On this week’s Dear Katie episode, I’m covering a question that a lot of content creators have – even seasoned ones. So when I got it in my inbox, I knew I had to address it:
How do you batch-create content when what is “trending” changes so quickly? How do you keep your content fresh and relevant while also not being beholden to the ever-changing whims of social media?
Content batching is one of the content planning recommendations that I often make because, if you scroll through Instagram or TikTok, it’s easy to see that:
- Trends change so fast
- Impactful content is often not the result of trendy content
You might think trendy content is the key to going viral and ultimately growing your client base,, but when was the last time you purchased something from a professional service provider based on “trendy” content?
Personally, I can’t remember the last time I bought anything from a personal based on trendy content.
What I do, and it’s the same for my clients, is focus on batch creating content that is evergreen and never goes out of style. My clients might add in some trendy content here and there as they feel like jumping in on a trend, but that content is just that – it’s because they feel like it. It’s not content that they’re relying on to continue driving traffic and leads for a long time.
5 Types of Content You Can Batch-Create Today
What type of content can you make today and post whenever you wish without it going stale? Here are my five go-to options.
1. Outcome-Based Content
People want content that educates and teaches them something in a real-world scenario. I work with accountants (and those who serve accountants), but what my team finds is that people want to know how the content applies to them.
Rather than posting about tax tips, share where a client was before they started working with you and where they are now.
As part of this post, you can share some of the tax strategies that you implemented along the way to get this transformation.
2. Your Personal Insights and Journey
I’m a firm believer that you need to humanize your content. As an accountant, you know that there are tons of other people who can work with your clients.
Why would someone choose you over the competition?
Because you are YOU. You’re filled with unique insights and a journey that no one else has, and this is how you begin humanizing your content. You can share your successes, failures and processes for working with clients in your content.
Look at this great post from Yuri Kapilovich. FYI it’s long, but it’s worth the read.
Yuri did a lot of amazing things:
- He shares insights into what the team learned during the busy season
- He even shared his firm’s profit and loss statement as it relates to the busy season
While the busy season may be “timely,” it’s a post that you can share for weeks and leverage to make other content pieces.
Yuri is passionate about the accounting industry and his clients.
What can you learn from Yuri? Share what you’re passionate about and what you’re learning, and others will find the content interesting and engaging.
3. Mistakes, Missteps or Worries
What keeps your clients up at night? Sharing common client worries, mistakes and missteps is a great way to keep your followers engaged. And they’ll likely relate to these posts because they’ve been there – or are there now.
So, consider what your clients commonly need help with or are concerned about. The more specific you can be, the better.
Check out this post from Kelly Rohrs:
If I’m someone who received a letter from the IRS saying that I owed a bunch of money when I didn’t think I did, I would be SO relieved to see this post.
(Side note, this did happen to me before. I didn’t owe them anything; they wrongly sent me a letter, and even as a CPA, I was still worried.)
Content like this is so evergreen, and it’s easy to batch-create well in advance because clients will always have worries and issues.
4. Timely Advice with Insights and Perspectives
Timely advice can be both evergreen and trendy. It’s perfect for content batching, too. There’s just one problem – these types of posts can be boring and unengaging.
How many times have you seen the usual “New Year, new goals” posts or tax payment reminders? Were any of these posts particularly memorable? Probably not.
How can you change that?
If you want to share timely advice and reminders, add your insights and perspectives into the mix.
For example, instead of just posting a Q4 tax reminder, why not add some financial review tips to consider before making their Q4 estimated payment? Your insights can help ensure that readers don’t owe money when it comes time to file (or wind up with a big refund!).
5. Hot Takes
Your hot takes are hot takes for a reason. Don’t be afraid to share them. Sure, you may turn off some people, remember this:
You can attract anyone if you don’t repeal some.
Not sure what “hot takes” are? Here are some examples I’ve seen on social media (and no, these are not my hot takes):
- Becoming an S Corp is overrated
- Crypto is the future of small business finances
- Outsourcing payroll is a waste of money when modern tools make it easy to do it yourself
The great thing about this type of content is that it’s easy to batch-create in advance.
So, the next time you’re struggling to create trendy content, shift your focus to these five types of content. They’re evergreen and perfect for content batching.
And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.
__
Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question?
Until next time, cheers to your success!
Katie
Frequently Asked Questions
Content batching is the process of creating multiple pieces of content at once, allowing you to maintain a consistent posting schedule without the stress of last-minute creation. It’s important because it helps you save time, ensures your content is evergreen, and allows you to focus on quality over quantity.
To create outcome-based content, share real-world scenarios where your services made a significant impact. Highlight a client’s journey before and after working with you, including specific strategies you implemented to achieve their transformation.
Share your unique experiences, successes, and challenges in the accounting field. Discuss what you’ve learned from working with clients and how your journey sets you apart from competitors.
Identify the common concerns your clients face and create content that addresses these issues. Share relatable stories or examples that demonstrate your understanding of their worries, making your content more engaging.
You can share reminders about important deadlines, like tax payment dates, but enhance them with your insights. For instance, instead of just reminding clients about a deadline, offer financial review tips to help them prepare.
When sharing hot takes, be authentic and confident in your opinions. Present them in a way that invites discussion rather than confrontation, and remember that expressing strong views can attract like-minded clients while filtering out those who may not align with your values.
