Most of us consume digital content on a daily basis. But now, in a society that’s increasingly reliant on technology, more and more people are looking at creating digital content for themselves – not just for personal use, but potentially as a career choice.
Although it may seem like your favorite YouTube channel or TikTok influencer’s posts are completely organic, much of the time digital content has an underlying digital marketing strategy.
Whether that’s running social media campaigns, scheduling weekly podcasts in advance, or creating an entire content calendar, there’s often a lot more going on behind the scenes than the average person is aware of.
What is Digital Content Creation?
The truth is that “Digital Content Creation” is a pretty broad term that can encompass many content ideas across a lot of different channels. Some of the most common forms of digital content are;
- Websites and blog posts on corporate websites, personal blogs, and news websites.
- Social media posts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
- Videos shared on platforms like YouTube, Vimeo and Dailymotion.
- Podcasts on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.
- Emails, like newsletters and promotional emails
- Mobile Apps, whether that’s gaming apps or news apps.
- E-books and Digital Publications on your Kindle.
- Forums like Quora or Stack Exchange.
- Online Courses (E-learning) on platforms like Udemy and Coursera.
These are just some examples of the different digital communication channels that you can create content for. Each channel serves a unique purpose, and for businesses, the tricky part is working out which form of content will be most fruitful for you.
In some cases, it’s obvious; a travel influencer will likely fare better on an image-orientated platform like Instagram than they would on LinkedIn, for example.
But, it’s not always that simple. For businesses and creators, the choice of channel will often depend on the target audience, content type, and distribution goals. Getting it right is important if you want to see returns on investment, which is why a content marketer can come in handy.
In this post, we’re going to take a look at two of the most popular forms of digital content creation mentioned above: website content and social media content. Hopefully, afterwards you’ll be able to determine how you can approach them for your own business.
Content Creation for Websites vs Social Media Content
The purpose of creating written content on websites is often different to that of social media. Content on websites generally aims to provide comprehensive information, such as detailed product descriptions, company history, blog articles and more.
The primary objective of this content may be to establish authority as a brand, generate leads for a business, and facilitate sales to potential customers.
In comparison, social media content is more about engaging with the audience, building community, and fostering real-time interactions. It’s also a platform for brands to showcase their personality, provide timely updates, and handle customer service in some cases too.
The two content formats definitely overlap their uses, but another difference is how the content is delivered. If we think about the shelf life of our content, this varies with these two content types too. Website content is often evergreen, remaining relevant for years after you’ve posted the article.
This is pretty much the opposite of many social media platforms, where the key to success for some companies is jumping on trends as soon as they appear. This shows why knowing the correct social media platforms for your own brand, is also important, as well as the type of content you’ll be posting too.
For visual content, apps like Instagram and Pinterest may work best, whereas if you’re trying to attract B2B leads, LinkedIn is the clear choice. Website content can be a mix of both imagery and text content, with long form guides or FAQs answering customer questions can be useful.
The point is that all digital content creation is not the same. Though they can (and often should) be used in tandem with one another, selecting the right the content format for each platform is crucial for success.
The Digital Content Creation Process for Websites
Much of what we focus on at Content Plans is creating high quality content for websites that’s optimized for search engines like Google. Creating great content for your website is important, but making sure that someone ends up reading it is even more so, and this is where search engine optimization comes in.
Yes, you can distribute links to your website via newsletters or email marketing or by using paid ads. However, with Google being used for billions of searches every day, it makes sense to try and direct some of that traffic to our website, especially if there’s a chance that they’re interested in whatever product we’re selling or the service we offer.
We tend to break this down into four different sections: keyword research, competitor analysis, content creation and maintenance mode.
Keyword Research & Search Intent
How do we make sure that the people clicking through to our website are going to be interested in what we have to offer? By making sure that we fulfil the searcher’s intent.
When users head to Google, they’re usually looking for something specific, so creating content that answers their query is fundamental to good SEO.
SEOs tend to group the different keywords or search terms they target (keywords are ) into 3 or 4 different buckets. This includes;
- Informational Keywords – Users are searching for information on and want to learn more about a particular topic, problem, or question. Example: “how to wash a raincoat”.
- Commercial Keywords – User is looking for a product or service but might still be in the comparison or consideration phase. They’re not necessarily ready to purchase but are gathering information about potential options. Example: “best raincoats for winter”.
- Transactional Keywords – In this phase, the user is ready to make a purchase or perform an action. These keywords indicate a strong intent to complete a transaction, whether it’s buying a product, signing up for a service, or downloading an app. Example: “buy North Face jacket”.
- Navigational Keywords – Finally, those entering navigational keywords are trying to locate a specific website or webpage. They already have a particular site or brand in mind and are using a search engine to get there. Example: “North Face website”.
All of these keywords can have value for a business, and knowing how to separate them is a crucial part of content planning. This is because we need to create the right kind of content for the search term.
For example, if someone searches “buy bitcoin” in Google, there’s a good chance that they’re looking for a platform to buy Bitcoin – we can define this as having buyers intent(sometimes called transactional intent).
However, if someone searches for “bitcoin price”, then they just want to know the price of Bitcoin, so this doesn’t have the same buyers intent.
Let’s look at another example. If a user searches for “how to wash a Columbia jacket”, this has informational intent – they’re searching for more information around a specific topic. Someone that searches for this likely already has the product in hand, so they’re not looking to buy another.
We can compare that to something like “Columbia puffer jacket”, where the user is more likely looking to purchase directly.
And again, if we compare that to a search for just “Columbia website”, the user here is looking to browse the Columbia website to see the products they have – this also has a strong buyers intent, though it’s often referred to as navigational intent, as they already know the brand they’re looking for and they want to navigate their website.
The intent of some search terms is a little more difficult to determine. For example, if someone searches “is Columbia an ethical brand“, this could be someone that’s searching before buying a Columbia jacket. If they find the brand is ethical, they may be inclined to purchase something soon after.
Or, in some cases it could just be someone researching many different brands to see how ethical they are. With certain search terms, it’s very easy to know what the searcher is looking for, and with others, it’s not quite so easy – our job as marketers is to determine the difference.
Once you have your keyword ideas and ensured they’re getting sufficient search volume, you can begin looking at creating content. Before you do this though, you’ll want to see what your competition are doing.
Competitor Analysis
At its simplest, ranking in search engines like Google comes down to two major factors: the content on your website, and the other websites that link to your own. You’ve likely heard of the term backlinks, and as of now, they’re still a major factor in how search engines see your website.
When another website adds a backlink from their website to yours, it’s seen as an upvote to Google. There’s a whole complex algorithm that combines backlinks with other factors that search engines use, and I won’t get into that now, but just know; they matter. There are various softwares that you can use to see the backlinks that your competition have pointed to their website.
We mainly use Ahrefs for this, where every website has a theoretical Domain Rating based on the strength of the website’s backlink profile.
You can see all of the websites that link to yours, the anchor text that they use, and how they’re linking between the posts on their website (this is called an internal link, as it links within your own website, not to someone else’s website).
As well as analyzing the link profiles of your competition, we can also look at all the search terms they’re ranking for, an estimate of how much organic traffic they’re receiving each month, what PPC keywords they’re targeting, and much more.
Your content strategy probably shouldn’t be entirely based on what your competitors are doing, as they’re unlikely to be doing things perfectly themselves. Though, it’s an important part of any content marketing strategy that you create.
Content creation
People often jump the gun and go straight into the content creation process without doing thorough research of their brand, their vertical and their competition. Only when this is done should you then think about actually creating content for your brand.
How you do this may vary between written content or visual content, but in many cases, it’s a mixture of both. Video content can work well for increasing trust in your brand, but a normal blog post is likely the better choice if you want to produce content quickly – this is what we tend to focus on the most.
Creating a content strategy around what your target market is searching for means that you need to create content based on this; if someone’s searching for a guide to Bitcoin, you create the best guide for Bitcoin you possibly can – though in reality, this is probably too competitive. A guide to shorting Bitcoin in the market may be better (look into why you should target long tail keywords that aren’t too competitive).
Finding a solid content writer isn’t an easy task, and it’s important to have someone with an active voice that knows your brand well. Once you have content created and posted on your website, unfortunately your job isn’t finished just yet.
Maintaining success
It’s true that you can write a blog post today and it will rank for years to come. But the most successful content creators are those that regularly update their content when things change, ensuring that all of your content is still relevant and up to date.
It’s usually best to do this on regular dates, whether that’s quarterly or yearly. Going back through your catalog of web content can feel overwhelming if you don’t have a consistent schedule, so it’s important to note down how often your content may need updating when you write the article itself.
You can determine this by the post title and its content: an article about “The Benefits of Whey Protein” is unlikely to need much editing over time, as the benefits are factual, and they won’t change any time soon. This is often the case for scientific and factual terms.
However, something like “The Best Restaurants in New York” is more likely to change on a regular basis, especially in recent years as restaurants open and close on a more frequent basis. For this kind of term, you’ll want to run through the article and update it on a yearly basis at minimum.
As well as updating content, we also consider building links to websites on a regular basis too – this needs to be done consistently if you want to stay ahead of the competition. Like most things related to business strategy, digital content creators need to ensure that the website maintains its current performance.
Content Creation Ideas That Get Traffic
So, we know that when creating blog content that attracts search traffic from Google, it’s essential to focus on topics that people are actively searching for, and then provide valuable, in-depth answers to those queries.
Here’s a list of content creation ideas that typically get a decent amount of searches in Google:
1. Ultimate Guides: A Comprehensive Guide to Keto Diet for Beginners.
2. Keyword-Driven How-to Tutorials: How to Write a Professional Resignation Letter.
3. ‘What is’ Explanations: What is Blockchain Technology and How Does It Work?
4. Problem-Solving Articles: How to Fix a Slow WordPress Website.
5. ‘Best of’ Lists Targeting Popular Keywords: Best Digital Marketing Tools in 2023
6. Comparison and Versus Posts: Shopify vs. WooCommerce: A Detailed Comparison.
7. Local SEO Content (for local businesses): Top 10 Restaurants in [City Name].
8. Product Reviews with Search Volume: [Product Name] Review: Pros, Cons, and Verdict
9. ‘Benefits of’ Articles: Advantages of Using a Standing Desk.
10. Checklists and Cheat Sheets: Essential Packing Checklist for a Beach Vacation.
11. Statistical Overviews: Social Media Usage Statistics for 2023.
12. Templates and Examples: Free Resume Templates for Job Seekers.
To ensure that they have some search volume, you can see the estimated organic search volume with tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or even one of the best free tools, Google’s own keyword planner (these are all estimates, they’re not exact figures and they can vary greatly).
Generating topic ideas gets easier over time, as you can use your previous data to know which posts have performed the best. All in all, creating great content is at the heart of digital content creation for website (but making it accessible to Google Search is important too, if you want someone to read it!).
Content Creation for Social Media Platforms
In the dynamic world of social media, content is the driving force that engages audiences, builds communities, and fosters brand loyalty. Crafting compelling content tailored for different platforms requires a blend of creativity, strategy, and adaptability.
Before diving into content creation, it’s essential to understand who your audience is. This involves researching their preferences, behaviors, and the kind of content they resonate with. By tapping into their interests and needs, you can tailor your content to evoke genuine engagement and connection.
Each social media platform has its unique characteristics and audience behaviors. For instance, Instagram thrives on visually appealing images and short videos, while Twitter is about concise, impactful text.
LinkedIn caters to a professional audience, emphasizing industry insights and networking. Recognizing the nuances of each platform ensures that your content is not only relevant but also optimized for maximum engagement.
Social media content creators have different tasks than that of a website manager. As well as maintaining the social media sites that a business is signed up to, they also need to consider. This includes;
- Generating written or visual content, whether that be by creating videos, uploading photos or developing educational content for the audience.
- Maintaining relationships, like communicating with people in private messages, as well as those commenting on social media posts.
- Connecting with well known social media personalities and industry leaders, which is a form of influencer marketing, a whole subset of marketing growing quickly in the new creator economy.
- Creating a content schedule ahead of time, and potentially cross-posting between various different digital platforms.
- Monitoring social media metrics to gauge content performance, and then adjusting strategies based on analytics to optimize engagement and reach.
- Keeping up with the latest social media trends and platform updates, and then learning about new tools and technologies to enhance content creation.
Finally, the realm of social media is vast and ever-changing. Dedicate time to learn, whether it’s new tools, techniques, or understanding audience behavior. Continuous learning ensures that your content creation strategies remain innovative, effective, and engaging.
15 Content Ideas for Social Media Content Creators
There are various platforms that you can start creating content for, from Snapchat and TikTok through to lesser known social media platforms, like Mastodon. For the most part though, all of these different platforms do the same thing: give you the opportunity to speak to your audience directly.
While it’s essential to recognize platform strengths, diversifying content types can keep your audience engaged. Mixing up posts with videos, infographics, stories, and interactive sessions can cater to varied audience preferences and keep your content fresh.
In truth, it can be tough to know exactly what to post across the various mediums available. Here’s a list of content ideas that social media creators can use to engage their audience, depending on the platform and target demographic:
1. Behind-the-Scenes (BTS)
Show your workspace, creative process, or a day in your life. Certainly! Behind-the-Scenes (BTS) content offers a candid and often unpolished glimpse into the inner workings of a brand, creator, or production.
This type of content humanizes a brand or individual, allowing the audience to connect on a more personal level. By showcasing the processes, challenges, and even the occasional mishaps that occur behind the curtain, BTS content fosters transparency and trust.
Whether it’s a sneak peek of a product being made, the chaos of a photoshoot, or the daily routines of a creator, these authentic moments resonate with audiences, making them feel more involved and invested in the journey.
2. Tutorials and How-Tos
Share step-by-step guides or demonstrations related to your niche. Tutorials and How-Tos are instructional content pieces designed to guide the audience through a specific task or process.
They break down complex activities into manageable steps, ensuring that viewers or readers can replicate the process with ease.
Whether it’s a video demonstrating how to apply makeup, a blog post explaining a cooking recipe, or an infographic outlining software functions, tutorials aim to educate and empower the audience. They position the content creator as an expert in their field, fostering trust and credibility.
Moreover, such content often addresses specific problems or needs, making it highly valuable and shareable, and thus enhancing audience engagement and loyalty.
3. User-Generated Content (UGC)
User-Generated Content (UGC) refers to any form of content, be it photos, videos, testimonials, tweets, or blog posts, that is created by individuals rather than brands or companies. This grassroots content is especially powerful because it’s perceived as more authentic and unbiased.
When brands share user generated content, it not only amplifies the voice of their community but also builds trust among potential customers. It’s a testament to the fact that real people are using, enjoying, or benefiting from a product or service.
Moreover, UGC can foster a sense of community and engagement, as it encourages fans or customers to actively participate and contribute to a brand’s narrative.
4. Challenges
Challenges have become a staple in the realm of social media, often sparking widespread participation and virality. These are activities or tasks that individuals are encouraged to undertake, often with a twist or a fun element, and then share their experiences online.
Challenges can range from dance routines and quirky photo poses to more purpose-driven tasks like sustainability actions or fitness goals. When executed well, they create a ripple effect, with more and more users jumping on the bandwagon to participate.
For brands and creators, initiating or joining in on challenges can amplify their reach, foster community engagement, and position them at the forefront of trending conversations.
5. Interviews
Interviews serve as a platform to delve into the insights, experiences, and stories of individuals, be they experts, influencers, or everyday people with unique perspectives.
Conducted in various formats, from written Q&As to video conversations, interviews provide an opportunity to explore topics in depth, offering audiences a fresh perspective or deeper understanding.
For content creators, hosting interviews can not only diversify their content but also expand their reach, especially when featuring guests with their own dedicated followings. When you interview influencers that your audience already known, you can increase credibility immediately.
Furthermore, interviews foster authenticity, as they capture genuine conversations, reactions, and emotions, making them a valuable tool for building trust and engagement with an audience.
6. Polls and Surveys
Polls and Surveys are interactive tools that solicit feedback, opinions, or preferences from an audience. By posing questions or presenting choices, they engage users in a direct and often instantaneous manner. These tools not only foster audience interaction but also provide valuable insights into their preferences, behaviors, or sentiments.
For content creators and brands, polls and surveys can be instrumental in decision-making, from gauging interest in a new product to understanding content preferences.
Moreover, by involving the audience in these micro-decisions or discussions, creators enhance the sense of community and belonging, making followers feel valued and heard, thus deepening their connection and loyalty to the brand or individual.
7. Infographics
Infographics are visual representations of information, data, or knowledge intended to present complex information quickly and clearly. By combining elements of design, illustration, and concise text, infographics transform potentially overwhelming data into digestible, engaging visuals.
They are especially effective in the digital age, where attention spans are short and visual content reigns supreme. For content creators, infographics can enhance the appeal of their posts, making them more shareable and memorable.
They serve as a bridge between data-driven insights and storytelling, allowing creators to convey messages in a manner that resonates with both the analytical and the visual inclinations of their audience.
8. Testimonials and Reviews
Testimonials and Reviews are authentic endorsements from customers or users that vouch for the quality, value, or effectiveness of a product, service, or experience. These firsthand accounts serve as social proof, assuring potential customers of the credibility and reliability of a brand or offering.
In an age where consumers are inundated with choices, testimonials and reviews act as guiding beacons, often influencing purchasing decisions. For businesses and content creators, showcasing positive feedback not only builds trust but also reinforces brand reputation.
By highlighting real experiences and genuine satisfaction, they create a narrative of consistency, reliability, and excellence that resonates deeply with prospective users or clients.
9. Live Streaming
Live Streaming is the real-time broadcasting of video content over the internet, allowing viewers to watch events unfold as they happen. Unlike pre-recorded videos, live streams foster a sense of immediacy and intimacy, creating a unique interactive experience between the broadcaster and the audience.
Viewers can often comment, ask questions, or react in real-time, making the experience dynamic and engaging. For content creators, live streaming offers an unfiltered platform to showcase authenticity, host Q&A sessions, launch products, or simply connect with their audience on a personal level.
The spontaneous nature of live streams can humanize a brand or individual, deepening the bond with viewers and enhancing community engagement.
10. Collaborations
Collaborations involve two or more individuals, brands, or entities coming together to co-create content or work on a joint project. In the realm of social media, collaborations often mean pooling together resources, creativity, and audiences to amplify reach and impact.
Whether it’s influencers teaming up for a video series, brands partnering for giveaways, or artists co-creating merchandise, collaborations bring fresh perspectives and diversify content. For creators, collaborations can introduce their work to new audiences, fostering growth and expanding influence.
Beyond mere exposure, collaborations symbolize endorsement and trust between the parties involved, adding credibility and often resulting in richer, more dynamic content.
11. Giveaways and Contests
Giveaways and Contests are promotional tactics where prizes are offered to participants, often in exchange for certain actions like sharing a post, tagging friends, or following an account. These strategies are particularly popular on social media platforms due to their potential to rapidly increase engagement, visibility, and follower count.
For brands and content creators, hosting giveaways or contests can be a powerful tool to boost online presence, foster community interaction, and generate excitement around products or services. Participants, enticed by the prospect of winning, become active ambassadors of the content, leading to organic growth and wider reach.
When executed effectively, these initiatives can create a win-win situation for both the host and the audience.
12. Quotes and Inspirations
Quotes and Inspirations are snippets of wisdom, motivation, or reflection shared to enlighten, uplift, or resonate with an audience. In the vast landscape of social media, where content is abundant and diverse, quotes stand out for their simplicity and universal appeal.
They have the power to evoke emotions, spark introspection, or offer solace, often encapsulating profound thoughts in just a few words. For content creators, sharing inspirational quotes or personal insights can help establish a deeper emotional connection with their audience.
Such content not only reflects the values and philosophies of the creator but also serves as a beacon of positivity, encouragement, and contemplation for followers.
13. Flashback or Throwback Posts
Flashback or Throwback Posts are nostalgic glimpses into the past, offering audiences a retrospective look at earlier moments, achievements, or experiences. Commonly marked with hashtags like #ThrowbackThursday or #FlashbackFriday on social media, these posts serve as a bridge between the past and present, evoking memories and showcasing growth or change over time.
For brands and content creators, throwback content can highlight milestones, celebrate anniversaries, or simply induce a sense of nostalgia among followers.
It’s a testament to the journey undertaken, providing context to the evolution and progress made. Such posts often resonate deeply with long-time followers, rekindling shared memories and reinforcing the bond with the audience.
14. Memes and GIFs
Memes and GIFs are bite-sized, often humorous, pieces of digital content that capture and convey emotions, reactions, or cultural phenomena in a visually engaging manner. Memes, typically in image format with overlaid text, and GIFs, short looping video clips, have become ubiquitous in online communication due to their relatability and shareability.
They distill complex feelings or situations into easily digestible formats, making them resonate widely across diverse audiences. For content creators and brands, leveraging memes and GIFs can humanize their online presence, making them appear more in-tune with internet culture.
When used effectively, these tools can enhance engagement, foster community interaction, and amplify a message’s reach and impact.
15. Holiday or Seasonal Posts
Holiday or Seasonal Posts tap into the collective mood and sentiments associated with specific times of the year. Whether it’s the festive spirit of Christmas, the renewal of Spring, or the reflection during New Year’s, these posts align content with widely recognized occasions or seasonal shifts.
For brands and content creators, holiday or seasonal content offers an opportunity to connect with their audience on shared experiences, traditions, or emotions. It can range from special promotions and themed products to heartfelt messages and storytelling.
By aligning with the calendar’s rhythm, these posts not only stay relevant but also foster a sense of community among followers.
Conclusion
In the digital age, content creation is paramount for brand visibility and engagement with new audiences. Leveraging strategic, high-quality digital content not only boosts online presence but fosters trust, driving businesses forward in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
A successful content creator is someone that uses the best method of communication for the brand. For us at Content Plans, that’s typically creating a custom content strategy that’s unique to each website.
This varies depending on the current status of the website: whether it’s new or established, looking at the amount of posts it has currently, and visualizing the direction we want to take the brand moving forward.
At its simplest, digital content creation is generating content in a digital form: though hopefully, this guide shows that there’s much more to it than that.
