5 Tips to Create Content During a Crisis

Content teams must always be prepared for changing their content and the way that they present it, may it be due to a current but dying trend, or especially in the case of a crisis. Your team is bound to face a challenge in such crises, whether it be a singular event such as a sudden storm or a cyberattack, or let’s say a massive global crisis such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, teams must understand a few basics in order to create content during a crisis to deliver within their required timeframe.

Here, we have shared 5 tips that every creator must know to create content during a crisis:

1. Empathy above everything else

Sure, marketing is all about creating content that resonates with your audience – but during times of crises, EQ must always be kept in mind over everything else. Brands often don’t realize that their content during a crisis is just them jumping on the bandwagon of being vocal about an issue but without making any difference to the cause. E.g. when brands use pinkwashing during breast cancer awareness month while having little to no knowledge about the cause itself.

Make sure your content is empathetic, and not insensitive to the people who are directly or indirectly suffering from the crisis at hand.

2. Make your content relevant

It is definitely difficult to make new content when you already have your content calendar planned for the week, but that is just what a crisis entails. Make content that is relevant to your brand or your ideology with respect to the bigger picture. If you want to offer deeper insight into the crisis, make sure it is relevant and consistent with the identity of your brand.

3. Provide your customers with the support that they need

It is very possible that this crisis could be affecting your customers. And if that is the case, you must always keep in mind how to be a conscious brand, and provide your customers with the support that they need. If you’re selling a service or product which is not a top priority in times of a crisis, consider stepping back a bit and plan your content in such a way that your audience feels acknowledged and supported during the difficult time.

4. Are you hitting the right mark?

Reach out to your audience, and find out through feedback whether your content is having the effect that you desire on your audience and customers, and what needs to change if you aren’t. Find out what you need to scrap, and what you need to create more through your data and analytics. These could get your audience to consider you as a more trustworthy brand.

5. Credibility x100

In order to create content that is educational, and to be viewed as a trustworthy brand, you must always make sure that the content that you are putting out into the world comes from credible sources, and aren’t just calculated guesses and misinformed opinions. Make sure your content is true and cited with credible sources. It is your job as a responsible brand to not misguide your audience, especially during times of a crisis.

Simply shying away from a crisis is not going to help your brand if you’re counting on future wins. The audience now is intelligent and aware, and count on their brands to be the same. Make sure you’re empathetic, original, and innovative with your content.

Once you know the basic guiding tips of creating content during a crisis, the next step is to plan your content accordingly, and trying to survive, or even thrive, during the said crisis.