Is creating content a HUGE pain point for you? Creating the content for all your platforms, posting consistently, and keeping the quality up - who has the time?

We've all been there. The content overwhelm is a very real problem. Content creation is supposed to be FUN, right? Getting inspired, working with graphics, honing our photo skills - it feels AWESOME to create! So why is it that planning out a social media schedule feels like a huge chore?

Don't worry - there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Here are strategies to get out of the slump and back into the content creation groove: 

Why Content Creation is Important

There are lots of schools of thought on content creation. Do you need to post daily? Are weekly scheduled blog posts important for growth? What does the ever-elusive Instagram algorithm want with us? 

In our experience, a consistent posting schedule is the way to go.

So why do we hear that we have to be posting daily content and have a consistent presence? There are several reasons why scheduled posting will only promote your brand: 

So People Can Get to Know You

If you're not putting yourself out there, how are people going to find you? Putting out your content helps attract the right people for your brand. 

Think about the influencers that you follow on Instagram. Chances are, you came across their content and saw something that you liked. Most people don't seek out influencers to follow, so it's important to put yourself out there especially if you're just starting out.

Building the know, like and trust factor

If you're not sharing your content, linking to your courses or blogs, or going live, what value are you giving to your audience? You need to build what I like to call the KLT Factor - the audience needs to know, like, and TRUST you.

What is Holding You Back?

My #1 tip for creating high-quality content consistently is to focus on your audience and what they need. It’s not about you and how you want it to look.

You may be saying "I don't like how this quote looks" or "I don't like the look of my feed", but this is totally BACKWARDS! Your audience should be the #1 priority when creating your content. 

If you're stuck in the "what do I post" mindset and feel like you're constantly running out of ideas, it's because you're not thinking of your audience. If you know exactly who your audience is and what their struggles are - there is an infinite amount of content you can post to help them.

The 3 Tools You Need to Conquer Your Content

Editorial Calendars

If it's not in the calendar, it's not going to happen! Stay organized, plan ahead, and get a bird's eye view of your content with an editorial calendar. Our team personally uses Google Docs - it's free, easy to use, and easy to collaborate on. Your calendar doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.

Calendars are also great for seeing what is coming up in the future like brand events or national holidays. This is how you can plan ahead for big events and plan your content accordingly. If you're using an editorial calendar, you'll never get that sinking "Valentine's Day is TOMORROW?" feeling again.

Members of our Spark Social and #Sponsored groups get editorial calendars planned FOR them. These calendars include national theme days, holidays, caption ideas, and themes for your content that make your life that much easier.

Apps

There are tons of great apps that you can use to stay on top of your content. Apps like Planoly help you plan the look of your feed and draft your captions so all you need to do is click "post"!

#Sponsored and Spark Social members have access to Hashtag Hacker, a tool that optimizes hashtags for you with one click. This is a tool you won't get anywhere else - we created it!

Images

Do your photos need some love? We love apps like Color Story and Snapseed to edit photos and keep our content high quality. If you don't have time for a photoshoot, stock photo websites like Pexels or Unsplash are great tools. 

In our members-only groups we curate photos for our students for those "ugh, I have nothing to post" days or when you're running low on content between photoshoots.