#iykyk

From journalism to marketing, content creation has been the single thread that has tied my entire career together. Here are my five key takeaways:

1. Know your audience:

Understanding who you are marketing to, from potential customers to internal employees, and where they consume content is crucial. This information determines your message, tone of voice, and how you engage with them. It also helps define what success looks like in your content strategy.

2. Fit for platform:

Each media platform has its own guidelines for creating content within safe zones. While we used to follow the principle of "create once, use everywhere" to maintain brand consistency and reduce post-production costs, today, tools like Canva and CapCut make it much easier to optimize content for each platform, whether in portrait or landscape format.

3. Extend reach with partners:

Branded content is essential for communicating key reason-to-believe marketing messages and is seen as a trusted source of information. However, engaging partners such as content creators who share your values can help carry your message to audiences that your brand wouldn't typically reach.

4. Consistent publishing schedule:

A well-maintained editorial calendar is central to keeping your audience engaged and coming back for more, while also priming them for bigger moments of interest.

5. Continuous test-and-learn:

What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow, so maintaining an always-on test-and-learn mindset is important. Start by defining your hypothesis, measurement approach, expected result, and time to insight.