Content, content, content

Struggling to create exciting content for your charity’s website and social media account? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Finding the time to be creative with content can be tricky, especially if you have around 100 other tasks to complete. If you’re running a bit dry, here are some things that you can do:

Schedule time

Make sure you’re setting aside enough time (emphasis on the enough) to plan and create content. Unfortunately, ‘create content’ isn’t exactly a tickbox task. You’ll probably have to be in the right headspace, or even environment to work on it. However, there’s most probably a time in the day when you feel the most productive and creative. When is that? Is it in the morning, just after your first cup of coffee? Or is it the afternoon? Figure out when your brain is the most creative, and make the most of it!

Schedule time in your calendar – actually schedule it. Put it in whatever diary or calendar you use and be specific about what you’re going to be doing and how much time you have to do it. For example, ‘Draw up a plan for Small Charity Week social media post’, ‘Write social media post for Small Charity Week day one’ and ‘Schedule social media post for Small Charity Week’. The more specific you are, the more likely you will get it done in that time frame. This will help you to stay accountable for creative work that’s easy to put on the back-burner.

Structure your creative process

Thinking outside the box and creating new content comes with a creative process. What does yours look like? If your creative process looks something like manically writing and then pressing the post button, you may want to think again. There are other actions that you can throw into the mix to make sure your content is on top form, here are a few:

• Take a walk – Give yourself the time and space to think, and get outside. Some of the best ideas come to us when we’re least expecting them
• Brainstorm – Get your pen and paper out and just start jotting things down! Also, if you work from home, you don’t need to be inside for this. If it’s sunny go surround yourself with nature and get your brain filled with fresh air
• Plan ahead – Plan your content in advance and start pencilling it into your content diary. Outline your audience, voice and purpose, so that you are writing with intent
• Deadlines – Give yourself rough and set deadlines to aim towards
• Give yourself enough time to write – Be realistic with how much time it will take you to write
• Edit at the end – Once you’ve said everything you wanted to say, edit your work down
• Review and proof – Get one of your colleagues to read your blog once it’s finished. Ask for their feedback and their honest opinions

Content Diary

Do you have a content diary? For my content diary, I use Monday.com, which is a super easy tool for planning content ahead of publishing. However, an excel calendar will work all the same. You just need to be able to see upcoming dates clearly and be able to pencil in deadlines.

I swear by my content diary. It will honestly help you stay (and feel) more on top of your role as a content creator. Also, it will help you to communicate with other members of your team, or other departments, about the content they should expect to see in the coming weeks.

Don’t be afraid to ask

If you’re running out of blog ideas, don’t forget, that you can always ask around. Is there anyone you can approach to write a piece for you? An expert in the sector? Someone from another charity? Someone within your organisation? Don’t put all the pressure on yourself – ask other professionals in the sector. You never know, they might have an idea for a really insightful blog. 

Do your research!

Look around on the internet to see what other comms professionals are up to. It might prompt your next content idea that you can relate to your charity and beneficiaries.

Don’t be afraid to re-use old content

If your content has worked in the past, then there’s no shame in reusing it. Take a look back at the content that’s been produced over the years and find something that previously worked really well. You may have to edit it a bit or even make it a bit m0re up-to-date, but if it works, it works.

Likewise, people might have missed out on content you’ve produced and shared before, so don’t be afraid to share it again on your socials.

Make the most out of charity awareness days

Awareness days are great for content creators like us. They’re an opportunity for us to come together in solidarity for different causes, or they’re a platform for us to raise awareness of our own cause. Use these themes to produce content and whack them in your content diary so you don’t forget.

We have a full list of 2022 Charity Awareness Days on our website, click here to see.

About Gabriella

Gabriella will be co-hosting a talk on digital content at our June marketing conference. If you want some more useful tips and advice on creating content, join us at the Ultimate Guide to Marketing your Charity online conference (Wednesday 29 June).