When it comes to creating content, I find myself to kind of go in waves. At times, I schedule content out months in advance. And then, most times I find myself better writing off the cuff.
I get asked often how I come up with captions on social media and I’d love to share my general rules of content creation.
If you’re new around here and don’t know much about me, here’s a little background:
I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Marketing, have held internships that allowed me to work with Vogue, Elle, and notable brands such as Donald J Pliner & L’Oreal, have had my own blog years and years ago, and spend years as a retail buyer, manager, and marketing / creative director.
To say I’ve faced the challenges of content creation would be an utter understatement. Its taken me years to come up with my own method of creating and I’d love to share it with you! I typically plan my content out weeks in advance, by the way.
So, let’s follow these steps and you’ll quickly be on your way to crafting captions within a matter of minutes.
Step 1: Make a list of WHO you’re speaking to. What do they like? What do they need? What do they value? What types of images do they want to see and how do they like to be spoken to?
Step 2: Write 5 topics they need or want to hear and relate to.
For example: my topics would consist of:
- business tips
- branding advice
- business advice
- social media tips
- inspirational quotes / real life
Step 3: Take those 5 subjects and create 5 questions from each. For example:
Subject 1: Website Tips
Question 1: How do I transfer a domain?
Question 2: What are the best platforms?
Question 3: Are there quick DIY options for a website?
Question 4: What are the best SEO practices for my website?
Question 5: How do I start blogging?
Subject 2: Branding Advice
Question 1: How do I DIY my logo?
Question 2: Why do I need a brand guide?
Question 3: How do I use my logos?
Question 4: Which logo files do I need?
Question 5: What is the difference between JPEG + PNG?
You get the idea!
Step 4: You should now have 25 topics. Take each topic and then make 2-3 notes on the major pain points your followers experience in those areas and then elaborate into paragraphs to make a full caption or post.
For example, let’s use the question from Subject 1 titled “What are the best SEO practices for my website?” From this question, we could make 2-3 notes:
- Why you need to focus on SEO
- The difference between long tail & short tail keywords
- How SEO helps
Then, I would take those three 3 bullet points and form 2-3 sentences to form into a full caption.
This whole method is a great way to sort of train your mind to come up with content a little faster. You’ll begin to be able to break it down a little more effectively and much faster!
I’d love for you to comment and let me know which ways work best for you!
