Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas -- But Don't Forget About Your Content!

December 23, 2015

by Virtucom Group Team

With Christmas just days away, it's not always easy to focus on great content. It's far more likely that your thoughts are drifting to visits with family, presents under the tree and holiday treats, and that's understandable! However, as December 25th grows closer and closer and you're enjoying some of your favorite Christmas movies, you might be surprised to find a few lessons that apply to content creation as well as the holiday spirit. So fire up Netflix, whip up some hot chocolate and take a seat by the fire as you revisit a few winter classics that can teach us a thing or two about the business of content.

Believe in what you do, even when it gets tough: Declared a Christmas classic from its debut in 1947, Miracle on 34th Street introduces us to Kris Kringle, a man who claims to be the real Santa and deals with the hurdles brought on by such a claim. Content creators could do worse than to adopt Kris' attitude of unwavering belief -- even when the road to your goals is a long and difficult one, it's important to believe in the quality of your efforts. We've talked about achieving a balance between perfect and productive before, and believing in the value of your work is one way to maintain that balance. Even if your efforts aren't perfect and your content isn't where it needs to be, stay the course, adhere to your strategies (or get serious about building them) and you'll see results. Struggling to find that belief? Then it's time to re-evaluate and move forward.

Keep a clear goal in mind: This beloved 1983 film airs for 24 consecutive hours every Christmas, yet viewers keep tuning in to A Christmas Story for Ralphie and his obsession with the Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. While we may laugh at his dedication to getting his dream present as adults discourage him left and right, this is the kind of focus every content creator should apply to their craft. If you find that you're creating content, but doing so without a real goal or an understanding of how it will boost your business, take the time to lay out your key performance areas and really think about what you expect to get from content -- new customers? greater conversion rates? brand loyalty? Once you've defined the prize, keep your eye on it and don't give up. The first step to achieving your success is determining that you will.

Get creative with your resources: There are few Christmas movie moments more iconic than when Home Alone's Kevin McAllister, played by Macaulay Culkin, realizes he's all alone for the holiday. Despite being on his own at 8 years old, Kevin manages to ward off a pair of would-be burglars with a series of elaborate homemade traps and his wits. The next time you feel like the resources you have in place for content creation aren't sufficient, try to channel this approach! You might not have a full-time team, or perhaps you're learning the ropes of content as you go. Make the most of the resources you do have, appreciate that your journey is a learning experience and don't be afraid to think outside the box, whether that means tweaking your strategy in an unexpected way or reaching out to an outside firm to handle those duties.

Be yourself: This is a point we've brought up on the blog before, but it's something that can't be said enough. You can definitely try to make your content just like someone else's -- lots of companies have fantastic, well-thought-out content strategies that are inspirational and definitely tempting to model yourself on. But when you feel too drawn to being like everyone else, it's time for a second (or third or fourth) viewing of Elf, Will Ferrell's 2003 holiday adventure. Buddy takes a lot of flak for being himself, but in the end we see there's no other way he can be. Authenticity matters in your content, so don't try to hide who you are. Use your unique ideas and identity to stand apart from the crowd and really shine. Commit to doing content well, but doing it your way.

Never reject what makes you great: Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Halloween or Christmas movie? Tim Burton's morose Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington, doesn't seem sure himself as he longs to shake off his epic tradition of terrifying Halloween stunts and trade it all in for the fun of the Christmas season. Eventually Jack learns a lesson that we all need from time to time: trying new things is great, but never abandon your brand. If you feel like your strategies aren't as fresh as they once were, consider what made them work for you in the first place and try to build on that success, pushing for an evolution rather than a complete restructuring. Sometimes you may find you'll need to go back to square one, but it's also important to understand what aspects of your content make the face of your brand great.

Have you found lessons about content creation in surprising places? If so, leave us a comment and let us know. To stay connected with Virtucom Group, you can visit us and see more of our team on Linkedin and Instagram.

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About Virtucom Group

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