It seems that everyone in the world is generating content for the internet these days. In fact, the total amount of content that we now produce in a single day is greater than the entire amount of content we produced in an entire year less than a decade ago.
With such huge volume of content being created online, how do you affordably create something that really matters – something that goes above and beyond what everybody else is doing? How can you maximize all of the content you write and deliver it on multiple channels, to the widest audience possible?
The truth is, however, that the process of creating content, even when you just don’t feel like you have anything new to say, is an easy one, and can be broken down into a few simple steps.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to generate quality content that will reach your readers in a quick, efficient manner while in a budget.
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Everybody is producing content for the internet these days, so it’s important to make yours stand out from the pack. / Image Courtesy of CreativeCommons.org
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1. Take Notes in Audio Form
Programs like Soundcloud make it easy for you to record an audio file of yourself speaking. All you need is a USB microphone (or a built-in microphone in your computer) and a fairly quiet room.
Using audio programs like Soundcloud, you can quickly brainstorm your ideas and narrow them down to a topic that you can really dig into and write about. Remember, not everything you dictate into Soundcloud needs to be a work of art – you’re going to have to write down, edit, and craft what you were dictating into a fully-formed piece.
If you’re running around all day, don’t forget to install the Soundcloud app for your smartphone.
2. Write Based on Your Outline
Once you’ve recorded your thoughts on a subject into Soundcloud, you can open a document and start to edit and hack away at what you said. Again, it may take a few passes as you will probably have to edit what you were saying in order to get a coherent piece of writing out of it.
Writing based on an audio outline is very effective for many people as the article will likely be structured in a reasonable way in audio form, even if you do have to clean it up a bit while you’re writing.
3. Create Custom Images
The words you write are important, but your content needs appealing visual images if you want it to be successful. Having unique, interesting visual content not only attracts views, but it if it’s unique enough, it becomes it’s own form of content.
To find images, use Creative Commons search or a filtered search in Google. You can also utilize Instagram and Vine to find these images. Sites that offer free images include Flickr, FreeDigitalPhotos.net, and Pixabay.
Once you find a picture you like, customize it using a site such as PicMonkey or another photo editor. After editing the images, make sure you upload them to a place you can store them. Flickr is a great place to store these images, especially since it is free. Don’t forget to rename them with keywords and tags.
4. Make a Mind Map
Mind maps aren’t always necessary, but for certain topics, they can be really beneficial for organizing information. Mind maps can also make complex information easier to understand for readers as they will be able to figure it out visually, rather than through your words.
There are a variety of mind mapping tools out there, but programs like MindMeister are popular and generally effective.
5. Create a PowerPoint Presentation
PowerPoint isn’t just for business presentations – it can also be used as a tool to combine sound files, articles, images and mind maps in one easy-to-use location. Once you have your PowerPoint presentation created, upload it to a site like SlideShare or Scribd, both of which have high traffic.
This powerpoint can cover the same topics that you discussed in your written piece; you’re simply repurposing old content in a new form, which makes it new and interesting, without being a drain on your time or resources.
6. Make a Video
Your last step is to create a video that you can share on sites like YouTube, Vimeo and DailyMotion. All you really need to do is record your screen and the materials that you’ve compiled up to this point with a simple tool like Camtasia or Screen-Cast-O-Matic.
Once you finish your video, you can add audio where you explain your content. Alternately, you can just put music over the top to make it interesting for viewers if no explanation is necessary.
 
Sites like Vimeo can boost your creativity and web traffic./ Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Using all of the steps above, you’ll be able to generate interesting content that should rise above the boring, run-of-the-mill stuff everybody else is making. The best part is that if you follow these steps, you’ll increase how many people see your content since they pretty much have marketing and sharing already built into them.
Author Bio:
Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer and online marketing professional from Los Angeles. She used her expertise in social networking and search marketing to found Gryffin Media, which works alongside HostPapa to help big corporations as well as mom-and-pop businesses generate interesting, unique content.
