CURE FOR YOUR CONTENT RUT.
Sometimes creating content can seem bothersome, annoying and time consuming. Other times it’s super fun, you feel inspired and are filled with creative ideas.
This episode is moreso for the first situation. When you need some structure, someone to get you going as you stare at the wall, or blank piece of paper or empty notebook app.
I should preface this by saying if you don’t know your ideal client, you’re going to be shooting darts at a dartboard that’s 300 meters away with a blindfold on. Okay? You need to know who you’re speaking to before creating content…if you don’t want to waste your time that is.
So, you’re in a content rut or just feeling like you’ve created everything you can create (which we know is never the case), then read on!
This goes for blogs, emails, Instagram posts, YouTube videos, podcasts, literally any media you can create for an audience.
Start with a subject matter.
For me, I decide if it’s going to be fitness based, life based, travel based, or business based.
If you have categories you post in or use with your audience, this will be helpful. I go over all of that inside Instagram 101 and fitsPRO Foundations.
You’ve got your topic. Now give yourself some structure.
Choose an intro; your click bait:
- 3 ways or tips to ____ (build muscle, be more efficient in your workouts, recover effectively)
- How to:
- Choose locations for world travel
- Use lifting straps
- Start building your email list
- Cope with comparison online
Your “favorites.”
- My 5 favorite glute exercises
- My 3 go-to mantras
Then you have the secretive ones. Like:
- The four things no one told you about being an entrepreneur
- The worst cue you could ever use
- Unpopular opinion about _____
Whatever applies to your audience.
Now, I don’t use post topics like this all the time. But they can be helpful in getting the creative juices going whenever you’re in a content rut. Or even when short on time and need to bust something out really quick.
Having a headline like this allows you to build a skeleton to your content. You know what you’re laying out. Your three tips, or five fav exercises, or the worst cue and why it’s so terrible. Maybe you include what to say instead.
I hope you can see how this tactic can be helpful. Like I said, it gets you thinking in a creative manner but also in a very specific one. Which can be beneficial when creating content.
I’ve often ended up actually batching content when using this strategy because one idea leads to the next, and before you know it I have twenty post headlines and topics made. Much like you just heard me ramble them off.
Okay, moving on.
Poll your audience
This is one I use often. Hi, you’re creating content for them. You can ask them to vote in the comments. You can send email surveys, or submit ideas via instagram stories. You’ve got options. Use them.
Polling your audience is great for a few reasons. It gets you connected with your people. It allows you to see who is REALLY invested in the content you’re creating. Who are your die hards? This can also be encouraging when you’re feeling unmotivated. You’ll see that people WANT to hear from you and value what you bring to them on whatever platform it may be.
Even if two people respond, that STILL gives you data. Create something based on what those two blessed humans sent you! Or better yet, create more than one post around the topic.
This also gives you feedback as to what your ideal clients (or potential ideal clients) are wanting from you. What problems are they wanting answers to? What topics come up more than once? That’s great data for you moving forward with your content and even product creation.
Next up…
Repurpose old content
Thiiiiissss one is pure magic once you’ve been in the game for a minute. Look, not everyone in your gram fam or on your email list sees every post or reads every email.
And even if people saw it the first time, they likely need a refresher.
When I am just not in a headspace to create content, I look back at my old content.
I’ve never reposted something verbatim. But I’ll take the same topic and put a new spin on it, or change up the actual video or photo.
The value is already there. It was well received once. So use it for all it’s worth.
Look at your peers
No shame here. You aren’t copying. You’re not an asshole. You’re looking for inspiration from people who have a similar audience as you.
The inspiration might not even be on the same topic. Perhaps you see a piece of their content and that takes you down a whole different rabbit trail. But you wouldn’t have got there if you weren’t checkin’ out your all your amazing friends.
Again, to make this abundantly clear: you are not going to my IG profile, finding a post titled “how to set up for hip thrust,” making a video like mine, and listing the exact steps I used. That’s called stealing and plagiarism. And it’s a dick move. It’s also too common in the online space, but that’s another issue.
Looking at your peers or even mentor’s content can bring up ideas and potential ways for you to approach the same topic but in a different light.
Do an introduction
It’s always a safe bet to just reintroduce yourself to your audience. And that is not limited to instagram by any means. People LOOOOOVVE a good story. And people connect to people. Open up, tell a story, share your beginnings with your humans.
This can go in so many directions as well. You can tell one story that lets them into your philosophy around training. Or you can tell them ten things about yourself and one is lie and they have to guess which one.
You can go the factual route or entertaining route. There really is no limit here. Have fun with them. It’s always good to do an intro and remind your people why you’re wherever you are, doing whatever it is that you’re doing.
That’s it. Just five quick ways to get out of a content creation rut or honestly just five ways to CREATE CONTENT. I get asked often how I create so much content and so consistently.
The answer is largely based in the fact that I really know my ideal client and what I create for them. But these strategies are a huge help as well. I didn’t just pull these out of my rear end. I use these, and have used these for YEARS. And now they are here for you to try out.
I hope they were helpful and practical. Again, if you don’t know your ideal client, creating content will be difficult no matter what. You can get my FREE Ideal Client Avatar Creator at amandal78.sg-host.com/ica. And if you’re for serious about building your brand on instagram, I also have my Instagram 101 course. But no pressure. Just know it exists my friends.
If you find value here, on The FitsPRO Podcast, then pretty please head over to iTunes to subscribe, rate and review the show. It means the world to me when you spread my message to more humans.
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