When it comes to creating content, do you wing it?
Or do you plan everything you write, create, or record?
Me, I used to wing it.
Looking back, this was a really bad idea.
As I’ve shared in previous articles, I used to think I was too smart to do any planning. But the simple truth is that, because I had no idea what I was going to write about from one week to the next and as a result, my material was all over the place.
This meant I struggled to stay focused and on pint.
Ultimately, this resulted in me burning out and giving up.
These days, I plan everything—sometimes, weeks in advance.
How do I do this?
I used a content planner.
For you, it could be as complex or as simple as you need it to be.
Me, I like to keep things simple: my content planner is a list of topics and dates.
I’m still in the process of setting goals for each article I write, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around understanding my audience. But I’ve got a pretty good idea that for me, the written word is the best way to go, and since may of 2023, I’ve set and managed to stick to a publishing schedule of getting an article out every Tuesday and Friday.
I’m also in the process of building and using a content library, which for me is a list of researched and engaging topics featuring simple, structure your content, and I’ve adopted the mindset of being less shy about reusing things, because that helps me reach more people.
I’m still working on the idea of tracking my content's performance, and I’m still noodling with identifying trends and using data to make better decisions.
My philosophy with all of this is all in good time. By following these steps, I’ve managed to create a content strategy that’s gradually generating results.
If you’re the sort of person who wings it, I suggest you give content planning a go.
I used to think I was too smart to plan my material. Looking back, I was wrong.
As always, thanks for reading.
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P.S. Next time on Shaking the Tree … Stop, start, continue.