Coronavirus (COVID-19) has crashed every marketing plan.
In the past several weeks, every business has been forced to adjust their plans, adapt their messaging, and prepare for a new future.
According to one survey by Hubspot, many business leaders are investing in or changing their approach to creating content altogether, which makes perfect sense.
From scrolling their social media feeds, reading articles, or streaming videos, according to one survey, the amount of content people consume has significantly increased.
To cut through the noise and connect with your customers, it’s time to double-down on your content creation. To do this, you have to embrace a media-first mindset and build a media company.
Whether you’re growing a startup, run a small business, or direct the marketing efforts for a publicly-traded company, you can build a media team that fits your needs—and budget.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, below are seven vital roles you’ll need to fill.
#1. Strategist
A strategist is someone who can clarify your objectives, clearly see the competitive landscape, and create a winning plan for your business.
In short, he or she will oversee your media plan and production.
If the scope of your work is significant, then having a strategist on staff will be necessary. If you run a small business, you may be able to get by with hiring an individual/agency you retain on a part-time basis.
#2. Writer
Fight the temptation to write everything yourself or just to find someone on your team to write stuff for the sake of getting it done. You need a wordsmith who can flat out write.
You need a writer who can produce high-quality content—content that resonates with your audience in different formats (think blog posts versus social media posts).
You’ll need a writer who’s adept at storytelling, who can write for the web, and who can compel people to action with their words.
Should you hire someone full-time or part-time?
What about working with contractors or an agency?
It depends on your budget and the scope of your work.
It’s normally best for people to work in-house.
But if you decide to build a team of freelancers, make sure all of them are on the same page. For example, you will want to make sure your strategist and writer regularly communicate and move forward with the same plan.
#3. Editor
It’s arguably impossible for any writer to catch all of his or her mistakes. You can use proofreading checklists and follow all of the best editing practices, but it’s difficult for writers to self-edit their work.
To double-check the content you publish for the public to consume, you’ll need an editor who can check for typos and grammatical errors, or someone such as a developmental editor who can enhance your writing to make sure it’s hitting its mark.
This person can be your strategist if he or she is serving more like a managing editor, someone else on your team, or a contractor.
#4. Creative Director
Don’t skimp on your creative assets.
Branding is one of the surefire ways you can differentiate yourself in the marketplace
So, when it comes to the creative side of things, there are several things you’ll need to consider:
Do you need to infuse a creative flair in your work?
Do you have someone on your team who’s advocating for your brand to ensure everything you produce is consistent in style and tone?
Do you need one-off graphic images or infographics?
You should designate someone on your team who will provide creative direction, oversee quality assurance, and make sure your company’s brand is portrayed clearly.
You may also need the help of a graphic designer who can provide you with professional creative support when you need it.
#5. Videographer
Video is an essential part of any business media strategy—and creating video content doesn’t have to break your budget.
From using your smartphone or computer, to purchasing b-roll or hiring a team to shoot new footage, you can spend as much or as little as you like.
Don’t have the financial bandwidth to create a video?
No sweat.
Consider taking a blog post, podcast, or another piece of content and repurposing it into a video you can publish on YouTube.
For this tactic, you can use your phone, computer, or camera to record. Afterward, you can find a free or relatively inexpensive video editing software to place the finishing touches on what you filmed.
#6. Promotions Expert
Publishing new content isn’t enough.
If you want people to read, watch, or listen to what you create, then you need to promote it.
Sure, there’s a chance what you create will go viral, but instead of trying to capture lightning in a bottle, it’s best to plan on promoting what you create.
Promoting content is easier said than done, and this is the part many businesses fail to deliver. What you create may be discovered over time, but it helps to have someone on your team responsible for spreading the word.
Now, if you don’t have the financial bandwidth to pay someone or to run your own paid promotions, consider creating fewer pieces of content so that you can spend more time promoting your message.
#7. Analytics Manager
The goal of any marketing effort is to produce results.
Whether it’s generating new leads, increasing traffic to your website, or enhancing your thought leadership in the marketplace, you’ll need to define your goals to keep track of your progress.
Someone with an analytics skillset will be able to tell you if you’re making progress and provide data-driven feedback to infuse into your future content creation and promotional efforts.
Again, this can be someone you hire in-house or you can work with a contractor or agency to monitor your results.
Building a marketing media company
Be patient when building your marketing media company.
As you can see, there are many pieces involved and it takes time to experience results.
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