Get into action: Content marketing bucket list

Have you jumped into 2016 with a burst of fresh perspective and creative inspiration? Content marketing trends and predictions for the New Year are out, providing us all with some direction on what's hot and where we should be steering our efforts.

But if you're a small business or have limited resources, you may feel like you're constantly playing catch up with the big guys and appear a bit out of reach for where your content marketing initiatives currently sit.

With so much content saturation out there and technology growing at such a fast pace, it can be hard to keep up. No matter what stage your content marketing life cycle is at though, it doesn't hurt to set some goals to get motivated for the year ahead and align it with your marketing plan. And what better way than a bucket list to keep you on track!

So... where to start?

Think about what you're currently doing and how you might be able to build upon your existing content strategy (and if you don't have one then it should be on the top of your bucket list - Halloo can help you with this if you need a hand).

Consider including in your bucket list a mix of small achievable targets and then throw in some 'big ticket' items that might not be attainable straight away, but sets the direction for where you'd like to be.

Thought starters for compiling your content bucket list

• How mobile friendly is your content?
• ​Is your content relatable and engaging?
• How are you distributing your content? You may have great content but what good is it if it's not targeted to the right audience and channel?
• Are visuals and video storytelling high on your agenda? Trends suggest this area is going to skyrocket this year, so how can you complement this alongside your written content to make you stand out?
• How much content are you curating? If your resources are strapped you'll know how hard it is to regularly create content. There are heaps of great tools out there to aid you in content curation - just make sure you maintain the right balance of organic v curated content.
• Are you providing opportunities for your audience to become content creators for your brand in the form of user generated content (UGC)?
• Mix things up with both short and long form content. Long form content is regaining popularity and if used correctly can garner more engagement and advocacy for your brand. Twitter is even considering extending its 140-character limit to up to 10,000 characters - watch this space.

And if there's one piece of advice you should take on board, it's choose the platforms that work best for you. Don't spread yourself thin across everything if you don't have the resources to dedicate the time to do it properly.

Share you bucket list ideas with us!

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