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Author name: Genevieve White

Copywriting

Why content pillars matter

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Ah, the blank screen of doom. I think we’ve all been there – especially when it comes to posting about our businesses on social media. After all, we’re repeatedly told that: But, what exactly do we post? Is it possible to have a real life as well as an online one? And how do we avoid sounding boring/repetitive/like a bit of a dick? The truth is that managing your own social media can be hard. Especially when you have tours to run and itineraries to plan. Often, it seems like there just isn’t time to run a tourism business AND dream up fun, creative social media posts with enticing visuals to match. So, you sit slumped in front of your laptop, waiting for inspiration to strike. And sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. Then the next day you’re back to square one again and that darn black screen! Wouldn’t it be nice to have a strategy? Of course it would! But how do you even start with that? I’m not going to lie – developing your social media can take time. But in the long run, it’ll be a lifesaver. In this post, I’m going to run you through the basic building blocks for setting up a social media strategy for your tourism business. Does this mean your social media posting will be effortless from hereon in? Um, nope – sorry. But it does mean that it will get easier. And that you’ll be less likely to find yourself confronted by that blank screen… Step 1: What are your content pillars? What exactly do you want to communicate about your tourism business to your ideal customers? Choose 3-4 key themes. These are your content pillars, and they should be the basis of everything you post on social media. Building your posts around these pillars will not only build your brand (over time your audience will know what to expect of you) but it will help your posting consistency and make it much easier for you to find posting inspiration. Wondering what your pillars are? Let’s move on to the next step. Step 2: Defining your content pillars Choosing your pillars shouldn’t be a random exercise. And the pillars you pick shouldn’t be based on your particular interests, but on what your customers need. The most important thing to do when deciding on your content pillars is to spend time in market research, finding out what matters to your customers. You can do this by finding out what keywords your customers are searching for online, highlighting recurring words in customer reviews or by conducting some market research with customers  (1-1 conversations are great for this). Then have an intensive brainstorming session. Write down as many words as you can associated with what customers want and what you provide. Then narrow this down to a maximum of 4 content pillars. For example, a tour guide in Shetland might choose the following as their content pillars: Step 3: Choosing topics Next, you need to think of content topics to go with each pillar. Imagine you are a Shetland tour guide and have decided on the content pillars above. Here are just a few content ideas to go with each post. Try this exercise with your own location. I’m sure loads of opportunities will spring to mind! Step 4: Create a campagin Thinking of one post at a time can get exhausting and this is often where inspiration starts to flag. Instead of thinking in terms of individual posts, think in terms of campaigns. That means thinking of what you want to focus on in your tourism business, and then really doubling down on it – think of something that can be linked to all of your content pillars. So, to continue with the example above, let’s say I want to promote my walking tour of Shetland. That means that for one month, all of my posts are written with this goal in mind. That doesn’t mean writing ‘Hey, come on my walking tour!’ in every post. Because, let’s face it, that’d get pretty annoying. But it could mean: Post 1: a photo of a local beach I’d take in on my walking tour (Content pillar: a place to reset) Post 2: an archive photo of a historical figure I talk about on my tour and a teasing hook so people are desperate to find out more! (Content pillar: storytelling) Post 3: A photo of my scuffed hiking boots along with a little story about them, and why I love them (I always wear them on my walking tours!) (Content pillar: building trust) Post 4: Video footage me walking along the historic street that features on my walking tour, as I point out a couple of historic landmarks (Content pillars: building trust and culture) Step 5: Plan your calendar You can use your content pillar to plan loads of social media posts. I like to plan a month in advance, but you could do much more than this – and wouldn’t that be nice during the busy tourist season? These are the foundations of your social media strategy – if you want some icing and cherries to go on top, stick around for my next post. And – if you need a quick fix of inspiration check out my 30 days of social media planner.

Copywriting

You’re NOT rubbish at writing

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Do you know something I hear A LOT when introducing myself to new people and telling them what I do for a living? ‘I’m rubbish at writing’. Usually, this is said with a sad shake of the head. The same admission is often followed with the tale of the traumatic English class experience that crushed the speaker’s writing confidence. In all honesty, you are probably not a rubbish writer. But you might well be experiencing blocks, something that even perfectly good writers grapple with from time to time.   Writing blocks can be caused by all kinds of things, but here are three serious blockers I’ve come across. Read on – do any of these ring a bell? Common Blocks Lack of confidence: this can be caused by all kinds of things. I’ve already mentioned bad experiences at school. But we can also be crippled by the comparisons we make between ourselves and other writers. It’s all too easy to go on to read someone else’s website or blog post and think: ‘Why can’t I write like they do?’ Well, the answer is simple. You can’t write like they do because you’re NOT them. You can, however, write like the best version of YOU. That’s achievable and that’s what you should be aiming for. A lost writing mojo: the single greatest cause of a lost writing mojo is not feeling genuinely interested in what you’re writing about. When you care about something, the words just flow. You don’t need to check your word count every few minutes – instead, you feel pumped and in the zone. So, if you’re struggling to write about your business, maybe it’s a sign. Are there any tweaks you need to make to your offer? Or do you need to find another angle to write about? Not being copy savvy: copywriting is a specific kind of writing with a specific purpose – namely wooing customers and getting sales! It’s therefore very different from writing a report or a business email. What works for those types of writing just won’t cut it when it comes to copy. You need to know your stuff – headline writing, formatting, branding and tone of voice all have an important part to play here. Overcoming writing blocks You don’t have to resign yourself to being rubbish at writing – and neither should you. If you want your business to succeed, choosing the right words to market yourself is absolutely crucial. Working on your writing skills will ultimately save you time and make you money. If you need help overcoming your writing blocks, check out the offers on my services page. From an hour-long Copy Boost session to an intensive 1-1 copywriting programme, I can help you identify your writing blocks and guide you in taking the action you need to overcome them.

My adventures

On ferry crossings and copywriting

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The ferry ride between mainland Scotland and my Shetland home takes 12 hours (14 if we stop at Orkney). Being lulled to sleep on the waves can be a very soothing experience – sometimes.    Other times, it can be a whole lot less lovely.    On stormy nights in autumn and winter, I find the ferry ride to be a physical and emotional rollercoaster ride – honestly, you don’t know what seasickness is until you’re being tossed around in the middle of the North Sea on a dark winter evening…  But it can also be a bit of an adventure, a bonding experience, and give you a great tale to tell, especially if you end up in wheelchair by the end of the crossing (true story – this happened to my husband last year). In fact, most Shetlanders I know have at least one great story to tell about a ferry crossing – good, bad or downright ugly.   ‘But surely there are flights?’ I hear you ask. Sure there are. Flight time is a speedy one hour – hardly enough time to digest the free tea, shortbread and Tunnock’s caramel wafers you’re presented with. But on the other hand, fares and expensive and you’ll be less likely to get a great story out of it.   So, to answer question posed in the title of this post, what exactly do ferry rides and writing your own marketing copy have in common?   Let me explain.   Writing your own marketing copy can feel a bit like the ferry ride to Shetland. It’s time-consuming, challenging and you might even find yourself throwing up on your shoes. Wouldn’t it be easier to get a professional to write your copy for you so you can fly to your destination in speed and comfort?  And my answer is, hell yeah! If you want to get to where you need to be fast. But is this a sustainable way of doing things? Is it affordable? And, ultimately, what will you learn from it?  You need to rise to the challenge. Learning to write your own marketing copy can be tough. Realistically, it will take you longer than 12 hours to get to where you want to be.   But think of the money you’ll save and the sense of achievement you’ll feel at the end of your trip!  I’m Genevieve, and I help tour guides and tour operators write great marketing copy, build their audience and make more money.   And when things get bumpy, I’ll even help keep your hair out of the way and hold your sick bag for you.  Check out my services page {link below} to find out more about how we can work together.  

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