Navigating the plethora of web and social content today is like diving into a Chuck E. Cheese ball pit- looking for a few specific balls! Alright, that was a super corny opener meant to grab your attention by playing on nostalgic, childhood memories. But explaining the search for quality content in this way does have validity. As more and more companies emphasize content marketing, the amount of content online is only going to increase. In some ways, this is good news for companies and social media professionals. After all, it takes much less time and energy to share a link to a quality article than craft a 600-word masterpiece of your own, right? It’s important to remember, however, that not all content is created equal. Distributing the right mix of high-quality created, curated, and duplicate content is key. Let’s take a closer look at these types of content.
Created Content
High-quality, original content is the foundational pillar of your entire content marketing strategy. The posts, tweets, pictures, videos, etc. you distribute help you reach new customers, reinforce your thought leadership and separate your brand from the crowd. As a general rule, approximately 70% of your content should fall under this category. Despite this large proportion, it’s important to heed the warning of one social media pro from StrataBlue, “The constant demand for social and web updates doesn’t justify kicking out sub-par or irrelevant content. Search engine algorithms are always being tweaked and prioritize relevant, high-quality content. These types of updates prompt Google and others to frequently re-index and prioritize your content. Boosting your SEO strength is the goal!”
Curated Content
Now that we’ve established that created content reigns supreme, let’s be realistic. Companies have limited budgets and social media professionals have only so much time and creativity. As a result, supplementing with killer content from outside sources becomes vital. It’s recommended that roughly 20% of your overall content be curated. Exercise caution here as well. This recent article from MarketingProfs points out several common mistakes made when sharing others’ content. Lack of personalization, sharing low-quality content, and using only the most popular sources are among these missteps.
Duplicate Content
Sharing the same content across multiple channels can be risky business. It should be your goal to add unique value to each of your brand’s channels. Since your audience demographics vary from channel to channel, so should your content. That being said, let’s again be realistic. It’s acceptable for 10% or less of your content to be shared across channels. When you do this, be sure to contextualize the content appropriately for the audience of each channel.
It’s also important to mention that many tools and content management systems (CMS) exist to help enterprises and agencies improve their content creation, curation, and syndication processes.
About the Author
Adam Hershberger is a Social Media Account Manager at StrataBlue. He is a graduate of Indiana University’s Communication & Culture program. He enjoys reading, writing and the challenge of staying ahead of the social media curve. He spends his free time cycling, watching sports and spending time with his wife, Hannah, and their dogs.
