You can have all the discipline and inspiration in the world.
But when it comes to putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and making sure that content is helpful for your audience, well… That’s another story.
Here are 3 resources I use to guarantee I create content my audience craves – fast.
1. Pick a topic
You’re an expert. But not about everything. Your significant other and I agree.
Creating a topic list for your content will make sure you don’t stray too far from your zone of genius.
When coming with your topics, make sure they resonate with both your audience and you. It’s no fun writing blah content. Your audience can sense it.
List your top 5-10 topics. Mine are listed below:
- Audience building
- Branding
- Community
- Content creation
- Growth
- Niches or personas
- Productization
- Sales
- Social media
- Storytelling
- Website
- Writing
When you start a new draft, tick a box or two and move on to the second test.
2. Pick a track
Now, what kind of content do you want to create? A listicle? A case study? How about a how-to?
Here’s my list of tracks, inspired by Justin Welsh:
- Advice or tips
- Failures or mistakes
- Formula or framework
- Juxtaposition
- Learnings or observation
- Moments
- Mythbusting or paradox
- Reasons or stats
- Resources or tools
- Profile or story
- Teardown
Now you’ve got your content structure.
3. Pick a thought
By writing with emotion, you trigger emotions in your audience. And with emotions come decisions.
Stolen from Shaan Puri, these emotions guarantee your audience remembers you:
- AWW – That’s cute
- FIN – Someone said it
- LOL – That’s funny
- NSFW – That’s crazy
- OHH – Now I get it
- OMG – I’m smarter
- WOW – That’s amazing
- WTF – That pisses me off
- YAY – Great news
What should they feel when consuming your content?
Bad content doesn’t do anything. Boredom. Malaise. Apathy.
Just writing these words bums me out.
Good content elicits an emotion. Excitement. Anger. Inspiration. And a higher likelihood they convert.
Run through these 3 tests before writing any piece. And guarantee you never run out of content ideas*.
*Good content ideas.
