The Fix for Filler Content
We’ve all been there.
Your content well is running dry and you’re desperate for an idea for a blog post, podcast or social media messaging.
But you don’t want to post just anything – weak filler content is the fastest path to unfollows and unsubscribes.
How do you know if the content you’ve whipped up is good enough for your audience? We have the solution (well, more specifically Julia does).
We were inspired by Julia McDonald, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, who recently gave a presentation that included advice on this critical issue.
Julia says when her team is considering if a content topic is appropriate, they ask themselves these three key questions.
1. Is it timely? If your new idea is posting about the importance of donating winter coats when many families are taking summer vacations, then it’s probably best to put the idea on the shelf until a later time.
2. Is it topical? Is your content relevant to what is going on around you locally, nationally or internationally? If not, then it’s time to take a look around and figure out what is keeping locals glued to social media.
3. What is the key takeaway? You want your content to serve a purpose. After your followers listen to your podcast or read your newsletter, are there next steps they can take to get involved? Examples: fundraising links, volunteer opportunities, petitions.
Bonus tips! When you’re all out of ideas, here are some tried and true recommendations that Julia shared:
1. Anchor onto awareness campaigns: Julia’s community foundation has used National Drinking Water Awareness Week to amplify efforts on the ground against threats to their local drinking water. You can anchor your content around relevant awareness campaigns like health equity in certain demographics during Black History Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Native American Heritage Month; honor major donors who are women during Women’s History Month; or LGBTQ homeless youth funds during PRIDE Month.
2. Show your donors some love: Donor spotlights open a door for you to thank your donor for their gracious donations, but also can demonstrate a more diverse lens of who your donors are. Example: A Gen Z donor has a $10/month recurring donation set up for your community foundation — spotlighting this donor can help those in the same age demographic understand that donations don’t have to be large to make a difference.
3. Amplify what nonprofits are doing on the ground: Maybe you fund nonprofits or have nonprofit partners that are on the ground doing meaningful work in your community, it’s always a great time to spotlight what they’re doing and amplify their fundraising and awareness efforts.
