quick & easy content creation workbook · • 10 principles of successful content promotion aka...

QUICK & EASY CONTENT CREATION WORKBOOKWORKBOOK FOR BUSY BUSINESS BLOGGERS(Includes 10 Content Templates + BONUS Productivity Tip)

© Linda Daley of Daley Progress 2017 // workbetternotharder.com

http://workbetternotharder.com

QUICK & EASY CONTENT CREATION // WORKBOOK FOR BUSY BUSINESS BLOGGERS


TABLE OF CONTENTS

QUICK & EASY CONTENT CREATION

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 3

HOW TO USE CONTENT TEMPLATES ...................................................................................... 4

#1. THE LAWS ............................................................................................................................ 5

THE LAWS TEMPLATE ................................................................................................................ 6

#2. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ........................................................................................... 7

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TEMPLATE ................................................................................ 8

#3. FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ............................................................................................... 9

FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW TEMPLATE .................................................................................... 10

#4. MUST-HAVE ......................................................................................................................... 11

MUST-HAVE TEMPLATE ............................................................................................................. 12

#5. WRONG WAY, RIGHT WAY .............................................................................................. 13

WRONG WAY, RIGHT WAY TEMPLATE .................................................................................... 14

#6. THE NEWS JACK .................................................................................................................. 15

THE NEWS JACK TEMPLATE ...................................................................................................... 16

#7. WHAT I LEARNED ............................................................................................................... 17

WHAT I LEARNED TEMPLATE ................................................................................................... 18

#8. HOW TO START .................................................................................................................. 19

HOW TO START TEMPLATE ...................................................................................................... 20

#9. THE CHECKLIST .................................................................................................................. 21

THE CHECKLIST TEMPLATE ....................................................................................................... 22

#10. SUCCESS STORY ............................................................................................................... 23

SUCCESS STORY TEMPLATE ..................................................................................................... 24

BONUS PRODUCTIVITY TIP .................................................................................................... 25

GO ON A WRITING BINGE! ..................................................................................................... 26




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Every part of your business needs some type of content, and you need to develop content consistently to reap the benefits.

Using content templates can simplify your writing time by providing structure - sort of like filling in blanks. That means you can be done and onto your next task in no time.

Don’t waste time staring at a blank screen. Pick one of these templates and plug in your ideas to create fresh original content in no time. This technique allows you to compose your articles quickly. It also gets you writing different types of articles to improve your skill.

Bonus!

You can also use these templates to re-purpose the content you’ve already written. You’ll find tips for doing that later in this workbook.

Linda Daleyworkbetternotharder.com

INTRODUCTION

SAVING TIME WITH TEMPLATES




GET STARTED FAST

Don’t waste too much time choosing a template!

1. Pick a topic.

2. Pick a template.

3. Open a Word doc and follow the steps to create your draft article.

POLISH FOR PUBLICATION

Once you have your draft, let it sit for a day or two then come back to it with fresh eyes. Spend twice as much time editing as you did writing. Don’t forget proofing (try reading out loud) and spell-checking.

COMBINE TEMPLATES

Use two or more templates to create lengthier articles and white papers. For example, you might start with The Laws template to give an overview and then use the Need to Know template for each one.

FAST, SIMPLE AND... ORIGINAL!

HOW TO USE CONTENT TEMPLATES

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TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO DO SOMETHING THE RIGHT WAY

Pick a topic and give your reader the rules or the laws – the basics of doing something correctly.

For each rule, explain why it’s important or give other details. Your article doesn’t have to be serious.

This is a good template to use when you want to be funny.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• eMail Marketing for Small Business - The Basics

• 5 Laws of eMail Marketing for Small Business

• 10 Principles of Successful Content Promotion

AKA THE RULES, THE BASICS, THE PRINCIPLES, THE GUIDELINES

#1. THE LAWS

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Introduction

Law #1Why is it important?





Wrap-up and call-to-actionConclusion & call to action related to your business.

TEMPLATE

THE LAWS

Open a Word doc and start typing the information following this format. Use this page to collect your ideas.

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HELP PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS

This is an article for people considering trying or buying something new. The template could also be called, “Is It for You?”

Give people a checklist to help them quickly evaluate and make their decision. Include information like what to expect, prices, where or how to buy, and so on.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• What You Need to Know about Antispam Laws

• eMail Marketing - Is it for Your Small Business?

• What You Need to Know Before Starting Your First Blog

CREATE A CHECKLIST TO SHORTCUT MAKING A DECISION

#2. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

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Introduction

Question #1Answer and explanation






TEMPLATE

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW


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GIVE PEOPLE USEFUL INFORMATION

Present interesting, little-known facts about a topic. Make it useful by connecting each fact with a piece of advice, an action step, or a link to more information.

This type of article will get shared a lot if you make sharing easy.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• 5 Facts You Didn’t Know about Anti-spam Regulations

• 4 Things You Don’t Know about eMail Marketing Software Applications

• 3 Little-Known Facts about Facebook Advertising

INTERESTING AND USEFUL INFORMATION NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE

#3. FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW

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Introduction

Fact #1State the fact, the implications, and related sources






TEMPLATE

FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW


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TELL PEOPLE ABOUT THE ESSENTIALS

Number the items in your list for quick scanning, comprehension and memory. Use a number in your title to ensure it gets attention.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• 10 Must Have Templates for Writing Compelling Content

• 5 Skills You Must Have to Build a Website

• Get Current: 3 Must Read Business Books from 2017

WHAT’S REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ACTIVITY

#4. MUST-HAVE

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Introduction

Must-have item #1Why it’s needed, Where to get it






TEMPLATE

MUST-HAVE


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SAVE PEOPLE FROM HAVING TO LEARN SOMETHING THE HARD WAY

Most people are open to learning from others’ mistakes.

1. Tell people the wrong way of doing something.

2. Identify why it’s wrong.

3. Explain the right way.

Another option is to reverse those steps. Change this one to “Worst Way, Best Way” to write a funny article.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• The Right Way to Build Your First Mailing List

• The Wrong Way to Proof a Newsletter

• The Best Way to Get People to Read Your Blog

EXPLAIN HOW TO AVOID PROBLEMS

#5. WRONG WAY, RIGHT WAY

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Introduction

Wrong Way #1Why it’s wrong & The right way




TEMPLATE

WRONG WAY, RIGHT WAY


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GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT FAST IS CRITICAL!

Help people stay up-to-date with news that affects them, such as breaking industry news or new regulations. There are two times to use this template.

1. Set up Google alerts. When breaking news comes your way, pull out this template.

2. Check trends online and write now. View Google searches and Twitter trends to find a relevant news story.

Keep it short - the words, sentences and paragraphs. Give it the tone of a news story.

Be accurate. Check other sources so you know what you are reporting is true, not a hoax.

Timeliness is more important than style and formality. Throw your schedule out the window. Your news-jacked article needs to get out right away to be valuable.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• New Anti-spam Regulations Confusing to Small Business Owners

• Open Rates are Trending Upward - Is it Really Good News?

HELP PEOPLE STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH NEWS THAT AFFECTS THEM

#6. THE NEWS JACK

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Your advice or opinion Let your expertise shine through.

The newsBrief and straight forward summary.

The sourceWhere you heard about it, other places you checked.

What it meansA longer explanation of the news story.

The impact on your readersWhat will or might happen and the implications.


Reminder: Link your sources within the article.

TEMPLATE

THE NEWS JACK


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When you start with the purpose of learning something new, there are two types of relevant information you can share.

1. What you learned - in summary or with detail

2. How you learned - the best way to learn, what worked and didn’t, what tools were best, who taught you, and so on

Your learning experience will be unique and useful, even if what you learned isn’t. You can get at least one article out of a learning experience, even if it’s a what-not-to-do.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• 10 Useful Things I Learned at ABC Conference

• Why Learning How to Code May Not be for You

HELP PEOPLE LEARN SOMETHING NEW... AND THE BEST WAY TO LEARN IT

#7. WHAT I LEARNED

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IntroductionWhat led you to want to learn something new?

One thing I learnedBrief and straight forward summary.

Why it was good or bad to learn it Goals met or not?

Practical applicationHow you will use the learning; your advice.

Your learning experience and how others can do better

Conclusion

Repeat for each point. Wrap up & Call-to-action

TEMPLATE

WHAT I LEARNED


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Ultimately useful, this type of article will attract readers that could eventually become customers. Search engines also like this type of article because it will contain the common keywords people search when initially researching a subject.

Your article might be a high level overview, drill down to details, or fall somewhere in between. When ‘quick & easy’ is important, it can be short, like a numbered list. When you have more time, write a lengthy piece with several sections.

Whenever it makes sense, link back to past articles with more details. Consider adding a visual, such as a simple process flowchart.

Later re-purpose this article into an infographic showing the steps or key points.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• How to Start Your Own Newsletter

• Best eMail Marketing Applications for Beginners

• A Beginner’s Guide to Blogging for Small Business Owners

CREATE AN AWESOME RESOURCE FOR BEGINNERS ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC

#8. HOW TO START

19




IntroductionWhy the audience wants to start something new.

Why it’s important to start right

First stepInclude resources they can use to find out more.

Second stepInclude resources they can use to find out more.

More stepsInclude resources they can use to find out more.

What to do next


TEMPLATE

HOW TO START


20




SHOW OFF YOUR EXPERTISE

Because it is so useful, people will bookmark this article and return. Part of its usefulness is its simplicity: no long paragraphs, no complex sentences.

The secret to this article’s success is its completeness. If a key item is missing, it won’t have credibility, and neither will you.

Your list might be actions or items, numbered or not. The benefits to the reader are twofold.

1. Completeness: They are assured they won’t miss something critical.

2. Speed: They save time by having the list to refer to, allowing them to complete the task faster.

TIPS:

Make sure your article is print-friendly or have a downloadable pdf. Use boxes or circles for bullet points.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• Small Business Branding Audit Checklist

• The Ultimate Packing List for Camping in Canada

• The Cat Sitter Checklist

GIVE PEOPLE A USEFUL TOOL TO COMPLETE A TASK MORE EFFCIENTLY

#9. THE CHECKLIST

21




IntroductionBe brief but include prerequisites or assumptions.For example, a checklist for designing a brochure may

assume you already know how to use Photoshop.

The ListDon’t worry about complete sentences unless they’re

needed for explanation. Brainstorm your list and then

reorganize it if a certain order or grouping makes sense.

For example, a camping checklist might have all the

cooking utensils grouped together. Encourage deeper

reading by including links to articles you’ve already

written about any of the list items. (If you don’t have an

article covering each point on your checklist, consider

writing those articles first.) As a final step, research

similar lists online to make sure you haven’t missed

something important.


TEMPLATE

THE CHECKLIST


22




PEOPLE LIKE TO READ AND SHARE

It’s a bonus that success stories come in many different forms: testimonials, case studies, photos of happy customers or completed work, statistics, even video. Don’t stop at collecting testimonials. There are many more ways to tell your story.

In text form, there are some pieces you’ll want to make sure to include, like the circumstances and the results.

Your success story might even be in the words of your customer. Prepare a few questions to send in advance, then interview them or ask them to send you their responses.

TITLE EXAMPLES

• A Small Business Success Story: Launching an eNewsletter

• Make a Personal Connection - A Success Story

THERE’S POSITIVE EMOTION AROUND A GOOD STORY

#10. SUCCESS STORY

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Introduce the situation Introduce the situation.

Your fixShort description of your solution. Mention different options only if they’re relevant to the story.

How the fix was implementedBullet list, flowchart, project plan, etc.

The resultsUse numbers and charts; be specific.

TestimonialUse this testimonial to make a point that hasn’t already been said elsewhere in the article.


TEMPLATE

THE SUCCESS STORY


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REUSE YOUR CONTENT WITH THIS SUPER FAST METHOD

Re-purposing content is strategic, not just time saving. No one will read everything you write. If what you write is important, you need to present it more than once and in different ways.

Use these templates to re-purpose old content, presenting it differently.

HERE’S HOW:

1. Pick one of your past articles.

2. Select a template.

3. Plug the information from your article into your selected template.

Were there details left out of your original article? Now is a good time to add them.

Don’t forget to include a link to the original article, if it makes sense.

RECYCLE YOUR CONTENT USING TEMPLATES

BONUS: PRODUCTIVITY HACK

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Now are you motivated to write? Keep your momentum. Challenge yourself to write one article using each of the templates in this workbook.

You can find many more suggestions and tips to get the most out of each piece of content you create on our blog.

CHALLENGE

GO ON A WRITING BINGE

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quick & easy content creation workbook · • 10 principles of successful content promotion aka...

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