A strong online presence starts with high-quality content that reflects your brand’s personality, values, and unique story. However, we understand that not every small business owner has the time or expertise to write every piece of content from scratch. That’s why our goal is to work with you to collect the right information and context to build your website or social media campaign.
This guide outlines best practices for providing us with the essential text, images, and background details we need to bring your vision to life.
1. Gather Your Story and Key Messages
Before diving into content creation, start by thinking about your business’s core identity:
- Your Story: What inspired you to start your business? Consider key milestones, challenges, and successes that define who you are.
- Your Mission & Values: What drives your business? List the values and mission statements that guide your decisions and help you connect with your customers.
- Unique Selling Points: What sets you apart from competitors? Identify the features, services, or products that make your business special.
💡 Tip: A short written summary or bullet points capturing these elements will give us a solid foundation to create engaging website copy or social media content.
2. Provide Context for Each Section
For websites and social media campaigns, content should be organized according to purpose and audience:
- Website Pages: Outline the key sections (e.g., Home, About Us, Services, Contact) and describe what you envision for each page.
- Home: What’s the main message? What action do you want visitors to take?
- About Us: Share personal stories, team introductions, and your journey.
- Services/Products: Detail the benefits, features, and why they matter to your customers.
- Contact: List all the necessary contact information and any call-to-action details.
- Social Media Campaigns: Indicate the campaign’s goal (brand awareness, lead generation, event promotion) and provide ideas for themes or topics that resonate with your audience.
- Content Ideas: Do you have any customer testimonials, success stories, or behind-the-scenes moments that you’d like to share?
- Visual Style: What type of imagery or tone reflects your brand (professional, friendly, creative)?
💡 Tip: Use a simple document or form to outline your goals and ideas. Even rough sketches or notes are valuable—they help us understand your vision.
3. Supply Relevant Images and Visual Assets
High-quality visuals make your content more engaging. If you have existing photos or graphics, share them with us. If not, here are some suggestions:
- Photos: Provide images that represent your business in action (e.g., your storefront, team at work, product displays, or community events). Authentic photos that capture your business environment are best.
- Logos & Branding: Share any logos, color schemes, or style guides you already use.
- Inspiration: If you like certain styles from other brands or have mood boards, include these references to help us understand your aesthetic preferences.
💡 Tip: Even if you’re not a professional photographer, smartphone photos can work well for capturing the essence of your business. We can enhance and integrate these images into the final design.
4. Be Open About Your Preferences and Inspirations
Your insights are crucial for creating content that truly represents your brand. Consider the following:
- Tone & Voice: Describe how you’d like your business to sound—are you formal, conversational, humorous, or inspirational? Let us know if there are examples of other brands that get it right.
- Do’s and Don’ts: If there are specific phrases, terminologies, or imagery you want to avoid, share those guidelines.
- Feedback and Ideas: Even if you’re not an expert writer or designer, your feedback on drafts and concepts is invaluable. A quick note about what you love (or don’t love) helps us fine-tune the content.
💡 Tip: A brief checklist or questionnaire can help organize your thoughts and ensure you cover all necessary points.
5. Collaboration is Key
Remember, content creation is a collaborative process. You don’t need to have everything perfectly written or designed from the start. Our role is to take your ideas, context, and raw materials, and transform them into polished, effective content.
- Initial Brainstorming: Share your thoughts in a meeting or through a shared document. Even bullet points or rough outlines are helpful.
- Iterative Process: We’ll draft content based on your input, and then we can refine it together. Your feedback is essential at every step.
- Regular Check-Ins: Stay engaged through scheduled updates or calls, so we’re always aligned on the direction of your content.
Final Thoughts
Providing the right content doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By focusing on your story, clearly outlining your goals, and sharing the visual and contextual details that matter to you, you empower us to create a website or social media campaign that truly represents your business. We’re here to guide you through the process—transforming your raw ideas into compelling, professionally crafted content that drives engagement and growth.
Let’s work together to bring your vision to life, making sure every piece of content not only informs but also inspires your audience. If you’re ready to get started or have any questions about providing content, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Elevate.