10 Content Tips for the Overburdened Content Creator

Today's content world has exploded into something of a content cosmos...yet because there are so many resources available, and so many tools, it's sometimes easy to feel swamped, especially when you need to get work done, and don't have time to read every content blog, guide, tweet or Facebook group post. In such cases, it's always good to stick to the basics, which usually include:

1. Be in the know:

Foldable phones are in....or not? staying on the hot topics allows you to use them for relevance, poke fun (the new software update will add even more bugs!) and give you fresh material to work with. Politics? As Harry S. Truman once said, "If you can't stand the heat - stay out of the kitchen..."

2. Conduct an interview:

An interview with one of the higher-ups in the company can be a great way of a) giving the company a more personal touch and b) promoting your company without actually "selling" it. People always want to know who is behind the service, not just what is. Video interviews are even better. Live direct chats with customers can also be a good way to interact with your audience, especially for Q&A sessions.

3. Useful before artful:

People enjoy, and share, good content, not because it reads like William Faulkner, but because it's a) useful for them and b) entertaining. Paris in the springtime sounds lovely, but 10 things to do for free in Paris sounds better.

4. Use content tools:

There are plenty of extremely useful content tools out there. Why, for example, should your bang your head against the wall for a new blog idea when there's a perfectly good content generator? 5. It's all about emotion:

The content needs to resonate with the user. Think 'Titanic' on a minuscule scale...for instance: A guide to surviving the holidays, which you promote in October; interesting stories about military veterans around memorial day; is it movie award season? everybody loves a good, goofy Hollywood fail story.

6. Be straight and to the point:

Leave thematic exposition and dramatic paragraphs for your novel: catchy, promising headline, content that delivers on the headline, and a conclusion with an added value to the reader.

7. Spread the word:

Chances are you have social media platforms at hand. Use every social media weapon in your arsenal to promote your content - be it blogs, new website or new features, promotions, etc. But of course, each platform should have its own style, length and "attitude."

8. Don't test your users' patience

They are busy enough as it is, have plenty of distractions as it is, and if you insert long, complex content about a subject that only at the very end ties somehow to your product or business... they'll simply turn off. 9. Visualize: Good content goes with good visual. People will pay more attention to content with a visual than to those without. This is not as easy as it sounds, because with so much images out there, images, GIFs and videos all start to look the same, one way or the other. Can you find an image that conveys your message? there's the trick. Bonus points for those who can find a humorous image (except, of course, when the topic is dead-serious). 10. Make them want to come back for more: You do not want them end up with the feeling, "been there, done that" for your content. You do want them to finish reading or watching with the feeling of, "you know, I really should follow/tag/bookmark" your Facebook page, blog, Twitter handle, etc. If you have a content calendar, maybe give them a "tease" of what's in store: want to know the 3 secrets of saving at... how to avoid long lines in...or anything that contains the phrase holiday guide, to name a few.