BLOGGING RULE: WHAT IT IS & HOW IT CAN HELP GROW YOUR BLOG . HOW TO EVOLVE YOUR BLOG CONTENT STRATEGY TO STAY RELEVANT IN THE EVER CHANGING BLOGGING WORLD .

Content fit for format is all about creating purposeful content (content that will cut through and resonate with your audience) that drives meaningful connections (ensuring that content is seen in the right place, at the right time, by the right people, so that it delivers the most traction and results); these two little factors will define your success!