Are you starving for creative content that creates connections and drives engagement? We all have times where we find ourselves mentally fatigued and creatively exhausted. How do you escape a mental block? Where can you get new ideas?
“The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones.” – John Maynard Keynes
When we are experiencing a creative block, content can be repetitive and lackluster. Oftentimes, we end up saying the same things over and over. When you run into dead ends developing creative content that drives engagement, here are six types of content that help you avoid a creative block and create connections.
Educational
Sharing the latest information about your industry, product, or service builds a connection and establishes credibility with your audience. What did you learn at the latest conference you attended? What are some of the latest trends? We create connections by empowering others with knowledge and information. Here are just a few ideas of educational content you can share.
- Industry Trends
- Infographics (Canva provides a free infographic maker)
- Tips and Tricks
- Free Resources
- How-To Guides
- Webinars
Inspirational
Inspire your clients to be the best, achieve their goals, or simply have a great day! The “feel-good factor” goes a long way in establishing relationships and showing you care about your client, not just their business. Try some of these ideas for inspirational content.
- Inspirational quotes or scripture can be found on sites like GoodReads or Scripture Art
- Intriguing images or funny pictures (Here are 10 resources for royalty-free images)
- Stories of wins and challenges you have overcome
Entertaining
Laughter breaks down barriers, creates memories, and builds transparency. Entertaining content can also help humanize a company from an institution to a group of people who have feelings and emotions. You can build a connection and drive engagement through several types of entertaining content.
- Funny videos
- Memes
- Fun holiday posts
- Nostalgic images or stories
Connecting
Loyal clients are not only concerned about the products and services you offer, they want to know about your values and culture. What better way to help customers connect with you than to give them an inside look at your company? Connecting posts provide the “behind the scenes” view into the life of your business and go a long way in establishing rapport.
- Employee highlight
- Behind the scenes photos
- Fun facts about your company
- Links to causes or charities
- Shout outs to cooperating businesses
Engaging
What better way to build connections than to start a conversation? Everyone has an opinion or a question and sometimes they are just looking for a place to voice it. Why not give your customers the opportunity? Here are some ways you can ask clients their opinion about products and services, or life in general.
- Polls
- Ask Me Anything
- Questions
- Fill in the Blank
- Contests
- Caption This…
Promotional
Promotion is not a nasty word when it comes to content. How are customers going to know about our products unless we tell them? The key is balance—the 80/20 rule applies to content as well. 80% of your content should be Educational, Inspirational, Entertaining, Connecting, and Engaging, and 20% should be Promotional. These are just a few ways you can promote your products and services through creative content.
- Discounts and special offers
- Products and services
- Giveaways for email signups
- Client testimonials
In conclusion, whether you are creating articles, social media posts, or videos, you can use these six types of creative content to create connections and drive engagement: Educational, Inspirational, Entertaining, Connecting, Engaging, or Promotional. As with any type of content, remember to follow up with comments and engagement!
