Instagram content strategy guide – how to determine what to post (video)

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The great 1960s essayist Joan Didion said, “I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.”

Stephen King is similarly quoted as saying, “I write to find out what I think.”

The thinking behind both of these is expressed really well in this video on Instagram content strategy – that it is through articulation that we come to know our thoughts and opinions, and that articulation is key to expertise. In writing we formulate our thoughts and in making them clearer to ourselves become more articulate in our thinking and our expression.

Enter Instagram – up there with one of the most prevalent platforms for self-expression, and that now applies not only to individuals but to brands too. So, how do we decide what to post on Instagram, or social media generally, and how?

Watch this in-depth whiteboard session by The Futur on Instagram content strategy to dive deep into this topic.

Digital tools and tips to ease your online workflow

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In the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown I was invited to host an online discussion for The Strategy Circle entitled “Digital tools and tips to ease your online workflow”. Coming from a broad digital background including online publishing, content marketing, web development and project management, this is a vast topic for me to approach – as diverse as business itself. It’s tough to hone in, in enough detail, in a way that covers everybody’s unique business needs in an hour discussion.

The way I see it, “online” or “digital” is no longer a tool you sometimes use or a division of your company – for many businesses it’s the future (if not present!) of your business operations. The COVID-19 lockdown period has catapulted many businesses from digital reluctants to a state of more tech savvy than they’ve ever been – and learning. And it’s a future that, now more than ever, we all have to embrace as a new reality.

As a follow-up I promised to share a list of some of my favourite online tools that for me really help to save time, streamline workflows, increase productivity, save money or really just put important business systems in place. I’ll do that here, so that I can share it easily with those who were – and weren’t – at the workshop session, and I’ll add to it over time as things change or new tools come up.

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Surviving COVID-19: here’s how businesses are innovating in a time of crisis

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Now is the time for businesses to act fast. We’re seeing local businesses adapt their strategies with smart marketing ideas and operational gear shifts — while some are starting new endeavours altogether. Here are some tools to ensure your business survives the time of crisis while you keep connected with your customers, clients and tribe-at-large during this global pandemic.

Photo by David Hofmann on Unsplash

The world is in a panic and it’s easy to see why: countries have closed their borders, cities are shutting down, the economy is at a borderline standstill and some of us haven’t left the house in more than a week and counting. This is particularly scary for businesses that require physical interaction and real-world services to bring in money: restaurants and the hospitality industry, exercise and educational classes, anyone in the events industry and entertainment, production-heavy businesses with large teams working in factories or workshops. The list is long and businesses are shutting down at the mere possibility of a month without revenue. In South Africa where so much is hand-to-mouth, that is the reality many businesses face.

On the other hand, we’re seeing businesses innovate in ways they never have before.

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What’s in a brand story?

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Why Story?

Storytelling has been a buzzword in the creative industries, in particular advertising and marketing, for some time now. What started as ancient conversations around a campfire turned into bedtime stories in bunk beds, the novel, the film. Soon advertising caught on. All the best TV ads of our generation told a good story. (Think of that VW ad set to the lyrics, “I remember the days of my life…”)

Now we talk about brand story, and for those not in the industry, this leap may be a bit mind-boggling. This is not just your company history or your CV, although that may come into it. It’s bigger than a list of facts or linear timeline. It’s more about the “who” and the “why” behind your business, the “what gets you out of bed in the morning”. Think about how those bedtime stories elicited emotion, inspired imagination, evoked understanding, trust, and sympathy. Now we are a bit closer to telling your brand story.

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One Day Workshop

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“High-quality web content that is useful, useable and enjoyable is one of the greatest competitive advantages you can create for yourself online” – Kristina Halvorson

At the heart of great content is an understanding of the importance of strategic differentiation and how to create that differentiation for your brand in a crowded online space.

Our very interactive, highly informative and insightful ONE DAY WORKSHOP, presented by co-founders Delia de Villiers and Sarah Jayne Fell, will equip you with the tools, techniques and tricks needed to elevate your brand’s content offering in a thoughtful, interesting and relevant way.

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If you do only one content marketing thing let it be this

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Yes, that is a clickbait title. But you don’t have to signup for anything or click on more or first figure out how to block the popups to find out what that thing is. And, sorry to say, you probably won’t be blown away by the answer… One of the most effective content marketing tools is a newsletter.

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The Elevator Pitch

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“What do you do?” or “what does your business do?” can be quite a daunting, if not laborious, question. Especially when it’s your own business and you don’t have a title per se, and the reality is that you do everything and that the exact nature of what you do is sometimes simply undefinable (even to yourself!). If you’re a business owner you’ll understand.

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Tongue-in-content’s-cheek

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When you’re obsessed with content, like we are here at One Day Company, and when you spend a great deal of the day looking at the content of various brands on different channels, as we do, you find all kinds of gems. Whenever I see something clever, amusing or stupid that is related to content, branding, storytelling, content marketing and the like, I take a screenshot and save it to a folder.

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