Creating and Using Content Buckets

“Social media platforms are considered business tools that help boost your sales, raise brand awareness, and connect with your audience.”

I’m 97% sure you’ve heard this statement from so many different people. And it’s true and helpful. But words like boost, raise awareness, connect, and business tool can leave you a little bit in the dark. Right? Not in terms of not understanding the meaning of these words, but finding the practical ways that you can implement them and put these words into action.

Questions that come to mind may be:

“How can I create an online presence?”

“How can I raise brand awareness?”

“How can I connect with my audience?”

“How can I boost sales?”

A slice of the cake is to create and use content buckets. Content buckets can be static pictures, videos, stories, blogs, podcasts, and whatever content you create and share on social media. They are content ideas that are categorized based on their purpose. This is why they’re referred to as “buckets” – as in placing ideas in categorized buckets that each serve a specific purpose.

Also, content buckets help you create a variety of content; making your platform informative, educational, entertaining, engaging, and promotional.

Before diving deeper, you need to keep in mind that some content buckets that work for others might not work for you. This process is all about trial and error, but the good news is, there’s always something that will work for the best.

Your Content Strategy Mindset

There are 2 key factors to creating and using content buckets: As mentioned above, trial and error which is rooted in patience. ?

Why did I mention patience? Because I never was patient. So, talking to you from experience, I barely used to give my content strategies time to even express themselves. If a week passed and I didn’t see improvement, I’d throw them out the window (not literally) and start from scratch. However, I learned that such things need time and when I committed to a content strategy – the one I believed, at first, wasn’t working – it paid off. And yes, my objective mind told my subjective mind, “I told you so, you just don’t listen.” It took my content strategy about 2 months to pay off – the wait was a bit long (for me), but, so far, it’s showing organic, consistent, and gradual results.

Market Research is Step Zero

Some strategies may not work for some brands as they work for others because of certain factors. Some of these are the industry, target audience, and chosen platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).

This is why, before even starting with your content strategy, you need to do market research. I know you heard this about 547 times. But it’s true. It helps. At first, I didn’t know how to do market research. Like, where do I start? What questions do I need to ask? Who do I ask? Then, little by little, I started asking my clients questions, I constructed a survey and distributed it, and I started making polls on Instagram until I managed to collect enough data that helped me understand that my target audience is on Instagram and LinkedIn. These are the platforms I’m currently active on; they may change in the future, who knows, but for now, they’re working for me. This is why you need to periodically do market research – times change and so do your current results. ??

So, before taking the first step you need to tick off step zero: Market Research.

You’re Done (for now) with Market Research and are Ready to Unleash Your Creative Content?

Do you know that by being a business owner/expert/coach/service provider, you’ve already built most of your content? Why? Because you have the experience, the practical tips, the dos and don’ts, and the know-how that your audience is craving.

All you have to do now is transform the data in your mind into content your audience can read, relate to, understand, and hopefully, take action from.

Here are 6 Content Buckets You Can Categorize Your Content Under[1]

1.???? The Educational Bucket

Sharing knowledge is super valuable especially if you’re an expert in your field. Your audience will want to know information that they can benefit, learn, and improve from, and you can make that possible.

Who is it best for: Coaches, trainers, and service providers.

What kind of content can be created: How-to guides, infographics, FAQs, and tips and tricks.

What is the purpose: Share your knowledge to gain brand credibility.

2.???? The Personal Bucket

Maybe not everyone prefers to show their face to the online world or even share personal experiences, but this does help in creating a stronger connection with your audience. People tend to connect with people more than just a product or service. However, there are ways to share personal life experiences without showing yourself.

Who is it best for: Every business owner willing to share personal experiences.

What kind of content can be created: Personal life lessons, live Q&A sessions, podcasts, and behind-the-scenes videos with you in action. ?

What is the purpose: Connecting with your audience on a more personal level.

3.???? The Promotional Bucket

You’re doing all this to sell and grow your business. Promotional posts shed the spotlight on your product and/or service. However, to not sound too salesy, highlight the benefits of your offerings to the audience instead of just listing and promoting them. ??

Who is it best for: Everyone who wants to sell a product/service.

What kind of content can be created: List the solutions that you offer (product/service) and the benefits of using or buying your offerings.

What is the purpose: Sharing with your audience what your brand offers and how it can be of value to them. ?

4.???? The Engaging Bucket

Your online presence can never rely on a one-way relationship. This is why you need to create content that brings in your audience. Whether by commenting, sharing, or giving feedback, there’s always a way you can engage your audience with your content.

Who is it best for: Everyone

What kind of content can be created: Involving your audience by asking them questions, encouraging them to comment on your posts, and asking for their opinions through polls.?

What is the purpose: Connecting with your audience and boosting brand presence. ?

5.???? The Entertaining Bucket

Everyone loves to laugh and be entertained. We can’t always take life too seriously. Sharing content that is funny and lighthearted can bring back your audience for more laughs.?

Who is it best for: Brands that can be humorous and fun

What kind of content can be created: Industry-related memes, following a fun trend, and holding contests and giveaways.

What is the purpose: Connecting with your audience through relatable content. ?

6.???? The User-Generated Bucket

Sharing what your audience has to offer is a brilliant idea of saying “Thank you” and it gives that snowball the push it needs to roll.

Who is it best for: Everyone

What kind of content can be created: Content your audience created, whether they are testimonials, comments, or reviews. ?

What is the purpose: Acknowledging your audience, appreciating their feedback, and strengthening your brand’s credibility – because people like to know what other people have to say about your brand. ??

The Final Note

Have fun when creating content. Yes, it can be tedious at times, frustrating, mind-boggling, and after all that, you sometimes barely get a response. But remember to create a plan for yourself, try this and that, see what kind of content buckets your audience engages with the most, and post on different platforms to see where your audience is.

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[1] 10 Examples of Content Buckets and How to Use Them