Ways to Create Content on a Budget

We say it again and again: content is king. You have to create content to bring people in. And these days, content marketing can take you much farther these days than even paid advertisements.

Even in the early days of search marketing, unique and interesting content was what gave your website higher search rankings on Google and Yahoo! Now, it seems we’ve come full circle as original and dynamic content is what ensures you remain visible to your audience.

Do you have what it takes to create your own marketing content?

Of course, if you want to create content that’s interesting and original, takes time and it takes money. A good writer or videographer is definitely worth their fees, but many companies on a budget simply can’t hire one full timer just to create content for them. Still, many companies and small businesses manage to write interesting and more important, shareable content.

It is possible to create content on a budget – it just won’t be “free”, but it can certainly be affordable.

Here are four ways you can create content for your company or website, without breaking the bank:

1. Cut it down to the bare minimum.

Tightening belts has always been the best way to reduce costs. And you can apply this same idea to your content marketing.

The idea is to find ways to do more with less, so you can save some of your resources. Content creation sucks up a lot of your time and money. But if you can reduce it down to what is really essential, then you can still have some excellent content without spending too much.

You need to research, create, and optimize your content, but then, don’t forget that you also need to share it and promote it. Say that your business is home decors. Perhaps you’re spending too much time promoting your content on posting on forums or going to craft fairs. However, you can spend a fraction of your time just posting on Instagram and Pinterest (two of the largest visual-based social networks) and still get a return on your investment.

2. Improve Your Process

If you find yourself not having enough time or money to get things done, it might not be because you’re not making enough money or have enough time – you might simply be overspending your cash or not using your time wisely.

All you really need to do is find ways to work more efficiently and with fewer resources. Look at your current work habits – are you spending too much time on things that don’t net you the most ROI? Are the small things taking up too much of your resources? Are you spending money in things that make your money?

Try to get things done in batches – for example, if you can write two or three blog posts that have a similar idea, then do it. You can publish one post today and save the other for another day (which can be great when you become busy).

Another way you can save time and some money is with outsourcing. While outsourcing gets a bad reputation, for many it’s simply about getting things done in a more efficient manner.

Video content will get you lots of mileage in traffic and shares, but can be difficult to produce on your own.

Should you spend all your time learning how capture and edit s, plus buy all the equipment – or you pay someone who actually knows how to do it (and do it faster), while you focus on the things you do best? The answer is quite simple.

Repurpose Content

We’re not talking about straight up copying – but rather, changing the content you already have and turn it into something new.

For example, say you have a podcast, and you got some really good discussions with your co-host or a guest. You’ve just created some content and you didn’t even realize it! You can certainly repurpose this and turn it into a blog post, an info-graphic or even a Facebook post.

The idea is you’ve already done the work and you own the content – so why not stretch it out as much as you can and lessen your burden?

You can re-purpose almost any type of content into something else – try different things and see what works. Though in general, it’s easier to turn visual content into something visual too and written content is easier to convert to another form of written or audio content. However, if you have some facts or perhaps something that translates well, like a recipe or an interview, you can certainly move from one medium to another.

4.Share What You Know or What You Have

Something that’s really worked out in terms of content marketing is for businesses and entrepreneurs to share their knowledge.

People truly appreciate this transparency and personal insight. They see your company as something they can relate to when you write something like “What We Learned from Hiring Freelancers from India” rather then “Ten Tips for Hiring Indian Freelancers”

Don’t discount the knowledge you have – and earned – over the years as an expert in your field. Many people are quite reluctant to share things they’ve learned through their hard work, but that’s content that’s already in your head and perhaps something you do instinctively. Use this knowledge and you’ll be able to create some truly original content from scratch AND with little effort.

Create Content the Smart Way

These are just some of the things you can do to create fresh and original content for your website or blog, without having to spend a lot of money. If you’d like to know more about content marketing, drop us a line!

Also, we have a special offer fore readers of our blog who want to know more about how to make their business profitable. For a limited time, you can getaccess to the Nova Profit Mastermind program for just €1! Click on this link and sign up today!