Posts

, ,

Batch working and batch content with Rachel Bragg aka Sweet Images Photography

batch working and batch content with rachel bragg of sweet images photography

What do you think about batch working? Do you know what batch content is, or do you think I’m talking a different language? Don’t worry – batch working will change your world, whatever you do. In this podcast, Rachel Bragg from Sweet Images Photography tells us how she makes it work for her.

Batch working and batch content with Rachel Bragg

In this episode we talk about the value of producing batch content, batch working, tips for both and a whole lot more. In this episode of the Small & Supercharged Podcast with Rachel Bragg from Sweet Images Photography, you will hear…

  • How time consuming it can be to NOT batch your work together (and why looking at it differently can save you a lot of time).
  • The many different ways that small business owners are pulled, meaning that the time we have is quite short, and how that means we have to make it count.
  • How the idea of batching (and the practical application) became apparent to Rachel when working for a commercial client.
  • The way that batch content can actually help you to create your best work as you can create all the content when the conditions are optimal.
  • How the act of just planning the time to create the content can make you more productive as you can start to create a props list on the lead up to the event too. Preparation is so important.
  • When you’re batch working, you also need to make sure you have everything where you need it to be. This helps you use your time as well as possible.
  • How to create more than one image out of each shot you’ve set up. We talk about batch working with flatlays, and how the angles and the position you take the images from can make even more content from each flatlay you’ve set up.
  • Why it’s important to make sure you plan what you want to shoot, what you want to achieve, and know why you’re doing it. When you’ve done this, work out what you could also shoot at the same time. This should give you additional content for the future.
  • How important it is to be ruthless with your time and literally book out the time to create your content.
  • How DSLRs are good BUT, for the vast majority of us, a phone camera is more than adequate. In fact, sometimes the really modern phone cameras are better in some situations that DSLRs, especially if there’s a light issue.
  • The importance of props and how these can help with the story.
  • We talk through a few scenarios and the props that you can find that are easily to hand and can be used (that won’t cost you a penny and can really add to your images).
  • How you don’t need to have lots of posh, expensive props to make a flatlay work. You just need to make sure it’s relevant.
  • The idea of taking lots of shots when you have a session set up. It’s something I do (as a non-photographer… and I always like to try and stack the odds of getting a good shot in my favour!), and Rachel also talks about whether or not it’s the right thing to do!
  • How to edit the images on your phone, and how you can actually batch work really effectively on your phone.
  • The value of images. Why images are such a key part of your content, and the every day consumption of images. Why batch working is so, so important, to ensure you get the number of images you need.

Where you can find Rachel…

A massive thank you to Rachel for chatting about batch content and batch working on this week’s episode. To find Rachel online, you can find her…

Sweet Images Facebook Page

Sweet Images Instagram

Sweet Images Website

…and if you want to see Rachel’s work in action, have a look at Hiho Silver, Mackenzie & George and Smart Grooming’s Instagram feeds.

/by
, ,

Content – what is content? What’s content marketing? – Small & Supercharged Podcast

Today we’re talking all about content – content marketing, what content is, what it means to you… and how to make this work. We use the word ‘content’ a lot – I do – but I don’t use it as a buzzword. I use it because it covers so, so much. So, without further ado, should we have a little chat about content? It’s a solo one with me… so thank you so much for joining me.

Let’s talk about content, shall we?

Show notes for the Small & Supercharged Podcast – Episode 12 – content. What content is, how to make it work for you, the different types, and how to make sure everything you create has the best chance of delivering a good return on investment.

In this episode we talk about…

  • Different types of content and how it’s important to make it it work for you.
  • Blogging and how written content works – not just in terms of what you’re trying to do and the message you’re trying to convey, but also from an SEO point of view.
  • What to do if you’re not good at writing (or you don’t think you are) . We talk through different hacks to help you here.
  • Transcription and dictation software and how this can help.
  • How podcasts can make really good content as they get to people in a different way. We also talk about how the podcasts can be made into blog posts. And what the show notes can add too.
  • The value of video. We chat about Facebook lives, Youtube, and more. We also talk about what video does and how it allows people to connect with you on a different level, and how it allows people to find out more about products too.
  • How there are lots of side benefits to videos that you might not realise.
  • Why being authentic is really important, and how it’s scary to put yourself out there… but the benefits it has too.
  • Podcasts and videos – can you do them at the same time? I talk about why I don’t at the moment.
  • Videos and where you can post this content.
  • Photography – and why I count photography as content. And how it can actually be pillar content depending on which platform you spend the most time on/where your customers are.
  • Professional photography, but also the benefit of getting better at your own photography and how this can really help you.
  • The value of quotes, testimonials and so much more. And how this can work as part of your content plan. We also talk about how these allow you to create your own content from nothing.
  • How we need to play to our strengths but how we can work with people who can help fill in the gaps. You only need to be good at one way to produce content… and then you build from there.
  • Human connection in content and why it’s important to put it out there.
  • Perfect and how you won’t be perfect when it comes to content, but how you can just do your best. And also how you can edit.
  • The value of just having a go. Because the value that content brings over any of the negatives outweighs it by a HUGE amount.
  • If you need any egging on – I’m @rheafreemanpr on Instagram and Facebook, and I’m @rheafreeman on Twitter.

 

Rhea Freeman Newsletter Link

/by
, ,

Are you posting content that matters?

Are you posting content that matters?Are you posting content that matters?

You may think that this is a really odd question – I mean – of course you are. Aren’t you? Of course you’re posting content that matters. Or are you posting content that’s there to simply get a reaction? Not a reaction that aligns with your business… or your goals… or your customers… just a reaction. Any reaction? I’m seeing more and more people post content that doesn’t really matter and doesn’t really serve any purpose other than to get an reaction. Of course, if that’s your only objective, then go ahead. But to me that’s a LOT of effort for zero result.

What is ‘content that matters’?

Content that matters has a purpose beyond just being a piece of content. Maybe you’re sharing a client story? Or maybe you’re sharing something to help inspire and motivate? A useful blog or podcast your heard/read that you thought had value? What constitutes ‘content that matters’ differs from person to person. It depends on the objectives of your business/page/profile, but it should always add value. Otherwise what is the point? Well, I think I might know the answer…

Are you trying to outsmart the algorithm?

Ok, I get it. Social media’s algorithms can make our job more challenging… but let’s just break it down a little… can we? Social media (I’m talking Facebook, Instagram, etc etc) is built on the people who use it. The companies who run these platforms want the user experience to be good and engaging and interesting. They want to keep people on their platform for as long as they can (because, let’s be honest, that makes them an even more appealing advertising platform). But a recent algorithm update states that it has changed to help people have ‘more meaningful interactions’. Meaningful is the keyword here. Yes, Facebook’s algorithm does look at a range of factors to see if your content ticks this box… and reactions, shares and comments do factor here… but if your content is seen as engagement bait, your content could actually be demoted. In December ’17, as a response to user feedback, Facebook started demoting posts with this ‘engagement bait’ type content. To enhance the user experience.

Why posting content that matters, matters

There are a few reasons why posting content that matter, matters… hopefully one of these will strike a cord…

  1. When someone reads a post, you’re taking up their time. Time is the MOST valuable commodity that we all have the same amount of… don’t waste it!
  2. It’ll take you as much time to create GOOD content as it will poor quality
  3. Content that doesn’t add to your story or to your customer’s story is a waste of your skills
  4. Everything you put out on social media should, in some way, align with your business, your beliefs or your goals. If it doesn’t do this, why post?
  5. You can create engagement bait style posts. You might get a lot of engagement. Yay. But are these people actually interested in you or your business? Even a bit? Will they like the page and stay around, engage, ask questions and maybe even become a customer? If you’re asking them to tag a friend who is… I don’t know… blonde… are they going to buying your course/product/service? Engagement matters (a LOT), but PROPER engagement, from your tribe, your fans and people who get you is what to aim at. Not just random people who have a friend with a certain colour of hair!

So, that’s why I urge you to make sure you are posting content that matters – not just click bait or engagement bait to get some reaction. It’s a hollow victory, and no one needs those!

Want to keep up to date with more social media, PR and marketing hints and tips? Join my newsletter list here.

/0 Comments/by
, , ,

Does posting natively increase your reach?

does posting natively increase your reachDoes posting natively increase your reach? Well, there are a few things to consider here – and a few points were raised in a previous blog about context and content… but let’s dive in.

What do you mean by ‘posting natively’?

Posting direct to the platform and not making people move around to view content. This works with blogs, vlogs and links to websites. And I get the irony that this is a blog and has been promoted on my social media platforms. But you’ll notice how that even though the blog isn’t native to the platforms I’m promoting it on, I’m creating native content to promote the blog… did you see a graphic on Facebook or did you just see a boring old link with no imagery? I hope you saw the graphic that I uploaded to Facebook so I could combine the benefits of the native posting with the benefits of bringing you here to my little corner of the internet.

Does posting natively increase reach?

Yep. And this is two fold. Thinking of Facebook, it’s said (and in my experience this is correct!), that the algorithm prefers native content. And why wouldn’t it? Watching stuff natively on the platform and not venturing off to other sites is a win for any website. Even when you’re as big as Facebook. For the consumer too, you click it, you watch it, you get bored, you move on. You don’t have to open and close tabs to get back to where you were. And the other reason that native posting can increase reach is simply because it looks a whole lot better in the feed. This means it looks a LOT more interesting and will encourage a lot more engagement.

Should I only post natively?

Yes and no. If you take the example of video, you might be looking to develop your Youtube channel, but want to use your Facebook page to help promote your videos. So what do you do? There are a few options. You can just post a link to your video on Facebook and hope for the best, fully aware that it doesn’t look half as good as a native post and that the reach will be less – but it will link to Youtube and you’ll get your views there. You could post an image from the video natively and also post the link to the video. It looks visually more inviting and you still drive people in the right direction. You create a short ‘trailer’ and post that video natively and include the link to Youtube. You post natively to Facebook. By which I mean you post the WHOLE video natively to Facebook and, if you like, to Youtube. If your objective is views, wherever they come from, this can work well.

Here’s just one example of how posting natively can increase your reach – what do you think? How did you do it? I’d love to hear…

/0 Comments/by
, , , ,

Five reasons people don’t blog

Do you blog? There are lots of reasons why you should blog, but also plenty of reasons why people don’t. But I’m here to help and explain five reasons people don’t blog. Well, I’m here to explain how to get around these issues, to encourage you to start blogging. It’s a game changer. Honestly. I even made an infographic to prove the point!

So – five reasons people don’t blog… (there are more, but I decided to start with five!)

‘I don’t like writing’. OK, this might seem like a big deal as blogs are written pieces of work, but actually, it isn’t. You could utilise dictation software (here’s blog about Apple’s inbuilt dictation software and how to use it), and if that doesn’t float your boat, you can record you thoughts and use a transcription service.

‘I have nothing to blog about’. I’m going to stop you right there. Do you ever run out of things to say and talk about? If the answer is no, then you have plenty to blog about. A blog doesn’t have to be like a work of Shakespeare (which is lucky, because my blogs certainly aren’t!), it’s a way to document, to share, to engage, to educate. You might not think that the things you know, that you’re passionate about, are of interest to anyone but you. But they are. Honest. If you’re lacking inspiration, have a look at this blog – what should I blog about?

‘No one wants to hear what I have to say’. They do. Ever looked at a review online? Ever used Google? The people who wrote the copy for the reviews and the pages you view could have thought the same thing. It’s only their opinion, isn’t it? But you read it. I read it. It’s how we learn and research.

‘I don’t know what the point is’. This depends on why you’re blogging. If you’re blogging to document an experience, that’s the point. If you’re blogging for your business and to increase your profile, that’s the point. If you’re blogging to help improve your SEO and make your site more searchable, that’s the point. The reason you’re blogging could be completely different to you friend’s, but both are valid. Some people just love writing and that’s the point for them. Don’t overthink it.

‘I don’t have a following’. Who does when they start? Start sharing your blog on your social platforms and you’ll start to get readers and grow the following you want. No one started with a pre-made group of fans and followers, they built these up overtime. The key is to start!

Why don’t you blog? Or what’s your reason for blogging? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

Five reasons people don't blog

/0 Comments/by
, , , ,

Video content: How to make video work hard for you

This blog is all about how to make video content work hard for you. Because, let’s be honest, it needs to. Making a video takes time, and if you pay to have it edited, it costs your money too. And that’s what I’ve created a video and a blog post about how to make video content work hard for you.

The video is on Youtube, and if you click on the image, you can watch the video.

How to make video content work hard – eight steps

Actually, let’s use the video above as an example of how to make content work hard for you. So, the start of this is the video. I created the video on my iPhone (so, no extra cost to me), and I did pay my husband to edit it because, well, he does this as part of his job and I like to have my logo on it in the right places. That didn’t cost me a huge amount, but it’s still a cost. So, step one… the video is on Youtube. Great. The video will stay on here forever (well, until I take it down) and it’ll be getting views until that point. Great. People can find it by searching for it.

Step two, in this case, is this blog. This blog, with the video embedded in it, will sit on my blog, on my website. It’ll help my SEO (due to the blog around the video), it’ll provide useful content for people viewing my website, it’s a solid step two.

Step three, sharing. I’ll share the blog with the video on my social media. By which I mean my business Facebook page, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. I might also share it in some of the business groups I’m involved with on Facebook.

Step four, native posting. I’ll then post the video natively to Facebook. Not the same week as I post the blog, but I will. And I’ll subtitle it so it works when people view Facebook on silent and autoplay kicks in.

Step five, I’ll share the Youtube link straight onto all my social media platforms. This won’t be in the near future, but I’ll post the link to Youtube on its own, without the blog content, so people can view it and visit my Youtube channel.

Step six, I’ll share it with my newsletter subscribers, so they get to see the blog and the video. Well, so they know it’s there. I’ll share a link to the blog for those who fancy a read, and I’ll embed the video too.

Step seven, if someone asks me a question about how to make content work hard, I’ll use this blog and my video as a resource that I can send them.

Step eight, in a few months, I could well do this all over again, when people have long forgotten about the blog. Or I might share it again when there’s a relevant news story about it.

And believe me when I say that depending on the social networks you use and the business you have, there are plenty more ways to make your content work really hard for you. Maybe you can use your video at shows you attend? Burnt onto a DVD for prospective customers? As a part of a resource pack for retailers selling your product? To help add another level of customer service, to help reduce the amount of time you spent troubleshooting or giving customers phone tutorials? Honestly, we’re just scratching the surface here.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make your video content work hard for you, but you’e still not sure how to make it work in your situation, why not drop me a line?

 

/0 Comments/by