Every minute, about five hours of content makes its way to YouTube.
And within the next few years, the Internet is expected to expand considerably from a usage standpoint. In light of this reality, plenty of entrepreneurs have become full-blown content creators. Their roles vary. Some create content specifically for social media websites.
Others produce videos for search engines, private companies, or TikTok. Others churn out articles and how-tos. Day after day, the content gets pushed onto the Internet. Some content gets consumed immediately. Some content has to wait for its consumption. Regardless, all content needs to be catalogued and managed.
This is where a problem raises its head: Far too many content creators focus their efforts on production alone. That is, they make content but they don’t oversee it. To them, the content becomes a rearview mirror entity, a forgotten creation residing in a tiny corner of the web.
To be sure, this reaction isn’t difficult to understand. Content creators aren’t necessarily project managers. Many may have fallen eagerly into their professions without considering what to do with their finished products. However, it’s vital for them to start establishing some best practices when it comes to current—and future—content use and monitoring.
Best Practices for Content Creators
1. Treat content like a commodity.
Content may be digital, such as a blog post, photograph, or video, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be treated as if it’s tangible. Content creators should start keeping a catalogue of all the content they produce. This offers up a sort of “inventory” of all the content they’ve made along the way.
By keeping tabs on their content, entrepreneurs can keep track of how far they’ve gone. They can also refer back to prior content they might have forgotten about. Older content can be highly valuable, particularly if the subject area becomes popular. Many content creators repurpose older content. However, they need to know they have it (and where to find it) first.
2. Take digital ownership of content.
Who owns the digital rights to a piece of content, such as a YouTube video? The obvious answer is the content creator who uploaded the video initially. But without the proper digital rights management software, the creator’s work may be misused by others.
For instance, digital management solutions provider Aux Mode helps content creators automatically keep track of video content across several platforms. Consequently, the content creators can control use—and abuse—of their proprietary information. Being able to automatically receive reports on copyright infringement protects content creators. At the same time, it allows them to gauge what’s trending so they can monetize hot content.
3. Give credit where credit’s due.
A huge problem among some content creators is a lack of attribution, including attribution of ideas. And this includes ideas from others’ sites. (Many content creators with their own sites feature a copyright notice front and center as a warning.) It’s essential for content creators to give nods to publications and other entrepreneurs. Even a thank-you blurb at the end of an article can suffice.
Of course, backlinks or a works’ cited section can be used as well. Without proper attribution, content creators may end up getting themselves in hot water. If nothing else, the original author of a concept or research study may have legal means to come down on “stolen” content.
4. Be aware that content lives forever.
Even a private or pay-gated website isn’t really private. Anyone can take a screenshot of an image or other content. Plus, there’s always the Wayback Machine archive for finding deleted tweets, videos, articles, and more.
Currently, many people have been skewered in the media by content they uploaded five, 10, or many more years ago. Knowing this, content creators and managers should consider the weight of what they produce. Any content that leans toward controversial material may be appropriate in the here and now—but not appropriate down the road. This doesn’t mean shying away from being bold or different, but they need to be conscientious.
5. Pick a medium to master.
There’s a reason that most content creators tend to feel more comfortable with specific platforms. For example, one person may own the Instagram market. Another may be able to produce sticky, buzzworthy videos. Someone else may push out LinkedIn pieces that generate tons of commentary.
Most content creators have at least one niche that serves as a comfort zone. Those that don’t may have trouble getting traction in the business, let alone making trendy content. It’s much easier for a content producer to drill down in at least one medium as an anchor. Then, the anchor can be used as a tether to explore other adjacent content areas.
The world will always need a ready supply of fresh content. For content creators and entrepreneurs, that’s a huge opportunity as long as they put protective, smart measures in place.
The post Use But Don’t Abuse: 5 Tips for Content Creators appeared first on Marketing Insider Group.
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