Marketing Content Creation – Tips & Resources

Any technology is as good as what you plan do with it. In the case of Marketing Technology Platforms, Content is the ultimate King.

For Marketers, generating high-quality content day-in, day-out poses a significant challenge. Especially if you are just starting up with your marketing efforts or rely on external agencies for the majority of your content generation needs.

I always recommend Marketers to generate their own content and not rely on external resources. No one knows your business better than you, so whatever content is generated externally can be done better if done internally. You can always take help with regards to the actual production of your content, but the idea and brain behind your content piece should come from you.

Just think about it, you have spent years in mastering your trade and know your audience better than anyone else. Relying on someone else, no matter how skilled will only do injustice to your brand as well as its audience. Unless you are in an industry which requires very generic knowledge of things and your priority is quantity over quality. I guess you understand where I’m coming from.

So how do we generate high-quality content week-in, week-out?

Here are some tips and resources based on content type.

Website Content, Blog, Collateral Documents, White Papers, Guides, etc.

In this age of Video Streaming, Podcasts & Memes. Text-Based Content still remains the most affordable, easy to create and elaborate form of communication.

Text-based content is also warranted across various channels including web, documents, presentations, blogs and so on.

If you have a precise brief and structure for your content piece, below are two resources which you can leverage for production. Think of it as your extended team of experienced writers.

Writer Access is a great resource to find high-quality writers. You can select writers based on industry, specialty and star rating, which will help you zero-in to the ones which meet your criteria. Make sure you hire only 5 or 6 Star rated writers.

Crowd Content is another decent resource for crowdsourcing content writers. Again make sure you hire only 3 or 4 Star rated writers.

Infographics, Graphics & Creatives

Design Crowd is a good resource for crowdsourcing designers. I have personally used them for several Brand Identity projects. Though there are many amateur designers on their platform, you will have to be precise with your brief to get the best out of them. Also, they have a 100% money back guarantee in case you are not happy with the outcome

99 Designs is yet another platform for crowdsourcing designers. Though it is more premium than Design Crowd, they offer better value for the money.

All in all Creatives and Designs are subjective to each brand’s positioning and inspiration, so you can go for what best works for your brand.

Video Content

Explainer Videos
Fiverr is a good resource to get explainer videos for cheap. But mind you, don’t expect exceptional quality considering the price you are paying for it.

Product Demonstration
If you are looking to make product demonstration video, I would recommend you use Camtasia for screen capture and then hire a Voice Over artist from Fiverr to give it a professional appeal. I’m assuming the script and storyboard for the video is done internally.

Live Motion
If you are looking to make Film or Live Motion Video, there are no shortcuts or cheap thrills unfortunately, you will have to recruit a professional agency. Drop me a note if you want references for reliable Video Production agencies and I will be happy to share few names which I have used over the years.

Podcast, Voice Over and Audio Content

Again Fiverr will be the right resource to hire Audio Artists on a budget.

Another alternative is to use Text to Speech software, which is nothing but a Robot emulating human voice and emotion. I recently used IBM Watson’s Text to Speech Software and I must say I was impressed. Moreover its free, so no harm in trying it out and experience it for yourself.

I hope you found value from the above article, do inbox me your suggestions or requests for future articles.

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