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Social Media Content and Workflow

Social Media Content and Workflow: How to Create Content Across Different Platforms

Social Media Content and Workflow: How to Create Content Across Different Platforms

One of the biggest challenges for a content creator is keeping up with all the different social media platforms that create opportunities to share our work. We’ve got social media channels for visual content, platforms for video content, captions, comments, short-form, and long-form content, and some that are better for social media marketing, web traffic, selling products, or affiliate marketing.

Each one has its strengths and opportunities for us to grow our business in different ways. Whether you’re an artist or a creative entrepreneur, keeping up with all of them is just straight up overwhelming. So we’re going to simplify things and summarize which social media networks are great for each aspect of your business, so you know what to focus on without losing your marbles along the way!

And bonus, we’re also going to show you a few workflows to help you reuse your social media posts for each platform, so that each piece of content can be modified quickly to fit its place and last much longer for your business.

Let’s get efficient and yes, cue your four-day work week even while creating lots of new content!

It All Starts With Your Website

Thought I’d start with Instagram? Nope.

Your website holds the greatest power for conversion and growth.

But why?

Because if it’s built in a very intentional and strategic way to find your potential customers, it offers the greatest opportunity to get found and by customers actively looking for your content. So if someone is landing on it, they’ve made a conscious decision to click on and consume your content.

Whether it’s from Google or a direct link from any of the social media channels we’ll be discussing below, they’ve taken action to land on your site. You have their attention, and they’re already curious. That’s the hard part!

How is this different from social networks? It varies, but by and large, your content on social media is something that shows up in a river of other content… and you’re much more likely to be scrolled past. And that’s if it gets shown at all. Feel familiar?

Your website, on the other hand, with each visitor, has the power to funnel and guide to the content that is more relevant to each, making it much more likely to land a sale.

So then, what type of content should you create for your site so that you’re creating that web traffic magic?

1. Short-form and Long-form Content

This is content that is word or copy-heavy, varying in length and most often in the form of blog posts or product pages that are carefully crafted to drive traffic specifically to that content.

For example, if you’re an interior designer and your product or service is a styling package, you can use blog posts that relate to that topic to bring visitors to your site via the blog post.

This is effective because you’ve got word density, which Google interprets and indexes to put your site in front of anyone looking for that topic.

So, blog posts like “how to style a powder room” or “21 ways to style your fireplace mantle” will get you visitors looking for styling content and then it’s up to you to include links and calls to action within those posts to lead to your sales pages.

2. Blog Post to Social Media

Great, you’ve got your blog posts written!

But they took some time, right? So let’s make the most out of them and create social media content for other platforms that will all drive back to that same sales page.

3. Instagram

Ah, my forever love/hate relationship.

Instagram is really great for building more personal connections through your business. I like to think of it as the medium that helps humanize your business content. Its strength (as for today) comes from the ability to share your business by sharing the person behind the business.

It doesn’t work if all you’re sharing are links to your business page. You need to be present.

So back to your example. You’re an interior designer with a blog post that is about styling your fireplace.

How do you share that on Instagram?

Start by creating 1-3 short reels that show you explaining or showing what you’re summarizing in your blog post.

Then, create a call to action around that keyword or blog post asking people to comment or contact you if they’ve got the same problem that needs solving.

Show them how your blog post solves their problem. Then give them a link to that webpage or post. Remember, people buy solutions.

With time you’ll build a profile that is like an encyclopedia on that particular topic, in this case, interior design and home styling solutions, with a feed full of content that redirects to your website strategically.

4. Pinterest

Ah, just straight up love here!

Pinterest is where you add lifespan and diversity to your content. And fast.

For that same blog post, create a bundle of unique pins that link directly to your site. These can be short video pins or static pins (images) that tell a pinner what they can solve if they follow the link. Pinterest loves when you link pins to your site.

These are extremely effective AND they last a really long time! Most pins take a month to gain traction and then will continue to bring traffic to your site for months and years to come. Instagram doesn’t do this.

For more on how to create pins quickly using our favourite powerful tool CANVA, click here. We’ve got a whole step-by-step guide on how to create 10 to 15 pins for each topic in 30 min or less and reach a wider audience at the right time. 

5. TikTok

I personally don’t use TikTok as our target audience isn’t really on there and I don’t need to or want to add another platform. But if yours is, short video is king here.

Marketing your creative business on TikTok involves understanding your target audience by researching demographics and following certain trends but not all of them. Create engaging content by showcasing your work, sharing tutorials, and telling stories. You can also participate in relevant challenges and use hashtags effectively without overusing them. Another great way is to collaborate with other TikTok creators through duets and stitches to expand your reach.

6. YouTube

If tutorials, how-to’s, and instructional content are really helpful for promoting your business, YouTube can really help.

Or perhaps you’re wanting to show more of your personal life, a day-in-the-life kind of stuff that helps build your brand identity or connect with others, YouTube can be great for that.

Back to your home styling blog post.

Creating a how-to YouTube video can really help drive your content home and give you industry authority. Create a video that is formatted for YouTube that walks a viewer through the steps outlined in your post. Show them your space and how you would do it.

If viewers can connect with you and your personality, they’ll be much more likely to purchase from you.

And with that, we’re up to six. Let’s keep going!

7. Threads and X (formerly Twitter)

I’m bundling these together because they’re copy-only and rely heavily on how well you can capture an idea using a few words. While you can attach photos in threads, what you say in that first sentence is what someone will hang onto.

But you don’t want to just write something like, “check out our new post on how to style a fireplace mantle… snooze.

Make it capturing and hint at something that someone can relate to…Got a fireplace and nothing to look at but the flames?

Or, “here’s how to style your mantle so your feet (and your eyes) are warm and happy”

Or, “you know that boring shelf above your fireplace? Take it from dust collector to storyteller in a few quick styling tips”

8. Email Newsletter

Unless you’re new here, you’re already very familiar with how important your newsletter is. Within your workflow, you should have a very well-planned system for how you share content with your email subscribers.

This is very much the place you should put a lot of your energy into because it’s your warmest audience.

And I’m sure they’re all really nice people, but what I mean is that they’ve already decided they want to receive updates and content from you – they’re warm to your content.

They get an email from you and most likely, if you’ve done this correctly, will open it and read it.

When you create a blog post, post it to your website, share it to your social media, do not forget to send an email highlighting your post, summarizing the key points or writing a bit of an explanation, and guiding your subscribers to your site to read the entire post. If you’re writing shorter content, you can use your newsletter to create lists, highlights, and most importantly, calls-to-action to link to products and services.

Creating Content That Works on Multiple Platforms – The Workflow and Marketing Strategy

Ok, perhaps you’re reading this and sweating just a wee bit thinking how is this even possible?

I’m here to show you that it is.

But first, you do not need to use all of the above platforms.

Pick four to start. Ideally those that cater to your kind of content. 

My suggestion? Your Website (Blog posts), Instagram (best content for audience engagement, connection and casual storytelling), Pinterest (visual platform), and Email (relevant content to your custom audience)

I picked these four because they not only offer you the greatest results but also, provide a well-rounded content loop that reaches various customer locations and content-seekers and a good mix of word-heavy and visual-heavy content.

Here are some quick examples of how to take one piece of content and make it work cross-platform for different audiences and format. 

Ready to save a lot of time? 

1. Write Your Blog Post 

We’re using the example post, Our Marketing Tips For Introverted Creatives.

First step, you’ll need a blog post somewhere between 800-3000 words, let’s say. You’ll also create a cover image and possibly another page-formatted cover image and title.

Social Media Content and Workflow: Blog Post Creation

2. Connect It On Instagram – A Post, Story, and A Reel, just to cover all bases.

You’ll need a post-formatted graphic with either a catchy visual or visual with some text, on brand of course. I find the best profiles have a good combination of branded, strategically placed posts and reels and then peppered throughout are more natural, casual content on their stories that allow others to like you, trust you and purchase from you. You’ll also need a story-formatted graphic or short video that allows you to share your post, provide a link, and perhaps explain things by showing up and talking a little in those formats. 

Then, your reel. You’ll need to create a short but engaging video of that same visual, or you engaging in the thing you’re talking about. In this case, it might be stills or a short video of you working. Provide a way for users to read your post, respond to your content, and encourage them to share, read, or comment.

Social Media Content and Workflow: Instagram Post Creation

3. Pin It On Pinterest 

Best practice, create 6-15 unique pins that are a combination of text and visuals to inspire someone to stop and click on the destination link on the pin. I like to follow this process for a really quick and easy way to create multiple unique pins in less than 30 min.

Social Media Content and Workflow: Pinterest Pin Creation

4. Share It By Email

Lastly, write a newsletter that summarizes your blog post and encourages your subscribers to read on by clicking on a CTA and visiting your website via a link. Your choice whether you prefer to provide all that content in the email and skip a click altogether but I strongly recommend you encourage that click-through-rate.

Also, consistent email marketing creates brand awareness and trust, because you’re showing up and writing custom emails each week. 

Email Newsletter for Marketing

Closing Remarks and Suggestions:

1. Search Engines 

Search Engines like google like clear, well described and legible content. If you want your content to be shown in search results, you need to create useful stuff. Things that are solving problems. If you can manage to present what you offer as a solution to something, you’ll do much better. 

2. Social Media Strategy And Unique Content

You may be wondering, isn’t this a lot of the same content?

Nope. 

Each platform favours a style and format, so it’s important to stick within those suggestions. You’re fine reusing the same image or video and provide different text, especially on Pinterest. 

3. Marketing Specific Goals.

Aside from the obvious (making your business money), marketing goals can also include brand awareness, market research and fine tuning your offering to match the demand. The actual goal of your marketing efforts are to solve a problem for someone and to attract that right customer to the right place. If you do that, the sales will come on their own. 

And if you think about this, your marketing goal should be “here is how I can solve this”. And that should be the messaging, not “I want to make a sale”.

4. Content Pillars

Know which platform works best for which type of content pillar – transactional, educational, connection-building, inspirational or entertainment. Specific platforms are better than others for certain pillars. Best way to know? By testing. 

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ABOUT THIS POST

This post is written by Donata Delano – A Professional Artist, Graphic Designer and Architect based in Canada and Mexico. She specializing in visual communication and web design, creating branding solutions and websites that are thoughtful, unique and aesthetically pleasing.

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