Joyful Content Creation: A Simple Plan

You can view content marketing as a burdensome strategy that wastes time and money.

Or, you can see it as a chance to grow personally and authentically grow a business based on a narrative aligned with your mission and what your clients want.

If that's you, don't replicate what works for someone else mindlessly. Instead, shape a content creation process with your personal preferences. Tailor the process to your strengths, weaknesses, and working style, which will increase your productivity and efficiency. In addition, it will help you maintain your motivation and passion, develop a unique style and voice, and you'll set yourself apart from others in your field.

Here is a simple plan to help you create content with joy:

1 - The first criterion to consider is the timing of publishing. Identify a cadence that works for you, is easy to remember, and is sustainable. It is okay to change your publishing frequency, but at a minimum, create meaningful content once a month. Your clients won't hire the best expert. They will hire the expert that they keep in mind. A steady content creation cadence helps you be that expert.

2 - The second criterion is where you will create your content. Finding a natural place that feels most energizing and exciting to you is essential. I love writing on the go, ideally in an airplane. Since I don't travel often, my living room is, fortunately, another option. These places make it easy for me to create content. What about you?

3 - The third criterion is whom you will produce content for. It is crucial to write for one particular person who is eager to hear from you. Visualize that person. Write like you would be writing a personal letter to her. Publish content like you would be singing on stage: although you're here for the whole audience, it helps to stare at one particular fan. Right now, I have you in mind. Yes, you.

4 - Now, what will you write about? And this is where you get to explore and experiment a lot more. Written blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, social media posts, and more… The key is to create content that resonates with your audience and that you enjoy making. If you're not enjoying the process, it won't be easy to sustain it over time. So start by experimenting with different types of content and see what works best for you and your audience. "Meaningful" content means that it is not only meaningful to your readers but also meaningful to you.

5 - On to the big WHY. Why are you creating this content? What is the purpose behind it? Are you trying to educate your audience? Inspire them? Entertain them? Sell your services? Whatever the reason, make sure you're clear about it. Personally, I don't write because I have a lot of ideas. I have a lot of ideas because I write.

6 - Finally, how are you going to create this content? What tools and resources do you need? Do you need a camera for video content? A microphone for podcasting? A graphic design tool for creating infographics or drawings? Whatever it may be, make sure that you master your instrument.

"Master your instrument. Master the music. And then forget all that bullshit and just play." - Charlie Parker.

I hope this simple plan helps you liberate your creativity and find joy. Remember to customize it to your needs and capacities; don't be afraid to experiment and update it as you go.

Meaningful content creation is one of the most potent ways to help your business find its calling. When you are an expert on a mission, you position your business with the traits of moral authority, defending a cause that everyone can benefit from, not just you or your clients.