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What is content atomisation and why does it work?

When it comes to a theme that you want to turn into content, you can’t just rely on one medium or channel. In reality, every post on Facebook has 1,500 just like it trying to compete for the same spot. 

But by breaking down that theme into smaller pieces and translating it into different mediums (like blogs, podcasts, videos, ebooks, etc.), you have a bigger chance of boosting your brand’s visibility.

Content atomisation and marketing is important for business success because it boosts your visibility and people’s awareness of your brand. You become more prominent on social media and users are more likely to engage with your content and check out your products and services. Effective content establishes trust, makes customers come back for more, and builds your brand’s authority because you answer more questions that users are searching for. 

In fact, 70% of businesses generated more leads through SEO content than companies that relied on a pay-per-click style of marketing.

But this is a lot easier said than done. Some business owners tend to get stuck with ideas and aren’t sure what kind of content they can churn out week by week. 60% of people have difficulty producing quality content consistently as it can be hard to think on your feet and create something meaningful.

Content atomisation ensures that you’re producing consistent, quality, and focused content every time.

What is content atomisation?

Having a big idea can make your brand stand out and generate leads. But there’s always the opportunity to “atomise” that idea, to break it down into more focused pieces of content. Sure, you can have a general thought about leadership you want to communicate, but what element of leadership do you want to talk about? How can you capitalise on the possibilities of creating more content with that one idea?

When it comes to content atomisation, you’re more precise and deliver more substantial concentrated pieces. Instead of just a vague podcast about leadership, you can talk about the traits of a good leader or the differences between a leader or a boss—these more targeted topics are what people look for rather than just big-picture ideas.

Content atomisation is different from repurposing content. Repurposing content transforms a single published piece for different mediums. Atomisation, on the other hand, is the creation of multiple pieces of content that come together while being distinct from each other. 

This method is effective because your content becomes more specific and more unique. People don’t just look up big ideas, they search for solutions to their problems and by atomising, you will provide those solutions. 

A user who wants to learn about using SEO keywords will not just search for “SEO keywords” but rather “how to use SEO keywords.” Atomising your content will help you create good-quality pieces that your audience will find relevant. 

5 steps to atomise your content

In order to best split up your content into different effective pieces, you need to implement these five steps.

1. Establish a content strategy

A content strategy is a layout you’ll follow in order to identify the types of content you’ll put together, the posting schedules, and the platforms where you’ll upload your pieces. By strategising and planning out what you’re going to create, you develop more cohesive content and pinpoint how themes relate to each other. It will ultimately be the guide to everything you make. 

To create a content strategy, start with the end in mind. Know what your goals are and work backwards from there. Then decide how you’re going to achieve those goals and what mediums will work best for the themes and topics you’re going to create content about. 

You also need to know what your competitors are doing, so assessing them and their strategies is also key. They may be marketing in a way that’s more effective so by dissecting their methods, you will have a better grasp of how to go about things.

Having a backlog of content will also help so that you stick to a schedule and not have to panic every week because you don’t have any ideas to write or make a video about. A schedule will keep you on track and remind you when things need to be done.

2. Write relevant blog posts

Not only is long-form content loved by Google, it’s also preferred by people because of how comprehensive it is and the answers it provides. By writing relevant content that’s long enough to rank high on search engines, you boost your authority and credibility, growing your business and achieving your established targets.

But it isn’t enough to write in the same tone over and over. You’ll end up sounding monotonous. Instead, employ different styles of copywriting services so that you produce a variety of content.

Some of these styles are:

  • Story-based content – The best way to capture an audience’s attention is through storytelling. By supplying your readers with a narrative they can follow, they’re more emotionally invested and the content sticks with them more than just numbers and figures.
  • Educational content – By giving answers to your users’ questions, you’re able to educate them on what they’re looking for. Businesses become more authoritative sources when they can consistently provide educational content.
  • Unique content – Instead of echoing what’s already being said, make sure your blog stands out from the rest. There can be thousands of articles on a specific topic, but by making yours different and of higher quality, it’s possible to be more prominent.
  • Branded content – If you want to make your brand more visible and more well-known, you tell the story of your brand, its mission and vision, and its values.

You become more visible and authoritative and users are more likely to engage with you and your content when you write relevant long-form blogs.

Creating an outline where you break down a topic even further in a single blog will help you create something long-form. Defining terms, providing tips, and including related topics will help you organise how you want to write your blog and how it will flow. This will help you create the long-form content you need to generate more leads. 

3. Produce powerful videos

Videos are becoming one of the most effective marketing tools in the business. In fact, social videos generate a staggering 1,200% more shares than text and images. Because videos are so easy to watch without having to go through the trouble of reading paragraphs, they’ve become one of the most preferred types of media that people of every demographic can consume.

So, creating powerful videos is key to achieving your marketing and business goals.

After you’ve created high-performing blogs and put them up on your website, you can move on to creating videos that will strengthen your content. These videos can complement the content already created or be totally different to create variety. They’re also great for SEO and keep users on your page longer.

Here are six ideas for creating great video content:

  1. Make your video unique
  2. Make sure it has a high production value
  3. Feature somebody with a strong screen presence
  4. Use good editing software and platforms
  5. Repurpose your videos across different channels
  6. Be consistent

4. Publish engaging podcasts

Once you’ve covered your bases with blogs and videos, you can expand to podcasting, a platform that’s got people hooked because of how easy they are to listen to any time, anywhere, no matter what you’re doing (especially because they’re mobile-friendly).

Podcasts can be about a variety of topics and can have a different number of episodes each. Because there are over 2,000,000 podcasts worldwide and thousands of listeners downloading them, they’re a great avenue for your marketing. Despite this huge number, the podcast sphere is still pretty low-competition so it’s a good place to explore further options.

Your business podcast can include industry veterans who share their opinions and expertise with your audience. By having them speak on your platform, they will further establish your authority because they’re recognised as subject matter experts and they chose to share what they know about your podcast. 

It also builds engagement with your audience because they can directly ask these guests questions and get the answers they need in real-time. Because of this, an audience is more likely to trust your brand and what you have to say. 

To create a good podcast, you need to consider the following:

  • Your ideal audience – Who are you trying to reach with your podcast? Establish that target market and you’ll be able to focus your content.
  • Format – Choose the style of podcasting you want to do, whether it’s narrative-based, something branded (but not too hard-sell as you still want your audience to stick around), or interview-style. Each one has its pros and cons, so find the one that goes with your brand best. Your podcast episodes will require a script and it’s important to stick with it (deviating a little is fine, but it’s there to keep things streamlined).
  • Recording with the right equipment – Some podcasts are made from a bedroom on a home computer and that’s totally fine. But you want to come off professional in terms of how you present yourself, even in a podcast. So the right or wrong equipment (from microphones to headphones) can make or break the quality of your recording whether it’s recorded at home or in a professional studio.
  • Post-production – The podcast doesn’t end when the microphones switch off. Designing cover art, editing, selecting (and editing) music also play important roles.

5. Post shareable infographics

Images are key to a good social media presence. Facebook posts with images are 2.3x more likely to receive engagement compared to posts without any. People pay more attention to images than just plain text. In terms of marketing, images and infographics are a great medium to rely on. 

Because infographics are easily digestible and easier to share, they will be key to your growth. 

Where text can go in-depth about topics, images can condense that information but still communicate it effectively through visuals that capture people’s attention. They can complement and contribute more to your previously atomised content. 

Consider the channel that you’re posting on: Is it more text-friendly like your website or is it on a social media platform like Instagram that prefers images? By figuring that out, you can also repurpose the content. LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media networks are also image-friendly and are great avenues for infographics. By creating engaging content that can work on plenty of channels, you will grow your business.

Content atomisation breaks down your bigger ideas into smaller, more focused topics that will help you showcase every solution your audience may need. With this method, you will grow your business because your content is cohesive in theme while still having a great variety in terms of subject matter and reaching wider audiences in different mediums.

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