A common question that we come across when consulting a business on their legal content writing strategy is:
How can our business generate content cost-effectively right out of the gate?
We understand. You may have spent more than expected on design and development, have a set monthly budget or simply want to take a stab at it yourself.
A powerful way to help increase the effectiveness of your initial content creation is with starter content. There are many ways to generate starter content without breaking the bank.
Start by using existing content you may already have in your possession.
3 easy steps to help you generate starter content for your website
- Focus first on your website. Looks for areas that need improvement or lack that certain oomph. Approach your review twofold:
- Have you painted yourself, your business or any successes in the best light possible?
- Have you presented you and your business in a professional, yet personable manner?
- Do you have any existing content such as: images, news articles, awards or any type of information that clearly depict your level of client dedication or legal aptitude. Ask yourself: “Will it convince a potential client to reach out or remember you?” If not, create it.
- Compile and organize this existing content and make sure to be creative, the more to work with the better. Later you will need to figure out which content is permissible for your intended use, but for now just start searching and saving. Should you need to recreate your content for online use, that’s fine – as long as your content is original (the information does not have to be, but the content itself does).
Find starter content
Starter content can be information that already exists, such as press releases, accomplishments, staff biographies or anything that gives insight into your business and its professionals.
A capable content writer should recreate existing content into new content and give your business a fresh look. A content expert will take it a step further and lay groundwork based on legal content strategy principles.
Be seen as a legal professional, yet also personable and approachable. Do not hold back with your existing content search.
Worst case scenario, the content does not get used, at best it saves you time and money. More is less in this case. Just as with legal writing, the more the better, simply revise it to the optimal version or permissible use.
Create starter content
If you do not have any starter content, existing information on your business can be easily obtained to create starter content. In a nutshell, starter content is basically existing content that can be reviewed for anything beneficial to your content efforts. The intent is to recreate it and apply it to a suitable purpose.
Generate a questionnaire, knowledge transfer or intake form that asks the right questions. A Q&A form is helpful in capturing useful information from different people. It can even be done electronically.
Working with a content specialist? Request one be created and put it to good use. Be hands-on during the process and provide input.
Reach out to previous or existing clients (obviously those happy with your services), ask your employees or colleagues and even challenge yourself through self-assessment by putting pen to paper.
There are many ways to come up with existing content for your starter content.
Starter content as support
Starter content can also be used as supporting content. Supporting content improves the quality of main content pieces. It can be as simple as pictures of your business, employees, client-approved moments, or memories from an event, such as a dinner or holiday.
It is the act of taking existing content and supplementing other content pieces to better improve readability or conversions. Starter content can be used to create new content or as supporting content. Regardless, acquire starter content by finding it or creating it.
Tasked it out after all
Decided it’s too much? Understandable. Proper content creation is a painstaking process when done right.
No worries, the same rules still apply. Except now you have your first assignment! Provide your content guy or gal with as much existing information on your business as possible. It will help save time and money, as well as improve efforts – trust us we know.