Social marketing isn’t for the faint of heart, and one of the hardest responsibilities of a social media marketer is being creative and generating new ideas for content.

1. Keeping
the Content
Flowing

2. Being creative
isn’t always easy.
You are managing four social media sites!
Can you feel the burn?
Social marketing isn’t for the faint of heart,
and one of the hardest responsibilities of a
social media marketer is being creative
and generating new ideas for content.
Let’s explore some tips to help keep the
content flowing.

3. Utilize your idle moments.
The most difficult part of writing a blog
post is often coming up with the title
and first line. But chances are, you
have moments in your day when
you’re walking, waiting or riding that
could be put to use for brainstorming.
I brainstorm when I am driving all the
time. Whether it’s in the shower or
during your commute, make use of
time when you’re not under pressure
to come up with ideas for your posts,
so that once you’re at your computer,
the words will flow easily.

4. Keep a notebook.
Don’t let a good idea get away.
When something inspires you that
could lead to a great post, write it
down so that you’ll remember.
These days, it’s not even necessary
to carry a real notebook. Choose a
good app for your phone to save
notes (and links) in, or simply text or
email yourself as you go. Voice
recorder apps also come in handy.

5. Make a company
calendar.
On what date was your
company founded?
When did you open your doors?
Keep a calendar that includes
your company’s landmark,
anniversary and milestone dates,
and celebrate these (and their
anniversaries) on Facebook,
Twitter and in blog posts.

6. Ask questions.
When in doubt, raise a question. It’s an old
trick, but when it comes to inspiring
comments and sparking a conversation that
will help spread a post, asking a thoughtful
question can go a long way. It’s also a
fantastic opportunity to solicit useful
feedback for your business.
Don’t be afraid to ask the opinions of your
online followers — in many cases, these are
your most valued customers.
Listen to what they say, and empower them
by responding to their feedback.

7. Be inspiring.
What inspires you? Whenever you find a
line in a novel or magazine article, or
hear something on TV, in a movie or on
the radio that stands out to you, jot it
down and think about how that can
apply to your company.
People immediately relate to names they
recognize, and tying in a bit of celebrity
or inspirational artistry into your social
posts will attract and connect followers
who realize that the people at your
company enjoy the same things they do.

8. Develop a
content type list.
You should constantly be thinking about
the different types of content you can
post. You can develop a go-to list of
content types that you can use to
inspire you when creating your editorial
calendar. Pay attention to which types
of content your followers interact with
the most.
Here are just a few ideas for your list:
• Top Ten/List post
• News/informative post
• How-to post
• Comparison post
• Review post

9. Make your follower your hero.
When your fans and followers
succeed, you succeed. Tell a
customer story, or testimonial, in a
way that makes them look like they
saved the day, came up with a
solution and reaped the reward.
It's not about your brand or product.
Fans love to hear stories that appear
to be about them. If you can see
yourself in the story, you are more
likely to respond to the message.

10. Update previous
posts and topics.
Most posts that you have written
in the past can be expanded
upon, updated, improved or
rewritten with fresh insight.
Also keep in mind that many of
your old posts will only have
been read by long term readers
and your new readers will not
have seen these posts.
Plus, followers love updates.

11. Give your fans & followers
a sneak peek behind the scenes.
People want to
know the real you
and the people
behind the brand.
Keep in mind that
social media is
about building a
community, share
photos from
events, lunches,
meetings and just
plain fun around
the office.

12. Use a fill-in-the-blank post.
Invite your fans and followers
to engage with you by using
fill in the blanks. For example,
• “What I love most about my
job is ______________.”
• “Today was awesome
because ______________.”
• “The greatest place I ever
visited was ______________.”
• “I like to volunteer because
______________.”

13. Read and follow local newspapers and radio
stations on Facebook and other social media sites.
You may be able to share
local news your fans will
appreciate.
You can just recap the
news or give your own
opinion on local
happenings.
Original content is best,
but sharing also builds
relationships.

14. Listen.
Listening to your followers can actually help you
decide what content they will appreciate most.
Listen for:
• What interests your community
• Their perception of your brand
• What problems they’re trying to solve and needs they’re looking to fill
• Where they’re communicating and discovering info
• Who’s leading the conversations relevant to your brand
• What type of content trends among your community

15. Learn more.
There are a ton of blog posts and articles written about creating social
media content. Here are some of the best:
http://www.jeffbullas.com/2014/10/21/10-ways-to-create-contagious-
content-for-your-social-media-marketing/
http://blogs.constantcontact.com/product-blogs/social-media-
marketing/socially-shareable-content/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysondemers/2014/06/25/100-killer-
ideas-for-your-social-media-content/
You are also welcome to follow my Social Media board on Pinterest,
http://bit.ly/LJ-SocialMediaPins. I pin to the board almost weekly.

16. Sources
http://www.techwyse.com/blog/
http://blogs.salesforce.com/company/
http://www.problogger.net/archives/
http://www.inboundmarketingagents.com/
http://coschedule.com/blog/social-media-
listening/
Louise Jett