There’s more in one strong topic than most brands can ever get out of it. The desire is to write a single, long post about the topic, publish it, and then go back to writing about something else. That way the majority of the value is sitting unused. A multi-part series tied to a particular topic provides more credibility to the brand on the topic, extends the content’s shelf life and provides a reason for listeners to tune back in over multiple sessions. The secret lies in knowing how to discover the angles already present within a single topic and convert each into an episode on its own merits.
Identify the Angles Imbedded in the Topic
Each topic has sub-questions that have not been covered separately by the audience. Those sub-questions will usually be presented as five or six posts in the same topic. A series gets a real architecture when they have been mapped before publishing anything.
Let each angle have its own episode.
After the angles are plotted, each angle is a self-contained episode with its own pay-off and premise. The viewer should be able to view any episode on its own and feel satisfied, and feel it’s part of a whole. Streamoz helps creators in every episode to get propelled into the series and bring new viewers on board.
Create a sequence of events between episodes.
A series without a story is a playlist; it’s not a series. That series can be a question to be answered in subsequent episodes or a continuously evolving project, or simply a familiar form that fulfills expectations established over time, that thread of expectation is why you need to watch a series sequentially; that’s what makes a long-time viewer feel it was worth their investment.
Apply Tension to get the Audience Moving.
In each episode, try to close one thing and open another. The question that is answered should be followed by another question. The consequence for a result given should increase the challenge for the next test. The structure extends the audience’s productive curiosity throughout the run. Content earning smart social proof from within a well-structured series spreads beyond the existing audience into the wider networks those followers belong to.
Have the audience decide the final episodes.
If there is a series where you can rely on real audience feedback on the last episode, there is no investment that can be made in pre-planned content. Followers feel involved when their questions are answered or their suggestions are taken account of in an episode. The organic sharing that creates a brand series as a community event in its own right is the participation that comes from it.
Conclusion
A single topic, when well-planned, will yield a series that will develop greater authority than ten unrelated posts would. Plot the angle, fence in the conversation, generate tension between installments and let the audience behind the curtain when it is all finished. The engagement of a planned series creates definitive brands.