The New Normal In Content

One thing MBB realized quickly as the COVID-19 outbreak was taking hold was the way we plan and publish content needed to evolve quickly. Monthly content calendars weren’t going to cut it. Turn-key insights and prompt weekly postings? That was a place to start. With talk of a new normal swirling around, it’s time for brands to realize their content is experiencing a new normal as well.

As an agency with a healthcare focus, we experienced this content evolution first. We’re hoping you can take a cue from our learnings as this continues to impact how and when you publish content.

Here are five key ways you can make your content matter.

1. Think locally.

While some systems we partner with are seeing surges in patients, others haven’t had a patient with COVID-19 admitted. This made a local approach more relevant than ever. Instead of pushing people to steer clear of the ER in some states, we were advising others on the threat of COVID-19 and what was to come.

2. Be adaptable.

Remember when we didn’t need masks? Then, we might need them? And now, there’s a good chance we do need them? Yep. Us, too. But, we’re not telling our clients to take that previous content down. We need to be transparent in these times and evolve as the scientists and experts advise us to.

3. Activate experts.

Specialists in hospitals and frontline workers want you to know what’s going on in your community. You’re up, IGTV. Platforms like this are giving them the ability to create real-time connections and share the things they are seeing inside the walls of their systems to help inform and educate you.

4. Remain true.

This isn’t a time to deviate from your content pillars. You established them as a way for your brand to live its mission and purpose. Stick to them. But ask yourself, how do they fit into today’s world? How can your pillars help position your brand to create content that is relevant and helpful?

5. Trust your team.

The difference between weekly and monthly content calendars is considerably great. Do you have the team in place to approve and publish content quickly? If something emerges, can you identify, create and post in under an hour? It takes trust across your content team to achieve this.

As an Executive Creative Director who got his start in in the content world when real-time posting was the norm not the exception, this challenge excites me. It takes the right monitoring mixed with a higher level of creativity to generate content that inspires and inserts your brand into the conversation. I’m sure at some point we’ll be getting approval on monthly calendars again, but for now, it’s the quick, nimble and creative content teams that will shine.