Save Time and Money On Content MarketingBy Andy Preisler

When we talk about content marketing, the conversation often moves to return-on-investment.

After all, money is money, and time is money.

If we want to talk about “saving” as it relates to content marketing, we must talk of both elements.

Wasting either of them is expensive in the long run so you never want to do that. Luckily there are some great tools and strategies that will put you in a much better “place” as you focus on engaging, unique, entertaining, and educational content marketing. 

The element of using time wisely involves some very specific strategies and activities, some of which will save you time right now and others that will save you time down the road.

Here are 18 “tricks” the pros use to save time and money on content marketing. 

Save Time and Money On Content Marketing

  1. Identify your target customers, where they go online, and what type of content they need. Use free analytics tools and other easy and proven strategies so you appeal and engage.
  2. Research your business niche all the time. Use a good tool such as Evernote to save those ideas, and copy URLs that are good future references.
  3. Develop your own style and learn how focus on catchy titles and opening sentences as much as you do the rest of your content. Use these great tips to develop your skills continually.
  4. Re-purpose great content. Great content marketing runs the metrics and knows which content gets the most “play.” That content can be switched out among text, infographics, videos, eBooks, and more.
  5. Develop a business blog. Website content must be more than a sales pitch. An exciting blog that is well maintained and has all of the “bells and whistles” for sharing, conversations, and interactive activities will attract and keep followers.
  6. Learn to reduce word count with hashtag marketing. Strategically placed hashtags start conversations and pose categories and content of interest.
  7. Monitor your competition at all times. What are they talking about? What’s popular on their social media sites? Take topics of big interest and enhance them by adding a unique slant.
  8. Read blogs, all that you can find, that relate to content marketing strategies and tips. This is free training for you and will save time down the road!
  9. Use “lists.” Everyone loves lists and they are easy to read. (You’re reading one now!)
  10. Use email for content marketing and interactive activities. Take a look at Starbucks “stars” email campaign as a great example. Every email asks followers to do something that spreads the brand and gives them chance to grab more stars for free drinks.
  11. Ask your customers for videos and photos that involve them using your product. Feature your customers in your posts and on your social media sites. So easy, and almost no time involved. And just watch how much these get shared!
  12. Use free apps to add animation. Check out ShipServ.com for a great “walk” through their online directory with Lego men.
  13. Hold a contest and publish it on your site, in your emails, and on social media. Jack Daniels recently solicited photos of unique bars. The winner will be featured in an upcoming ad. Little-to-no cost in time or money, and followers do all of the work!
  14. Get a “fan club” with some type of reward for the fan who shares your content the most over a period of time—let your followers spread your brand! Above all else, you should master content marketing for your specific audience.
  15. Use images everywhere. There are huge numbers of free, open-source images, many of which are really quite stunning, humorous, or poignant.
  16. Use surveys and polls on social media sites. Make them engaging enough that followers will want to share. All you need is a little bit of creativity!
  17. Engage visitors on your site or social media pages by posting activities and humor that don’t relate to your product or service. Anthropologies sells clothing, but they feature DIY drink recipes on their site and advertise each new one with a link on their Facebook page.
  18. Get a free tool to keep yourself from distractions as you prepare your content marketing. “Stay Focused” is a Google Chrome extension that you can use for free. It blocks you from distracting sites for a period of time you determine. It’s easy-to-use, and a great time saver.

image credit: Shutterstock

Andy Preisler

Andy Preisler is a content marketer and experienced blog writer. He is a blogger and consultant to GrabMyEssay. He has passion to self growth and permanent self improvement.

View all posts by Andy Preisler