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Content is often the key to success for any business online—but many business owners lack a strong content strategy. Content can be demanding; it can be a challenge to keep producing high-quality content week after week.

But there are processes and tactics you can use to make things much easier to manage. Here are a few ways you can simplify your content strategy.

Talk to your customers

One problem many business owners face is that they run out of ideas. But if you’re plugged into your market and know the concerns your customers have, generating ideas can be much easier.

Periodically talk to your customers and ask them what they want to know more about. You can do this in person if you have those relationships; or you can send out a survey to a larger customer base. You can also use both tactics—interview a few high-value customers and send out a larger survey to get a sense of broader issues and concerns.

Then you can translate those conversations and survey results into article titles and topics to cover.

Evaluate the content you already have

Performing a content audit is a great way to get a handle on the content you already produce, the topics you’ve already covered, and how those topics performed.

Get a sense of the questions you’ve already answered on your website and other online spaces, how accessible that content is, and the gaps in knowledge that need to be filled—based on customer conversations and survey results. Make a list of the content you need to fill those gaps.

Shamelessly repurpose content

There are many types of content you can produce, and all serve different purposes. From white papers and long-form cornerstone content to shorter blog posts, free infographics, explainer video scripts, email nurturing sequences, and short posts on Twitter or Instagram, you have endless opportunities to repurpose content.

Write something in-depth, then break it up and use it in different platforms and mediums. Use a large cornerstone content piece as a starting point for deep dives into more specific topics, or tweet out short engaging posts based on blog posts you’ve written. Turn a white paper into a video explainer script for a specific audience. Consider how to repurpose, reuse and recycle all the content you produce.

Automate everything

Automation can make the process of posting on multiple platforms far more efficient. Consider using a tool such as Hootsuite, Later, or SocialPilot. All have different features and benefits, but all will allow you to have a set-it-and-forget-it level of convenience for social posting.

A well-established content strategy is a powerful tool for growing your business and bringing in new customers. Once you have your topics, titles and content plan in place, you should be able to develop impactful content that will drive conversion rates and turn prospects into buyers—and with time-saving tactics such as content repurposing and automation, you can keep it as efficient as possible.