Content creation remains a challenge for small and medium enterprises. High-quality content is more important than ever to stand out and build a strong digital presence. However, it can be time-consuming and hard work. Scaling your content creation can give you a competitive edge, but it requires a strategic approach. Brands need to know how to balance efficiency, quality, and innovation.
This guide explores effective strategies to help SMEs elevate their content production processes. Maybe you want to know how to use technology to save your team valuable time. Or how to develop workflows to achieve sustainable growth cost-effectively. Whatever your goal, these tips will help you level up your content.
What is content scaling?
Scaling up your content production is a way of making your content creation process more efficient. The goal is to reach a wider audience while accomplishing your business objectives. It's also a way to establish your brand as an authority in your industry. This is critical for building trust and loyalty from your target audience.
Repurpose existing content into new formats
One of the most effective ways to scale up your content is repurposing published blogs or posts. This allows you to publish the information you want to share without requiring extra research. For example, you could turn an evergreen blog into a how-to video or a colourful guide. You could break down a podcast into a series of Instagram posts with the key facts you want to get across. Customer research carried out by your company could become an engaging infographic or a TikTok video with the main findings.
Repurposing saves you considerable time. You’ve already done most of the work in researching the initial content and facts. All you need to do is put it into a new format to share on different platforms.
Create content in batches
Batch-creating content means producing multiple pieces of content on a topic in one go. Marketers might create 10 social media posts, for example, or write 4 blogs in a single sitting.
The benefit of batch creation is that you’re already in the right frame of mind for producing content. You need to research the topic anyway, so it makes sense to use your knowledge while it’s fresh in your mind. Batching your content optimises your time so you produce as much content as you can while you’re in that flow. This way of working sets you up with a week or months’ worth of content so you can publish in seconds. One way to streamline this process even further is to use AI. AI can come up with different ideas for blogs on a set topic or create social media captions with ease.
Develop a content calendar
So many businesses overlook the value of creating a content calendar. But in neglecting this pivotal step, you could be making life harder for yourself. The goal is to keep your audience engaged and build authority for your brand. That’s not always a simple task. There are various steps along that journey. You need to decide what types of content you’re creating, assign creators, and edit before you publish. Without a calendar, how can you stay on track and remain consistent with your goals?
A content calendar helps you plan ahead and still maintain consistency—it also makes collaboration more effective. Every employee, regardless of the department they work in, knows what’s being produced and when. And you can be sure you won't miss significant dates for seasonal content opportunities, such as Black Friday, Earth Day, or Easter.
Work with guest writers
Scaling up doesn't need to mean expanding your team. For SMEs with limited budgets, this is sure to be a huge relief. One solution is to hire writers or content creators on a freelance basis. You can use their expertise and skill set to produce exceptional content without having them on the payroll.
Another way to publish more content without creating it yourself is to partner with influencers. It broadens your reach as a business and it ensures you have great content on all your platforms.
Leveraging AI and automation tools
We’ve touched on using AI for batch content creation. But there are so many more ways you can use AI in your content marketing to scale up your processes with ease. Advancements in tech have transformed how we create content today. AI, especially, has made it easier than ever.
Use AI to generate initial drafts or outlines for blogs and articles, for example. Or research faster or come up with engaging titles or social media captions. You could even identify trending topics with AI tools. Integrating these technologies and tools into your workflow can help you use your time effectively. What’s more, you can be confident you’re always creating relevant, high-quality content that your audience is looking for.
Tips for maintaining quality when scaling
Maintaining high standards is essential when it comes to content creation. So, SMEs need to establish clear content guidelines beforehand. This will define voice, tone, and key messaging principles for your brand. These guidelines ensure any content produced, both in-house and outsourced, keeps to the same standards.
Establish detailed review and editing processes to maintain consistency and accuracy in your work. This is particularly important when using AI or other digital tools. Quality checks could involve multi-stage review workflows, editing tools, and peer review systems. Continual learning through regular team training and performance reviews also encourages adaptability. Over time, it will refine their content creation skills.
Content scaling should also be data-driven. Be clear on your objectives and KPIs so you can track the right metrics. You also want to check the content you’re producing is aligned with the business. A few important metrics include engagement rates, conversion metrics, and audience growth. Advanced tools like Google Analytics provide detailed insights into how your content is performing. With this data, you can see what resonates with your audience. You don't want to waste time creating content your target customers aren't engaging with or interested in.
The path forward
Scaling content creation can be a complex task. But it's achievable for SMEs prepared to invest in the right strategies and tech-based solutions. The key lies in remaining adaptable, prioritising learning, and being willing to experiment. When it comes to content, success isn’t about quantity. Instead, focus on creating meaningful, high-quality content that resonates with your audience.
About the author
Freelance writer Dakota Murphey specializes in high-impact content creation for prominent brands like MPB. Her expertise in digital trends, marketing, PR, and photography enables businesses to enhance their online presence and reach their marketing objectives.
These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit.
If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.