Finding the sweet spot
Gary Bloomer | SHAKING THE TREE #179
Content creation gets more challenging every day.
It’s a constant grind between remaining relevant and chipper, between getting knocked down and getting back up again, and between thinking about packing it all in and carrying on, coming out slugging once again.
On one hand there’s the constant need to be cheerful, creative, and ‘on’ producing engaging and original material that captivates your audience’s attention and that gets them involved and eager to hear more.
On the other, there’s the continual need to be relentless, focused, and strategic to the point of being cunning, all while working your ass off to ensure your content aligns with your business goals while also resonating with your target audiences interests, passions, and comfort levels.
Holy moly!
What’s the answer?
To be honest I’m not sure there is an answer, but if there is such a thing, it’s the need —no, the necessity—to find a happy medium—to arrive at place of comfort and compromise, a certain somewhere in the middle of the madness and wonder, if you will that works for you.
Finding the sweet spot between the laundry list of demands on today’s content creator—getting the mix just right, not too much of that, not too little of this, being up, ream=remaining on point—is crucial for your success.
However, it’s easy to make one of two mistakes:
You fall into the creativity hole: You get so focused pursuing your artistic expression—churning out beautiful content that no one sees or engages with—that you lose sight of needing to keep your readers interested.
You stumble into the strategy loophole: You become so focused on numbers, and data, and algorithms (oh, my!) that your content turns into bland, dull, predictable, and ultimately ineffective clap trap.
It’s also super easy to see yourself as just another voice, screaming into the void, a voice that wonders why you bother.
The answer to that last point is to keep going, to be relentless, unstoppable, and committed to your outcome no matter what.
The road to success is littered with would be stars who quit just before things turned around, and sadly, NONE of us know when they moment in time will arrive.
So, other than not quitting, how do you strike the right balance?
1. Define your audience:
Before you even start brainstorming ideas, get to know your audience inside and out.
Do you:
know what their interests are?
understand their pain points?
know what kind of content they already consume?
If not, take time to find out.
The more you understand your audience and whatever it is they’re looking for, the sooner you can tailor your content to their needs and preferences.
2. Set clear goals:
What do you want to achieve with your content?
Is it to increase brand awareness?
Drive traffic to your website?
Generate leads?
Define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to guide your content strategy.
3. Research and plan:
Once you have a clear understanding of your audience and your goals, conduct thorough research.
Explore trending topics, analyze your competitors' content, and identify content gaps in your industry.
Use this information to create a content calendar that outlines your publishing schedule and ensures a consistent flow of content.
4. Embrace constraints:
While creativity is essential, constraints can actually spark innovation.
Set limitations for yourself, such as word count limits, specific keywords, or time constraints.
These limitations can help you focus and prevent you from getting lost in endless brainstorming sessions.
5. Experiment and iterate:
Don't be afraid to try new things and experiment with different formats, styles, and platforms.
Analyze the performance of your content using metrics like engagement, reach, and conversions.
Use this data to refine your strategy and identify what resonates best with your audience.
6. Prioritize quality over quantity:
It's better to produce a few high-quality pieces of content than a flood of mediocre ones.
While it’s tempting to roll out a lot of junk, don’t. Everyone else is doing just that and you want to stand out.
Focus on creating content that’s informative, valuable, and engaging.
7. Remember the human element:
While numbers of readers and data and analytics are important, ultimately, you're creating content for people, not for machines. So write as you’d talk. Be yourself. That’s what people respond to: originality and authenticity.
By infusing your work with your passion and personality you can’t help but create an emotional connection with your audience.
Finding the sweet spot between creativity and strategy is an ongoing process.
It requires continuous learning, experimentation, and adaptation.
By focusing on your audience, setting clear goals, and embracing a data-driven approach, you can create content that is both engaging and effective.
As always, thanks for reading.
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P.S. Next time on Shaking the Tree … Lessons from the fall and rise of Notre Dame
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Originally from the U.K., Gary Bloomer is a writer, branding advocate, marketing specialist, and an award-winning graphic designer.
His design work has been included in Creative Review (one of the UK’s largest design magazines). Since 2009, he has answered over 5,000 marketing and business questions in the Know-How Exchange of MarketingProfs.com, placing him among the top 3% of contributors. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.