Do you feel like you have to create content for your business but don’t feel like you’re qualified? Have you sat down to create content only to find that you don’t feel like you can do it? These are normal, rational concerns. With as much content as a successful business in practically any business has to put out online, it’s natural to feel like you may not be up to it. These are some of the ways I get past those feelings when I’m working on a client’s digital marketing package.
Remember: these are what works for me. They may not work for you. But, from having spoken to others in the industry, I’ve found that even if these aren’t specifically applicable to you, they can spur you to find something that best serves your needs.
You’re the Expert
“I don’t know what to write about. I have no clue what to talk about. I’m not sure what I’m doing.” Have you felt some version of those when you’re creating content?
Whether it’s a blog, a service page, a podcast, a video, or anything else, many business owners can feel that way when they create something. But, (and this is so important to remember) it’s not true.
You are an expert. You are a professional. Specifically, you are a professional in your field. As such, you have everything you need to create compelling, engaging content that’s going to connect to more potential customers.
Experience? You’ve got that. Expertise? You are literally doing the job. Advice? Just tell someone what you wish you’d been told (or something you were told at an opportune time). Tips? You know the field as well as anyone else – after all, you’re the one who’s making money (or trying to) in the business.
When we sit down to create content, it’s all too easy to dismiss our own lived experiences, that which we know is true.
I see this often when I interview a business owner/other kind of professional for our company podcast. So often, they think they “aren’t good on camera” or something silly like that.
But, invariably, I find as soon as I get them talking about their business, the details, the things that an amateur wouldn’t know, they light up. Suddenly, they’re a real pro – which makes sense, since that’s what they are. The same is in you, too.
Use Your Environment
If you’ve been reading these blogs for any length of time, then you know that my advice is usually some version of: “If you don’t know what to post for your content, just show what you do on a typical day of your business.’
This almost always makes for fascinating content. Whether you’re a pizza place showing how the dough is made, a general contractor showing what goes into a construction project, or a rehab/treatment center displaying all of your amenities, this commonly makes for great content. The same goes for your industry, too.
That said, in this context, “environment” can also pertain to where you’re creating the content. Find an area you most feel comfortable in.
For example, there are many who do their best in an office. They want the hustle and bustle of folks around them, ambient noise, and the like. Coffee shops are great for that, too. Some enjoy music when they create, etc.
(Me, I’m the opposite of all of this: I prefer absolute silence and to be alone when creating. To each their own. I only found this after years and years of work.)
The same goes for you, too. With some experimentation, you can find where you’re most creative, where you’re most free.
Time is important, too. Yes, many of us are on constant deadlines, needing to get work done as soon as possible. That said, it behooves you to find the time of day when you’re at your best, too. Someone who’s a “night owl” is probably not going to be the best content creator (at least not, consistently) if they’re trying to create at sunrise, day after day.
Now, you may not always be able to dictate the circumstances, times, environment, and so forth of when you have to create content. But, through trial and error, you can find what works best for you in any given scenario.
Find the Right Level of Research for You
There’s no “best” way to research before creating content. You want to find the method that most empowers you.
For example, I know plenty of awesome professional content creators who make extensive outlines. They do all of their work in the outline, basically. Then, when they go to create (whether it’s writing, speaking, editing, or anything else) they find that it goes very quickly.
By that same token, there are others who instead just find the structure of it as they go along. I’ve worked alongside plenty of writers who’ll just sit down and just start writing. Then, before you know it, they’ve got a great piece of content even though they did minimal (if any) outlining.
Me, personally, I’m somewhere in the middle. When I create something (like, say, a blog about getting ready to create content) I have a bit of an outline and then I fill in the rest.
For example, when I wrote this blog you’re reading, I made sure to get the headings right before I did anything else. Only once I had those (which formed a de facto outline) did I write the title.
Then, once all of that was done, the “sitting down and writing the blog” came very easily.
You don’t just have to do this for blogs, of course. When I do a podcast with someone, instead of making them “headings” I make those “bullet points.” Then, I make sure to address them with my guests as we go.
Digital Marketing Package Professionals
Everything I’ve mentioned above helps me to create content. But, with very rare exceptions, I don’t post the content myself. Instead, another member of the team does it here. Then, other members of the team make sure that it’s a part of our SEO strategy, helping our company to grow.
Indeed, those are some of the many benefits of working with a company like ours. You get a whole team to back you up, to help your business to get to the next level.
To see how we can help, schedule a free consultation with us through our site or by calling.