If you spend any time on social media you’ve definitely heard coaches, mentors, thought leaders, and experts repeatedly telling you to “add value, value, value” in order to gain new clients and scale your business.

And that’s not rocket science, right? I mean we all know we need to add value to our audiences at this point but sometimes we can get stuck in the weeds and overwhelm ourselves with what that means.

We get so focused on trying to stand out that we try too hard to over-deliver and end up exhausted, burnt out and without the growth and success we were looking for. 

So let’s simplify this, shall we? 

There are 4 main ways to add value to your audience and once you know them you can narrow things down, come up with better ideas and create more focus for QUALITY content – cause believe it or not – quality is always better than quantity. 

Let’s dive in.

Value Content Type #1

Your audience wants to be educated and this goes across every possible genre and business. Whether you are operating a Fortune 500 company or a micro-influencer you have something you can educate people on and it’s highly valuable to others – even if you think no one really cares. Trust me, they do.

You could answer a FAQ, give a quick tip or advice, film a tutorial or post a testimonial or review. 

Examples:

• If you’re a fashion influencer you could post tips on how to always look put together using a 3 step formula.

• If you’re a business coach you could educate on how to create a lead gen that actually converts.

• If you’re in business operations you could talk about how to build out the perfect SOP.

You have something brilliant that your audience wants and if you can break it down into simple, tangible, and easy-to-read steps – you’ll be serving them super valuable content.

Value Content Type #2

It’s no secret people want to be entertained. The popularity of streaming services and the rise of Tik Tok and Reels should tell you just how much people are longing for an escape from real life. 

I find a lot of business owners get hung up on the entertainment factor because we aren’t usually in the entertainment business and melting business with entertainment can feel really awkward and hard.

And here’s what I have to say about that. I don’t actually think you HAVE to entertain your audience if you’re in a business where entertainment doesn’t necessarily fit. I think when we force it – it comes off awkward and weird and doesn’t exactly hit the desired goal. 

If mixing entertainment and education comes naturally to you and you can pump out entertaining content easily – then totally go for it – but if you’re in an industry that isn’t focused on “entertainment” then don’t pressure yourself too hard on this one.

However, when done correctly, entertainment is highly successful and it’s an easy way to get shares and engagement. People love sharing things that made them cry or laugh or feel things so if you can hit the mark it’s a fast way to grow. 

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Value Content Type #3 

We want to be inspired.

As humans, we want to see people doing the impossible because it gives us hope that we too can achieve impossible things.

A life without inspiration is a very depressing life and this is where you can create stories and share experiences that give people hope and make them say “hell yes, I can do that too.”

You can share an inspirational quote that has deep meaning, a success story, a personal story you learned a lesson from, etc.

This is where you get to be a little vulnerable and where you get to open up and make your audience feel something.

Stories sell because they create emotion and by sharing something inspiring you can do just that.

Value Type Content #4

Obviously, as a business, you have things to sell and the point is to make money so there is a place for promotion – it’s just about balancing out promotion with the other three. You don’t want to sell, sell, sell all the time and when you balance it with the other pieces of content you’ll really create a well-rounded brand. 

But don’t be afraid to sell. So many people never promote their products or services and then wonder why they aren’t making money. Be proud of what you are offering, and gush about its benefits so people can see the passion you have for what you created. It’s OKAY TO SELL. 

There’s a difference between sharing your product because you’re passionate about the results it provides and being a total sleazy salesperson just out to make a buck. Sales don’t mean you have to constantly be in people’s faces, forcing things on them. Selling is storytelling and explaining how you can help people.

It’s that simple.

Believe in yourself and in the value of what you’re offering and sales become a lot easier.

Creating content shouldn’t be a huge stressor. If you just create under the umbrella of these 4 types it will be much easier to not just create content but ensure your brand has a good variety of ways to serve your audience and community. 

Need some help with creating some good messaging for your brand? Be sure to check out my copywriting services to see how I can help you create an authentic and unique brand voice that will help you stand out in a crowded online world and serve your audience in a more effective way.