The Ultimate Blog Podcast - 41. Simplifying Creating Content

Episode Date: September 27, 2022

It’s Amy today and I’m here for a solo. A common question we get from students is “How will I know what to continue talking about?” or “Am I going to run out of things to talk about?” Today I am going to be talking with you about simplifying creating content. It does not have to be hard. I know it can feel that way when you sit down to write content but I want to help you break this down so that it is not difficult. I’m going to be going through the ways you can simplify this so that you don’t feel stuck when creating that content for your blog. Thanks for listening! Check out the show notes (link below) for links and resources mentioned in today's episode!Connect with us on Instagram: @sparkmediaconceptsCheck out The Blog Depot. This is a community and course that we have set up for you if you need questions answered before you start your blog. Join the waitlist for The Ultimate Blog Bootcamp, our online course and coaching that helps you build the blog that you have always dreamed of.SHOW NOTES: www.sparkmediaconcepts.com/episode41

Welcome to the Ultimate Blog Podcast with Amy Reinecke and Jennifer Draper. We're on a mission to empower women who want to start or grow their own blog. This podcast is for women who want to learn blogging basics and who crave inspiration and encouragement. Whether you're just getting started or have been a blogger for years, we're excited to welcome you into this space where we are passionate about creating community over competition. We are bloggers who want to encourage you to believe in your potential, step outside the norm and step into a life where you create your own schedule, your own success, and your own story. Join us for weekly episodes as we navigate blogging

and work from home life all while raising a family and having some serious fun along the way. all while raising a family and having some serious fun along the way. Hey, it's Amy here today, and I am super excited to talk to you about how to simplify creating content. Now, this is not just for somebody who already has their blog up and running. This is for somebody who is being held back by creating content or starting a blog because you are so afraid that you are not going to have enough to write about. I was just like you. That was one of the biggest reasons that held me back. I think from starting my blog from the start actually is I wasn't really for sure what I wanted to talk about and how I was possibly going to be like pumping out new content

all the time. It was definitely something that held me back and was a limiting belief that I had. And looking back now, I see it's because I didn't really understand how content creators and bloggers go about creating content. So in this episode today, I just want to talk through that a little bit. Maybe you already have a blog and you feel like you're kind of in a rut, like you don't have anything to talk through that a little bit. Maybe you already have a blog and you feel like you're kind of in a rut, like you don't have anything to talk about anymore. And you're like your well has literally run dry. I hope that this inspires you to kind of take it back to basics because that is truly what we're going to dive into today. So a common question that we

get from students is how will I know what to continue talking about? And am I going to run out of things to talk about? But here is the question that I want you to ask yourself in regards to your niche. From the beginning, when this specific niche became important to you, what was the information that you needed to know? What information did you go you needed to know? What information

did you go looking for on Google? What kind of support did you need? And that is the kind of content that you need to put on your blog. So I always use the example here for a series that I did on my blog regarding intuitive eating. So intuitive eating is something that I dove into a lot several years ago, and I wanted to share that with my community. I had recently left diet culture and I wanted to just share more about what intuitive eating was. And what I did instead of just having it be about one post is I broke it up. I believe it's 10 different posts on my blog. And the first post was the simple question, what is intuitive eating? And then I answered that. Now with this specific example, there are principles in regards to intuitive

eating. And so I could easily break that up into a blog post for each principle. So that was something that made that easier. But I want you to think about other areas of your life that you have chosen to talk about and turned into your blog niche and what information you needed to know. So my example of intuitive eating was speaking to someone who had basically been dependent on a diet and wasn't really sure how to listen to their own hunger cues and how to understand what they need and how to have exercise be something out of, you know, joyful movement instead of out of punishment for their bodies. So let's say yours is different and it's about organizing your home. I'm going to venture to say that if you have an organization

blog, it's because organizing has become a passion of yours, but maybe it always wasn't a passion. And so when you were at the beginning and you decided to start focusing more on organizing, you learned a lot. That is who you're writing to on your blog. Now you are going to have people who are going to be advanced and are going to want more advanced content. Absolutely. That doesn't mean that you can't share that, but don't forget about that basic information that people really truly need to know. And you can break this down into a lot of different ways. So let's stay using the example of organization and let's just simply use a pantry because that's an easy example. How could that be broken down? So I think it could be broken down in to a couple of different ways.

You could give somebody the option who has a larger pantry. You could give them information and tips there. You could give information for somebody who maybe doesn't have a pantry and they're just using a cabinet. Like what tips and tricks do you have for them? How can you break down the content to serve different people who are going for the same kind of outcome? So they want to organize where they keep their food. How can you create content that is going to help somebody who is so disorganized and does not have an organizational bone in their body, understand what they need to do in order to organize said pantry. You might be sitting down writing a post and thinking to yourself, how does somebody not know this? But I'm going to guarantee you that there are people who do not. So don't sell yourself short and what you have learned in

the process of what you've chosen to write about and what you know about those basics often are so important because they lay the important foundation that a person needs in regards to the topic of your blog. And so don't miss that opportunity to kind of reel it back and learn and teach from the beginning. It truly is a gift to the people who show up. How often do we look at something and we're like, that's way too advanced and there's no way that I can ever do it. It could be a recipe. It could be something technical, things like that. We have many people, for instance, who have joined the blog bootcamp who are like,

I started a blog, I tried to start a blog, and I had no idea how to do it and I needed help. That's why we created the bootcamp is because people need like an instruction manual. This is kind of the same thing. That's kind of what I'm talking about here. We have to find a way to simplify creating content. I think sometimes we overcomplicate it by thinking that we have to deliver this content that is just absolutely mind-blowing. And while that would be amazing

to create mind-blowing content each and every time, that actually puts a lot of pressure on us too, that we have to show up as this amazing, epic person every single time that we have a post go out. I want to remind you that what you know about your niche and about your topic, what you know about your passion serves a purpose to somebody who is not yet there. There is someone out there who needs to learn what you already know. You don't need any credentials behind your name, depending on your topic, to be able to share with someone what you have learned, how that has added value to your life and how it can add value to theirs. So you want to get back to those basics. Now let's talk about how we can also use that to create other forms of content. So you're likely going to be on social media as well.

Some, if you're a blogger. And so what I want you to think about is how you can break this down instead of thinking to yourself, Oh my gosh, I have to create content for my blog post. And I have to create content for Instagram. And I have to create content for Pinterest. I want you to take a giant deep breath, and I'm going to give you a little tip. Let's say that your goal is to write one blog post per week. That's doable for most of us. So you're going to write one blog post per week. Why can't you turn that blog post into several posts on Instagram, shorter form content on Instagram. You could maybe create a reel. You could maybe create a static feed post. You could maybe hop on stories and talk about that there.

And then you can obviously have a pinnable image within your blog posts that you're sharing it on Pinterest as well. So you're actually creating one long form content, which is your blog post. And then you're taking all that work that you've done and you're just breaking it out to create smaller bits and pieces that people will find you on social media. That totally simplifies feeling like you are spinning your wheels and having to create massive loads of content. You do not have to do that in order to be a blogger. And if you add a podcast in the mixed, like that can be included as well. So like for spark, for instance, that is what, that is what I'm currently doing. So I, I run our Instagram on spark and basically we have a podcast episode. And then for that week, that is what our social media content is. And so that

simplifies the process to where we're not getting on stories all the time. Like, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to talk about. What do they need to learn about today? Instead, I have my topic ready because I've got a podcast episode that I know is going to add value. I know because I see the numbers rolling in and I see all of you amazing listeners who are coming back week after week and learning from us here on the podcast, which we are so

thankful for, like truly so thankful for. This is such a fun platform, but then I can use that information and then talk about that in social media throughout the week. And it simplifies the process. I think if we, if we don't simplify creating content, we burn out. And we just had an amazing episode with Vanda in episode 39, talking about avoiding burnout. And I think a way to avoid burnout is to make sure that we're simplifying this process of creating content. If we don't, we will never stick with this. Do you want to start building a foundation for your blog? Do you have questions you need to answer before you start? Do you wish that you had someone there to hold your hand through the

process? We are so excited to share that we have created a membership community just for you. The blog Depot is an online course and membership community that will teach you the foundations you need to build a blog. We teach you about niching down, finding the right mindset, the best platform to build a blog on, and so much more. With monthly coaching calls inside the community, you will find the support you need to finally make your dream a reality. The doors are open to join this amazing blogging community, and we can't wait to help you.

Find the link to join the blog depot in the show notes. can't wait to help you find the link to join the blog Depot in the show notes. So ask yourself what you needed in the beginning, when you started, what kind of content did you need? What kind of encouragement did you need around that niche around that topic? And then go back to basics and deliver that message to your readers. This is also a really, really great way for people to know what your blog is about from the start. So if you just have some basic posts, like top 10 organizational tips or how to organize a pantry, just things like that. Just think about your niche and then think about those basic components that you've probably thought to yourself, how would I even write a blog post on that? Would anybody even read that? Because I don't think that's even necessary. I promise you that it is.

So I always use the example of Jennifer has shared that she wants to do kind of like a cooking school thing and talk to people about how to do things in the kitchen, such as how to cut an onion. And I thought to myself when she first shared this, huh? I mean, I guess there's probably some people out there who don't know how to cut an onion, but I wonder how much traffic that would actually get. Lo and behold, not long after Jennifer shares this idea, I'm in the kitchen cooking. And I asked my husband for some help because I, I needed some help. And he he's not normally wanting to help in the kitchen, if I'm honest, but I needed help that night. We must've been like in a hurry or something. And so I said, Hey, Kev, can you cut this onion? And he looked at me

like I had three heads and he's like, I have absolutely no idea how to cut an onion. And I thought to myself, well, Jennifer's idea of that cooking school or blog post would come in really handy right now for Kevin, who has no idea how to cut an onion. So think about that. Think about the thing that is like second nature to you. Maybe you've done it your whole life. Maybe it's a tip that your mom taught you growing up or your grandparent or something like that. And you know, this tip that nobody else does, or maybe not nobody, but not everyone does. How can you turn that into content on your blog? Something else to think about when you're thinking about creating this content that is very simplified, it's very broken down and it's basic is that that also serves as

what's called cornerstone content. And cornerstone content is really important because essentially what you're going to do is you're going to have these basic posts that are then going to link to other posts that you're going to write as you continue to share content. Why is that important? Well, when a reader comes to your site, you want them to stay on your site. This is why we tell people not to link their Instagram on the bottom of their blog. You don't want to send them into the like the black sea of abyss over on Instagram. You want them to stay on your blog. Well, how can you do that? You have links within your blog post that are going to direct them to stay on your blog. Well, how can you do that? You have links within your blog post

that are going to direct them to other posts on your blog that are going to keep them engaged. And they are going to want to stick around. They're going to want to continue to learn from you. Maybe they'll become an email subscriber because you're providing such great content. So think about how you can create that cornerstone content. That's going to come from that real basic information that you can provide surrounding your topic. Now it's most likely that you have more than one piece of content. So for instance, let's go back to the organization example. You're likely going to talk about more than just organization. So maybe you talk about if you have recipes and things as well, maybe you have some lifestyle stuff. Think about the basic ideas that you can have for those other branches within your blog as well.

And then think about the massive amount of content that you can create sharing that. It's endless. Another word of encouragement here is that we're always changing. We're always learning new things. We often say that if you're going to be a blogger, you got to learn to pivot. And I can tell you I've pivoted. I can't even tell you how many times, so many times, and that's okay because we're human beings. And I think change is absolutely necessary. If, if we're not changing and if we're not growing or dying in my opinion. And so I think that we have to think about that. And what I mean by that is if you think that you're not going to have enough to write about, I want you to remember that, that you will grow, you will change. There will be other things that are going to come into

your life in the season of your blog that you're going to want to share about. You're going to feel excited about, and it might be something that you're learning alongside your readers and just know that that is okay. I think for a long time, I know that I struggled with this. Well, I feel like I have to be like the total expert on this before I talk about it to anybody else. And that's simply not true. I can tell you that people

genuinely appreciate authenticity. They appreciate you showing up exactly as you are. And honestly, it feels so much better to do that anyways. When we can show up unapologetically who we are, share the things that light us up and that we're passionate about that shows. And those things will change quite simply. We are human beings who change. And so your ideas are going to keep flowing because you continue to change and things are going to become important to you that right now, today might not be, you might have something happen in your life that, you know, put something at the forefront that you think about more. I just, I want to encourage you to know that creating content, I know in the beginning, as you're sitting there and you're thinking about all the blog posts,

there's, there's usually two types of people. There's usually the person who has so much running through their brain because they have so many ideas that they are almost like held stagnant because they don't know where to start. And then you have the person who has the topic, but they have no idea where to go. Like, but I don't know how to write about this. Like the writing piece is going to be hard or I'm not a good writer. And so how can I have a blog? Like, I want to talk about this stuff and I want to share about it, but like, I'm really afraid that I'm not going to know how to write about it. it, but like, I'm really afraid that I'm not going to know how to write about it. I promise you that what you know about these topics can help someone. No value is too small. No value. What you know, what you are willing to share, whether it's about getting dinner on the

table, whether it's about a book review for romance novels that you couldn't put down, whether it's about tips for preschoolers or how to handle tantrums for a three-year-old or how to talk to your teenage daughter. I mean, I mean, really the topics are endless and there are always going to be people out there who need to know like where you started. They need to know that because they're in that space too. So think about how you can take it down to basics. Think about how it could be broken down. Maybe you could turn it into like a series on your blog. Like I did with the intuitive eating series and it was like 10 or 11 posts. It could even be turned like into a mini course. If this

is just like a one kind of bucket of content that you could kind of give some sneak peeks to and blog posts, but let's say you have like massive amounts of knowledge surrounding a topic. Think about how that could be turned into a mini course, or it can be turned into a freebie or an ebook that then you could drive people to sign up for your email list. You really do have a lot of options in regards to creating content. And I just want to give you that encouragement that you have value and your journey has value and it can absolutely help somebody else. So don't discount what, you know, sit down and brainstorm some of those basic ideas and then ask yourself, okay, how could I turn this into some content on social media and get

some engagement as well? Because what happens when you get engagement, whether it be on your blog or on social media or things like that is people ask questions. And those questions are all topic ideas for your blog. When people ask questions, they are giving you content ideas for your blog, because if they're asking the question, it is very likely that somebody else has the exact same question. So don't discount the questions that you're getting from people. If you have a social media following or anything like that, or the people that are commenting on your blog, those questions are gold. Those questions are people telling you exactly what they want to learn from you. So show up and give them the content that they want. show up and give them the content that they want. Know that you have purpose and know that you have value. Never underestimate the power of your journey and the power of one simple blog post

and how it could impact and change the life of somebody on the other side of that screen. Thanks so much for tuning in today. If you'd like to continue the conversation about blogging with us, please find us on Instagram at spark media concepts. You can also sign up for our weekly newsletter where we share blogging tips and inspiration. You can sign up by finding the link in the show notes. For those of you who are ready for the next step and want to start your own blog, join the waitlist for the ultimate blog bootcamp. The link to join the waitlist is also in the show notes. Go out and make today a great day.