6 Tips on How to Build a Content Channel

Everyone’s talking about content as a way to reach customers, and with good reason. Through relevant, valuable and timely content, you build trust with your audience while cementing the relationships you’ve already formed.

But great content doesn’t just happen. It takes some work (but who says it can’t be fun?) Here are my six hot tips on building your own brand content channel.

1). Find a good story-teller. Have you ever listened to a story from a family member that goes on and on and on? You agonizingly try to be the good listener by sitting through it, ugh. But when you hear someone tell you a really colorful story — something that makes you laugh, cry or react — you find that you’re engaged with the teller. These are the stories you won’t soon forget. What’s your story? What is it that makes you special?

2). Hire an amazing photographer. Images are everything; everything is visual. You have to have good images. Think of a web page that’s filled with just copy — yuck. Then think of a beautiful web page with pictures throughout the copy to illustrate different points. Which would you prefer? Which page would you spend more time with?

People click things based on how they look. Leverage visuals to increase engagement —images that are interesting and illustrate your story. (Did you click this story because of the picture?)

3). Make a date with your audience and then deliver on it. It’s really important that you create a weekly program or schedule and tell people what they are going to get from you, and when they are going to get it.

People don’t like it when they follow something new and then don’t get anything from that brand, or when the brand posts eighteen photos in a row on Instagram–that’s annoying. You get un-followed for that.

Fulfill your program by organizing it with your team. Do you have the bandwidth to do multiple content channels, or maybe you can start with one, two or three? Put your social media, web updates, product rollouts, sales, specials, holidays — all of it —onto a calendar and plan out your content accordingly so that you deliver on your promise to your audience.

4). If you don’t know how to use software, LEARN. Almost everything can be done online. And if you don’t know how to use something, most software companies have self-learning websites, invest in yourself and your brand to get up to speed on how to leverage the power software to deliver on your brand promise.

5).Use community engagement as a tool for local guerrilla marketing. Become a leader in your community by sharing your wins and loses. What works and what doesn’t. Start writing about your industry to share your experiences. Engage with people in community— the rewards can be boundless.

6). Don’t be afraid to ask! What’s the worst that can happen? When I was younger, my parents were pretty strict about my schedule, so I would always warm them up with, “wondering, thinking, …seriously pondering” instead of just asking for what I wanted.

We spend so much time thinking about what our customers think of us, or what other businesses think of us — why don’t you just ask them what they think?

You can’t be afraid of criticism, embrace it because it will make you better.