Content Repurposing

A lot of content marketing plans start with original content creation, but it’s just more practical to inventory existing digital assets, content objects, and media first. Most companies are not that well organized with their content, and when viewed through a content marketing opportunist’s lens, it’s usually not hard to find many ways to repurpose existing content resources.

Reusing content provides efficiency benefits, but if there are performance metrics, the data can reveal insights to make repurposing even more effective.

Content Co-Creation

Another layer in your content plan that enables efficient and high-value content creation is to partner with others for creation. A co-creation example would be to reach out to clients, partners, employees, industry thought leaders, or even your brand’s social media community to participate in the creation of a new, remarkable content object.

Evergreen Content

The creation of original content that remains relevant over time is one of the toughest parts of online marketing. However, it’s essential for creating marketable assets that convey the key messages designed specifically to attract, engage, and convert new business. A layer of evergreen content can work in concert with your other content efforts on a less frequent basis. In fact, evergreen content can serve as a leader for a topic during a cycle of time with other types of content to support it.

Content Curation

Collecting interesting content on a regular basis and organizing it in a useful way can be a very efficient method for providing value with efficiency. Adding your own insight to curated content takes a little more time, but a lot less than creating new content or co-creation and repurposing projects.

Begin the process with a good idea. Infographics often answer questions, provide compelling data, or demystify a process. So brainstorm for topics that will intrigue your prospects and customers, because compelling infographics achieve tremendous reach when they're shared with colleagues and networks. Then..

Create a skeleton and flowchart. You have a topic—now create the visual map that outlines where your infographic is going and how it will get there. Think of this stage as your rough draft, something to refine and polish as you move toward a final draft.

Pick a color scheme. Understated elegance is wasted in most infographics. Choose an eye-friendly color scheme that pops off the screen. Think bold and bright.

Choose eye-catching graphics. Your audience wants the info, but they're naturally drawn to the graphic. So select visually appealing components that attract a reader's attention.

Research. An infographic might have playful tone, but its information must be solidly credible. Don't put a single piece of data into a chart, graph, or illustration unless it's supported by an authoritative source.

Provide facts and conclusions. But remember, people don't read infographics like they read whitepapers, so skip the complicated presentation of facts and figures. Instead, use simple charts and illustrations that enable readers to grasp your evidence and conclusions at a glance.

Edit, edit, edit. Your infographic tells a story, and like any story it benefits from a careful editing process. The end result should be a clear narrative that flows logically from beginning to end.

Read more: http://www.marketingprofs.com/short-articles/2677/seven-steps-for-creating-a-great-infographic#ixzz2BrU0HmVk