Any good digital marketer knows that when it comes to content, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. From blogs and websites to social media, there’s no shortage of content for digital marketers to master. There are tons of different types of content, and it depends on your needs, goals, and the time you have to create it. It is essential to consider and strategize how long it takes to create each type of content and how to divide your time while still producing quality content. Teams with limited budgets and time on their hands should be aware of what’s involved and should be able to make informed planning decisions for the coming months based on what they can fit into their content calendars.
Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular types of content, what goes into creating them, and why it takes as long as it does to produce them.
Blog Posts
Producing a blog takes time and effort to plan, and writing one is not to be looked at as easy. While anyone can write an article and post it on the internet, it takes a lot of time, quality control, and strategic thinking to create something meaningful and impactful. Depending on the blog’s topic and length, it can take anywhere from one week to one month to fully complete a blog post. For example, a blog that is 500 words can take about a week to create, whereas a blog on the longer side (around 1000 words or more) can take closer to a month or two to write, edit, and post.
The reason it takes so long? There are many different phases in the writing process. At Zero Gravity Marketing (ZGM), our content writing process starts with a brainstorm of the topic. We also like to loop in our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) department to ensure the topic is one that is good for natural search purposes and to incorporate keywords – all part of the research phase. Then, we move onto the outline and content creation portion of the blog. Even after a blog has been “finished,” it then goes on to be edited by multiple people within the organization until it reaches its final version and goes off to the client.
Social Media
Social media is one of the newer ways to interact with customers on the internet. However, influencers and digital marketers alike have already turned social media into a successful marketing tool. The time that a social media post takes varies and is based on many factors. One of the things that can add to the time is the type of post that you want to create. A simple graphic can be made in 30 minutes and the copy can be crafted in about 15 minutes. Then, that post needs to be scheduled. It’s critical to use proper grammar, make sure you’ve tagged the right people and businesses, and to use a solid hashtag strategy (this can all add to the time). If you are getting creative and using a multiple image post, carousel, or video, the post can take even longer to create. The best way to approach creating content for social media is to plan in advance. While it is important to remain fluid in order to incorporate newsworthy material, it’s also important to create a framework that everyone agrees on based on seasonality, promotions, events, and holidays. This will help you stay organized and have content prepared ahead of time. While the act of posting itself does not take very long, the thought, energy, and strategy behind the posts are made up of multiple people, teams, and a significant amount of hours.
Businesses tend to opt to work with Social Media Marketing agencies simply because they recognize that doing social media well goes well beyond just crafting and scheduling posts. From the analysis, strategy, and implementation to the overseeing, commenting and engaging with your online community, the analytics, and the refining of the process, it’s best left to the experts to yield the best results. It’s not that someone (like your nephew) can’t do these things, it’s just that successful organic social media is complex and best left in the hands of an expert digital marketing agency that understands how to support the efforts and connect them to other internet marketing efforts for the best outcome.
eBooks & Whitepapers
Whitepapers and eBooks are a great way to engage with your audience in a more lengthy and interesting way. While blog posts and social media are great, they are fast and fleeting. eBooks and whitepapers can show that you know a lot of information about a particular subject and allow you to introduce a product or service, answer industry questions, or solve a problem – ultimately taking a lot of work to prepare.
An eBook can take anywhere from 10 hours to 100 hours to create, depending on the research required, the topic, and how long you want it to be. For a medium-length whitepaper, it can take 20 to 40 hours for the content portion and can go up to 100 if you choose something lengthier and more detailed. It’s also important to keep in mind that whitepapers and eBooks have a design element to them, and additional time will be needed to add creative elements as well. In addition to this, the eBook or whitepaper will need to go through several revision rounds and can take anywhere from a month or more from start to finish.
Are you looking to take advantage of all that Content Marketing has to offer? Contact our team today to discuss our services and how our team can help you get started.
