If someone asked me how to be a content creator today after my 11-year journey, these are the things I would prioritize in my content creator strategy. Starting as a content creator is an exciting and rewarding experience. I launched my blog more than a decade ago after doing freelance writing and earning a master’s degree in Professional Writing and I wanted an outlet to pursue my passions. While I wouldn’t change the path I took, if I were to start over knowing what I know now, these are the steps I would take.
Look at Content Creation Like a Business, Not a Hobby
I didn’t realize how powerful my blog could be when I first launched it. If I were starting over, I’d think more strategically. Knowing what I know now, I would have offered services or products tailored to my niche, helping moms in the season of life they’re in. Today, if I were just starting, I would have a service or product to offer right away. Alternatively, I’d use affiliate links to point people to helpful products or services.
Niche Down From the Beginning
Although my platform has always focused on moms, when my kids were younger, I didn’t specifically target new moms or moms with young kids. If I were starting from scratch today, I would create content specifically for that group. I now see the power of niching down and targeting a smaller segment of a larger market. I also recognize the value of having an ideal customer. There is so much power in becoming a thought leader or expert in your niche—more customers, a loyal following, targeted solutions, and much more.
Related: Steps to Find Your Business Niche
Prioritize My Email List
I didn’t realize how important building an email list was at first. Because I didn’t understand its power, I treated it as an afterthought and didn’t proactively try to get sign-ups. Having a strong email list is far more valuable than social media followers because you’re not limited by an algorithm that only shows your content to a fraction of your audience. With an email list, you can directly connect with subscribers, ensuring more people see your content. This is incredibly helpful for announcing a product launch or simply keeping your followers updated.
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Learn SEO Sooner
I didn’t start implementing SEO until a few years ago. Even though my blog posts were ranking because I covered unique celebrity mom topics, a more strategic SEO approach would have helped them rank sooner, allowing me to reach a larger audience. Today, I would leverage this knowledge to monetize posts, secure more brand partnerships, and drive more traffic to my platform.
Prioritize My Content Themes Across All Platforms
Content themes weren’t something I focused on when I first started, and honestly, I didn’t have a plan for them. I simply posted based on what I felt led to share. If I were starting over today, I’d establish clear content themes for all my platforms—blog, podcast, and social media—from the very beginning. I would define 3-5 core themes to consistently cover, ensuring both my audience and social media algorithms knew what to expect from me. This keeps ideal customers engaged and returning for more.
Have a Project Management System
Organization is not my strongest attribute. If I had set up Google Docs and used a project management system from the start, I would have been far more organized and efficient. Today, I would ensure I had a system in place to keep my personal life, business tasks, and goals all in one place. This makes you more productive and keeps you focused on your priorities.
Have a Social Media Plan
When I first started, my social media strategy was simply to get on every platform I could think of—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and more—without a real plan. I just posted whatever I felt like. Because I’ve niched down, rebranded, and gone through multiple brand refreshes over the years, many of my current audience members are not my ideal customers.
If I had started with a clear niche and an ideal customer in mind from the beginning, it would have significantly improved engagement and my overall content strategy. Today, I would implement a social media content strategy that aligns with my rotating themes, ensuring consistency and better audience connection.
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