3 Best Practices to Help You Create Timely Video Content
Discover these three proven practices guaranteed to inspire an abundance of timely content that your audience will love.
Image via: Noble Bison Productions
Have you ever wondered about the best way to develop fresh and timely content, or even how to get ahead and have timely topics to share at the right time? Today, we got you covered. Once you learn these three practices, you'll see how easy (and fun) it can be to create timely video content. Since we're a video production company, videos are our thing. But these strategies are also excellent for applying to blogs, podcasts, static social posts, marketing emails, and any other content you produce.
What is timely content? Timely content refers to content that is relevant to something in the present, whether it's a season, holiday, event, etc. By marrying your industry and the present reference, you have a timely piece of content that is made for the now.
TIMELY VS. EVERGREEN
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
It's helpful to understand the difference between timely content and evergreen content. Evergreen content covers topics that are considered timeless and relevant to people all the time (like money or health) and aren't tied to any isolated time, event, or season. When you stack the two against each other, some think timely content is less valuable in terms of traffic. Since it's not "evergreen," it generally won't perform as well over time.
However, in my opinion, I find there is a good balance in putting out evergreen content most of the time and then weaving timely content throughout. Having a variety like this feels more authentic and helps connect with your audience in new, exciting ways.
Additionally, certain "timely content" comes around every year, such as seasonal or holiday posts, which you can leverage whenever that time rolls around again. Though I suggest publishing new content each year, you can still update and present those previous posts to your audiences, especially if you give it a nice update with further info. Also, remember that your audience has likely grown since last year, which means that content is new to them.
WHY DOES Creating TIMELY CONTENT MATTER?
1. CONNECTS WITH AUDIENCES
There are a couple of reasons timely content can be great for your company. As I mentioned previously, it strikes a chord with audiences. Our brains light up when we see information associated with what we celebrate, our passions, seasons, and any times connected to our emotions or feelings of nostalgia.
We especially see this with niche topics exclusively relevant to specific industries and target customers. The more hyper-focused a company is on particular values, the more relevant it is to its customers. For instance, April 22nd is Earth Day, which applies to the customers of companies that are eco-friendly, vegan, and other people with similar interests and convictions. In this way, your content has the opportunity to help you reach more ideal customers, too!
2. PUBLICITY & VIRAL CONTENT
The second way timely content can help your company is that it can often catch the media's attention. News, digital/print magazines, and broadcast media are all hyper-focused on sharing relevant, timely information and stories with their audiences. Creating this type of content or getting familiar with creating this type of content can help you get picked up by the media.
Additionally, timely content is often trending, so you have a chance to go viral by adding your voice to the pot. A viral video or another form of viral content can change your business overnight.
Now that you see the value of timely content, let’s get into the best practices to get you a ton of timely content ideas.
CALENDARS
TWITTER, WEBINARS, & PODCASTS
INDUSTRY-RELATED TIMELINESS
1. Calendars
Calendars are the most fool-proof way to create timely content that you’re able to plan out. Every month offers many opportunities to brainstorm relevant video content for your business, whether you’re playing off specific dates or topics that the month itself raises awareness for all month long.
For instance, April is Alcohol Awareness Month, Financial Literacy Month, Stress Awareness Month, plus more. Find ways to transform seasons, dates, and awareness topics into relevant video content for your audience.
*You can find plenty of calendars online that include this information.
Examples:
Financial Literacy Month - You're a business coach, so you create a video of 7 Must-Have Tools Every Entrepreneur Needs to Keep Their Finances In Order
Stress Awareness Month - You're an interior designer, so you create a piece of 5 Organizational Tips to Minimize Stress in Your Home Office
Last month, our production team celebrated Transgender Day of Visibility by listing our favorite films representing the trans experience.
You get the idea. In my opinion, it’s pretty satisfying if you enjoy brainstorming and making connections.
2. Twitter, Webinars, and Podcasts
Image via: Malte Helmhold
Twitter is commonly the go-to place to find day-to-day trending topics. Keep an eye on their trending section for topics and events that pertain to your industry, and then consider how you may add value to the conversation. Besides Twitter, follow what the leading professionals and people you look up to in your industry are saying across all social media channels. What fresh topics, new tools, updates, or other related information are they talking about?
In addition to social media, podcasts are a great source of information for most industries. Listen to the top podcasts that apply to your business and clients, plus take note of the podcasts that your favorite professionals appear on (you can usually find those on their website).
Furthermore, I’m constantly attending the latest (free) webinars and video series to learn about current information in my industry, upcoming events, etc. Not only are you further educating yourself, but you’ll uncover a goldmine of topics and ideas this way.
We’re all swamped, so it may seem podcasts and webinars are too time-consuming, but since I know the value they bring to our business, I always make an effort to put on an informative podcast in the background and carve out time for webinars weekly. If you keep up to date with relevant information about your industry with these practices, you are already far ahead of most competition.
3. Industry-Related Timeliness
Many businesses have distinct seasons, dates, and months relevant to their industry. For example, gyms are busier in the winter months and in January for New Year. Or how makeup and hairstylist are crazy busy for homecoming and wedding season.
You can create really fresh, engaging videos when you get even more niche into specific times of your industry. For instance, let’s say you’re a seafood joint. You could create content that plays off the Main Lobster Festival every August.
Consider the different seasons, events, awards, competitions, etc., that pertain to your business. Perhaps there are even certain regions that celebrate or raise awareness relevant to your business. Dig in and do some research – you’ll uncover many timely content ideas this way.
In Summary,
Timely content refers to when you do a spin-off of something in the present to create content that is relevant to your industry and audience. Though it may not bring traffic over time, timely content has its place by being a fantastic way to create something fresh for your audiences that they can deeply connect with. It can even be the perfect type of content to go viral or pitch to the media for more publicity.
The best practices to create timely video content are:
Calendars: Seasons, Dates, Monthly Awareness Topics
Twitter, Podcasts, & Webinars
Industry-Related Timeliness
Though we are individuals, much of what we celebrate, appreciate, and find interest in is communal, social, and cultural. Use these practices and see how your content begins to create a close community of like-minded people who trust you and your business.
Are your videos better than your competitors?
No? Let’s change that.
NOBLE BISON PRODUCTIONS
A DENVER VIDEO PRODUCTION COMPANY
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