Simple content writing strategy for startups.
During the Covid-19 times, lots of on-demand services startups have approached me for my content writing services.
They understand that only through-high quality, informative content, they can increase their visibility in this crowded space.
Understandably, most of the startups don’t have the budget for getting lots of content written and published.
As a result, either they end up choosing inferior content, doing more harm than good, or they abandon their project (as was my experience recently with one of the startups).
When it comes to startups, I try to be as accommodating as possible, but I must confess that during the times of the pandemic, I need to maximize my time on moneymaking projects.
Previously I could squeeze some time for less paying assignments but right now, it is becoming increasingly difficult.
Of course, there are some startups that are backed by big businesses and consequently, they have enough financial resources for high quality content writing but most of the startups are hard pressed.
This becomes a vicious cycle. How do you break the cycle?
Typical problems faced by startups and how they can be solved it quality content writing
Some problems faced by startups include
Fierce competition
Startups are big into hot markets.
As I mentioned above, due to Covid-19, there is lots of demand for home delivery apps.
Since there is lots of demand in this sector, everyone who can build an app or who has some idea of how to deliver optimally, is considering a startup, or in the process of starting up.
This gives rise to lots of competition.
For innovation, competition is good.
Competition is also good for customers because they have a greater choice.
But, it creates lots of problems for new entrepreneurs.
Big ideas are slaughtered at the altar of relentless competition.
How can content writing help you withstand competition?
Develop a unique voice.
Write in a manner (or get written in a manner) so that you stand out.
Write content about topics that are relevant to your startup idea but not many people are writing about them.
Offer a different perspective on a highly debated topic.
Take a stand.
I know, for a business, especially for a startup, taking a stand can be a risky proposition, but it can also pay you dividends if it works in your favor.
Communicate to your core audience daily through your blog and social media.
As I recently wrote, don’t worry about how long your blog posts should be.
It hardly matters.
Focus on something meaningful.
Center all your postings around an idea.
Believe me, there are so few people or businesses posting regularly, that even if you do this one single thing, you can differentiate yourself from your competitors.
A race against time
Time to market is very critical for every startup.
Although, how fast your programmers and developers can build a mobile app or a software application depends on your team, you can maintain a buzz, as advised above, by publishing regularly.
Don’t wait till your app is ready to download.
Perhaps, that will be too late.
Remember that it is not a mobile app or a cloud-based service you are excited about.
You are excited about the idea.
When you are excited about the idea, you can start sharing your idea without having to wait for the product.
One of your team members can closely coordinate with a content writer to publish daily.
I have learned one thing over the years.
As a content writer I need to charge less for writing and more for ideation.
Lots of time is spent on research and coming up with material to write about.
But, if someone from within your startup can prepare an outline in such a manner that this outline can be quickly turned into a quick blog post, it doesn’t take much time.
Saves you money. Saves you time.
Cash crunch
Frankly, every business, every organization has a “cash crunch” when it comes to paying for content writing.
Anyway, some cash crunch situations are real, especially when a couple of innovators are trying to launch a new startup on their own and they haven’t gotten any funding.
How do you deal with your cash crunch and still write and publish high-quality content?
The biggest problem entrepreneurs face is that they are too much concerned with writing and publishing something outstanding.
A few years ago, I worked with a startup entrepreneur and he was always so hellbent upon writing something “outstanding” that most of the time you are not writing anything.
This is called policy paralysis.
Of course, you must be outstanding in your approach but at the most basic level, people want their questions answered.
This is the easiest thing to achieve when you want to start writing content for your blog.
Since you know a lot about your startup idea you can answer pretty much every question about it.
Make a list of about 20 questions.
Every alternative day, write and publish a small answer to individual question.
This will give you lots of topics to cover.
As you write or as you get your content written from a content writer, new ideas begin to emerge on their own.
I have been writing for my blog for more than 15 years now and I still face this problem of coming up with ideas.
But the problem only surfaces when I have written for my blog for a few months (yes, undesirable, but happens) and when I restart, I can’t think of anything to write on.
Though, when I am in the midst of a few blog posts, the idea generating process is on autopilot.
If you want to use content marketing to promote your startup idea, writing high quality content is inescapable, indispensable.
It is like wanting to have a website without registering a domain name.
The good thing is, with little bit of innovation, cooperation and creativity, you can regularly publish high-quality content for your startup.