When we ask how to make good content as a brand, what we’re really asking is how to create content which engages our audience. The holy grail is content which leads to your followers buying your service or product. But figuring out how this content should look, feel and read isn’t easy – especially with a growing number of content formats across an expanding number of channels.

Of course, what works for your audience won’t work for every brand. Deciding on the perfect formula for your brand’s content creation guide will require a mix of planning and strategic trial-and-error. Strategic being the operative word here, as while you need to learn from trialing different types of content, you won’t be able to establish what worked and what didn’t if you haven’t chosen specific variables to test. So where is the best place to start?

Deciding on the perfect formula for your brand’s content creation guide will require a mix of planning and strategic trial and error.

How to make a content calendar

Planning ahead and being consistent are two of the easiest ways to put yourself on the road to growing an audience. At YesMore, using a content calendar is essential to help us keep on top of what and when we’re posting. We like to follow this formula at YesMore for a calendar which is easy to populate, edit between the team and share with clients for feedback.

Batch plan content ahead of time – try making all of your content or setting your creators a deadline two weeks ahead. Then plan it into your calendar so you have time to review what it will look and feel like and schedule it ahead of time, without any last minute stress.
Make it visual – have space in your calendar for previews of your images and copy, as well as space for notes, so that you can see the whole picture and edit each element easily.
Use a template – keep a template on file so you can recreate it every month and easily populate and share it with your team or client.

Planning ahead and being consistent are two of the easiest ways to put yourself on the road to growing an audience.

How to create good content for Instagram

Of course the word ‘good’ is subjective, so when we talk about good and great content we mean content which drives positive measurable results. Highly engaging content resonates with and builds an audience and leads to sales. Here’s some of the factors we consider in our branded content creation process.

Keep evolving – once you’ve established which content formats you’ll use (more on that in our tips section), try experimenting with a new post format or style each month to test its performance. Things can get stale and your audience can get bored if you don’t deliver new, fresh ideas.
Stick to your niche – when we deliver a content package we identify several themes or keywords which will resonate with the brand’s strategy. Try to do the same and stick to them to show your audience who you are.
Remember not to give the hard sell – there’s a difference between driving sales and only trying to sell. It’s a fine balance, but remember not to make every post about where to buy your product -and to avoid jargon.
Know your audience – picking your key themes will force you to think about your audience profile, but when you create content ensure it’s based on what you’ve learnt your audience loves – rather than showing off your product in a way you like best. Arty close-ups of your product may look great from a brand perspective but they may stick out in a bad way on your audience’s feed.
Don’t blame the algorithm! – Instagram is often updated with new formats and features. However, this doesn’t mean your content isn’t being seen. Your posts might not appear first, but your engagement is still a reflection of how well your content resonated with your audience. So learn from the data you collect rather than assuming it might be down to Instagram’s ever-changing interface.

When you create content ensure it's themed around you’ve learnt your audience loves - rather than showing off your product in a way you like best.

Content creation tips

When there’s so much content out there, it can be easy to get stuck for ideas on how to make good content. Keeping things fresh is instrumental when it comes to retaining your audience. Here’s some key considerations.

Consider the content formats for each channel – as well as picking key themes and keywords, work out the formats which are most successful for your brand, too. It doesn’t always work to replicate the same content across each channel, so choose the most relevant for your brand on each channel. Reels might be great for how-to videos if you need to explain the best way to use your product, while Stories are great for small snackable sound bites. You don’t need to perfect every format and sticking to a niche one or two will ensure that your audience knows why they’re coming to you over other brands.
Add value – consider why your audience is coming to social media and which of these needs your content is fulfilling. Is it teaching them something, entertaining them, inspiring them? Then the likes and shares will follow. You can read more on this in our blog about planning social media content.
Remember people don’t look at your feeds as a whole very often – social media editors and brands spend a lot of time looking at their page, but users will rarely visit it, so ensure each of your posts works as a stand-alone piece of content.
Keep on top of trends – watching what your competitors are posting, and joining in with conversations or crazes will help your brand to stay relevant. However, figuring out the search terms and hashtags appropriate to your niche is essential for ensuring your content is discoverable to new people.