Winging It
As we enter our fourth year of business, I’ve had time to reflect on the different forms of blogs we have created over the years. For those who aren’t familiar, a blog is a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group that is written in an informal or conversational style.
In the time of Organise.Curate.Design. I’ve winged it when it comes to blog content. Writing pieces that have shared my personal thoughts and insights on topics of life and business.
Blogging isn’t too complex; it’s a form of expression and I highly recommend everyone get involved to share their thoughts with their community.
What we’ve used
We have used various forms of communication, and though some are not traditional blogs the message and content has been adapted for all of them.
EDM (electronic direct mail) was our first form of blogging, I would write articles that we sent to our subscribers and updated them on my thoughts and tips, usually monthly. There are various EDM platforms out there such as SendGrid and Ampjar, and though we have worked with a few my go to continues to be Mailchimp as I’ve always found it to be user friendly.
Social media has also been a form of blogging for us and a way to share our EDMs. Writing posts and short articles on Facebook and LinkedIn has been helpful in getting our message out to another community and is also an easy way for others to share our words with their network.
Blog, Vlog or Audio – how to repurpose content
Anyone who has read about content would have heard the tip of repurposing content. In the past 2 years as our community has grown on social media, we have moved our content to video and audio whilst also having an actual blog on our website.
Today we don’t send monthly newsletters but create a blog, like this one and then create a video to go alongside it. Sharing on social media utilising Instagram & Facebook as well as YouTube for longer videos.
We also take snippets of our content and turn it into bite sized audio for quick tips and tricks we can sprinkle throughout our social media feed.
The other thing to remember when it comes to repurposing is re-releasing content. As your audience grows, they have not read the piece or watched the vlog you released 12 months ago. So, grab it, give it a dust off and get it out there again, your original community will likely appreciate the reminder and the new members will love the ideas you are sharing.
Tools for Vlogging
When it comes to our Vlog content our tools have evolved over the years. I initially created great videos simply using my smartphone. But as we focused more on video content over the past 18 months, we have invested in a Canon EOS camera that has a flip out screen which makes it easier to keep an eye on things if you are recording on your own. We have also invested in a ring light which is connected to a tripod to get our lighting just right whilst also keeping things a little casual in the look and feel of it all. The last addition to our DIY kit has been our microphone, we have a great one from RODE which connects to the camera to ensure my voice is clear as I’m chatting away about the topic of the day.
Stock images
When it comes to written content it’s always best to break things up with some images. There are some incredible stock image websites out there where you can pick and choose images, often for free. The key is to ensure the image not only suits the piece but also your brand. With so many images out there take the time to find the right one for you.
Don’t forget that as humans we love seeing other humans so wherever possible have faces in your content as people will resonate with the article more if they can see a friendly face.
Done is better than perfect
I say this about a lot of things and blogging and vlogging is no different. I’ve agonised about triple checking written pieces in the past and have also spent a lot of time and money on video content. But in this fast-paced online world, content is often seen and then forgotten, even if you happen to go viral, something new is coming to replace you pretty quickly.
So, don’t lose hours of your life overthinking things. Write the piece, take the photo, record the video, capture the sound bite and then hit PUBLISH.
Get it out there and pat yourself on the back for sending your story out to the world.
