How to Create Original Content that You and Your Audience Will Love
Creating content for your small business may feel like a full time job, and you might be frustrated by it at times. There are so many “experts” out there telling you to post 2 Reels a day, create 20 TikTok videos this week, Tweet every single hour, and it all feels so overwhelming to you as a business owner… and possibly won’t resonate with your audience.
Recently, I posted this Reel on Instagram with a funny stock video, and a message that correlated to the video. You might look at this and think - “hmmm, that doesn't make sense to post on a business account.”
When, in fact, it is a post that is currently performing so well over on Instagram. In February 2023, it was one of our most engaging posts, and outperformed a lot of other content.
So, why did it work so well??
First - I loved creating this content from one of our recent Canva template designs, so it felt super easy, and natural to create. It only took about 5 minutes to create this post from start to finish.
Second - Our audience resonated with the message because it addressed a pain point… posting content on Instagram as a small business owner.
Third - It was fun for me to create, it resonated with a pain point our ideal customer has, and while it didn’t directly promote our products, it indirectly drew attention to the problems I solve when people make a purchase from me.
It was truly a win-win scenario!!
So how exactly do you find the balance of promoting your business while creating content that feels good to you AND resonates with your audience??
Let’s talk about it and dive right in.
How to Create Content YOU Love as a Small Business Owner
I first need to give you a bit of tough love… if you don’t love what you’re creating on social media, your audience will be able to tell. Something will feel misaligned, the delivery of your message might feel off, and your audience will know you forced it.
While you should always have diversity in how you are posting on Instagram, make sure you are leaning into your strengths as a business owner.
Feel like you are better at writing? Create feed posts with lengthy captions.
Feel like you are better at video? Create a ton of Reels.
Feel like you are better at designing? Create long, engaging carousels.
There is no one-size fits all approach when it comes to creating content on Instagram. You have to find what you love, because it will make it so much easier to talk about your business!!
Oh, and if you want some help creating content for your small business, make sure to check out some of our best selling Canva templates for Instagram. These are designed to save you time, increase your engagement, and help you sell more on social media!
How to Create Content YOUR AUDIENCE Will Love
You have probably heard this a handful of times in your journey as an entrepreneur…
“Make sure you provide value to your audience on social media.”
And while that is great advice and it is true, it is confusing and doesn’t define what “value” means. Often, small business owners think this means constantly giving out tips and tricks 24/7 but that is not always the case.
You have to sit down and really think about your ideal audience member that could turn into a customer. You have to analyze who they are and what they like… and then you can figure out how to provide them value.
Here are some examples…
EXAMPLE ONE: Your Social Team
While I do provide a TON of value to my audience in the form of tips and tricks, I also provide value in showing how my products transform small business owners' social media presence. Throughout my content I show the transformation that I provide if you are a customer of mine. That in and of itself is VALUABLE to my audience, because they can see what has worked for others, and they can then apply it to their own business.
EXAMPLE TWO: Influencer who focuses on Amazon products
While you might think that influencer is always just pushing out her affiliate link to buy products on Amazon (which is true) she is providing a SERVICE to you through her content. She has done hours of research, spent her own money, and put together a list of her favorite Amazon leggings to work out in. Her content provided a ton of value to her audience by saving them time, money, and energy by not having to do all of that research.
EXAMPLE THREE: Hairstylist that focuses on curly hair
When she shows her process with a client, it’s not JUST to book in new clients, she is educating her audience through her content. She might show her consultation and talk through misconceptions about curly hair. She might show you how to style your hair and the products she uses. She might show a before and after picture to show you that your dream hair is possible to achieve. Again… all of these things provide VALUE to her audience.
So thinking back to your audience, how can you provide them VALUE through content that they will resonate with??
How to Create Content That Will Help Your Small Business
Now, when you put all of this together you can create content that entertains, educates, inspires, motivates, all while promoting your services, products, or offerings.
And while there are some strategic ways to approach content, the main thing you need to remember is… go out and create content that comes naturally to you, that addresses what a potential customer would want to see, and then you can align them to something you sell.
It can be as basic as a math equation… 2 + 2 = 4
Manu Muraro is the founder of Your Social Team, an Instagram strategy and templates business that helps ethical brands with a sense of humor grow their organic engagement and sales using Instagram.
Your Social Team also offers Your Template Club, a Canva template subscription to help social media managers and busy business owners get more results and save time.
Born and raised in Brazil, Manu moved to the U.S. in 2000, right out of college, to work for Cartoon Network, where she made an award-winning career in creative for 15 years.
Manu started Your Social Team in 2017 and has worked with brands like Teacheable, Brit+Co, James Beard Foundation, Open Table before shifting focus to women founded small businesses and social media professionals.