Content Is Your Trust Builder

The number one complaint I hear from authors is, “I don’t have time for content creation.”

Content is the piece author platform-building strategy that is often overlooked. Yet, it is interconnected to social media, email list building, and book launching. Content is the trust builder in your author platform.

Most entrepreneurial books rely on the expertise of the author as a business tool. Authors who write expert books to establish expertise in an area without content rarely find book- sale success. Expert content in the form of podcasts, blogs, or videos help an audience understand who you are, what you do, and your unique value proposition. Content is the basis of your social media and list building.

Creating a content calendar allows you to organize content and prepare it for distribution. Your content delivery should be at least once a week for your audience.

How does an author decide how to create content?

What Is Easy to Create on a Consistent Basis?

Is it video, podcast, or blog?

Video is probably the easiest way to produce content. Zoom makes it easy to open your computer and start recording. No one is looking for perfection. Going live on social media platforms is common and takes posting out of the equation. Just open and talk. If you are uncomfortable in front of the camera, don’t stress! Everyone is the first couple of times. If you continue to be uncomfortable, working with a professional like Nina Froreip can help you gain skills and love yourself in front of the camera.

Podcasting can be great fun! A good microphone and Zoom can create content that can be used on YouTube and distributed on many podcast platforms. The beauty of interviewing guests is an added layer that brings you more followers when your guests share the interviews.

If you really are ambitious, you can have the recordings transcribed and write an article for your website as well. The addition of new content on your site, as well as a long article every week, can create SEO for your website as well and make it more searchable. If you don’t want to do all the work yourself, there are great services like Podetize that allow you to record while they do the tech work.

Blogging also can create SEO for your website. Any article over six thousand words automatically indexes with the search engines. You have plenty to say, so open up your computer and write! Don’t forget to add images to break up the text and make your blog visually interesting.

Content Calendars

Don’t wing your content distribution. Thoughtful authors create a content calendar and plan their social media posts in advance. Our own company is always two months ahead. Having a plan also allows you to mix it up. Some days we post articles from our magazine, other days we post our podcast. Using LinkedIn Newsletter has allowed us to supercharge our LinkedIn engagement. Content calendars also make it easy to hand your posting off to a virtual assistant and keep you working in your zone of genius.

Tagging Guests

Don’t forget to tag your guests when you share your content on social media. Your guests’ audience will take a look at your work too.

Email Lists

Your content can also be used to deliver articles to your email list. The old days of sell, sell, sell in your email list are gone. Your subscribers want information. Take your weekly content piece and share it with your list. TIP: More than one email a week could exhaust your list, so don’t overdo it.

Lastly, don’t expect content to be an overnight success strategy. Like everything else in life, trust takes time to build as they get to know you. Be patient and generous with your content.

@Tracy Hazzard, founder of Podetize, shares content tips: https://youtu.be/hi1UTlbVrnU