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I’m not gonna lie, I may have mastered this whole content creation process. Okay that’s maybe a little bit of a lie because clearly I am not always the most perfect at it. But I really do nerd out on the idea of creating content and planning content. I seriously could do it for fun, I know, super weird. 

The coolest part about it is, you have noticed how much time and effort I put into creating content. On a pretty regular basis, someone will message me asking how I am able to create and post on so many platforms. And truthfully it’s a ton of work. 

And I did not start off by doing everything all at once either. I have really spent a ridiculous amount of time figuring out a content strategy and schedule that works for me and how I am able to actually, plan, create, post and just plain execute the thing.

The planning process is fun for me. The actual creating part… well, it’s a lot more time consuming. 

And with that, I have always let hurdles stand in my way which held me back from getting things done too. So take it from me, DONE is better than perfect. 

Posting the darn thing even if the lighting isn’t great, is better than not posting at all. I could go on and on about that but don’t worry I will save that soap box for another time. 

For today, we are just focusing on step 1. Choosing the actual platform you are going to be creating on. So let’s get into it.

The Difference Between Micro And Macro Content

You are likely going to hear of 2 different types of content platforms pretty regularly. I personally tend to call them Micro & Macro content platforms. You also may hear of them referred to as long form or short form, or primary content and secondary content. 

Different names that all mean the same thing.

Macro content is your main hub for your content. This looks like blog posts, podcast episodes, youtube videos, etc. Whereas your micro content plays more of a supporting role to your macro content. Typically micro content is things like social media, Instagram, an email newsletter, etc.

When you are first starting to create a content strategy I would only focus on 2 of these things. 1 Macro platform and 1 micro platform. Once you get into a system, then you can begin to add more into your strategy if you want. 

Who Is Your Content For?

Before committing to a content platform, you need to have a clear idea of who your content is for. Who is your ideal client, or target audience? This is the person that is going to be seeing your content and taking away something from it. 

For example: Let’s say you are a hairstylist. You might be tempted to say that your audience is anyone who wants to have their hair done. But that is a very vague clientele and will not resonate much. Get more specific than that.

Maybe you are a hair stylist specializing in bohemian braided updos. THAT is specific and will help you figure out where your target audience may be hanging out at. Chances are, for something like hair styles, people are going to watch more Youtube videos and tutorials on how to DIY certain looks. 

If you are a chef or a cook of some kind, a blog is probably the best option because most people want to skip ahead to the recipe itself and not watch you talk a bunch on how to do something. 

How To Choose A Platform

Once you know who your audience is that you are going to be serving and attracting, then you need to ask yourself some questions in order to find out what content platform is going to best suit your needs as well as your personality. 

Ask yourself: Do I prefer to be on video, write long posts, or talk only? This is how you can decide whether or not you would want to do a Podcast, video show/Youtube channel, or a Blog.

You also need to think about which of these things feels easy and enjoyable for you so that you can be able to show up and create consistently. So many creators and business owners drop the ball with content creation because they make too big of a promise for themself to keep.

If sitting down to film, edit, and publish a Youtube video at least once per week seems like a lot, then maybe do not go for that one. But let me say this too, do not let the idea of perfection hold you back from creating on a platform that you want either. 

Sure you need to be realistic with yourself and your time, but also, give yourself grace to learn, grow and just start somewhere. 

Sometimes we think that it’s too much work to put out a video every week because we want that video to be our idea of perfection. We set ourselves up to fail and not be consistent by having too many barriers to entry. 

Things like, the perfect camera or audio set up, or not having the motivation to do your hair and makeup to film new youtube videos all the time. Chances are, the more barriers you create for yourself, the less likely you are going to be consistent and show up. 

Be honest with yourself. What comes easy to you? Writing? Talking? Performing? Showing your face? Start there!

After you decide on your Macro content, then you need to pick your micro content. This is typically a lot easier because it’s likely what you are already spending the most time on. Social media. Overall I would say Instagram is the most popular option for Micro content, and if you love the good ol’ IG then I say go for it!

The nice thing about creating micro/supporting content, is that the hard work is already done for you! 

You already have the meat of what you want to say done. Now you can summarize or straight copy and paste a blurb and use it as a caption!

The goal of Micro content is to drive your audience to your macro content. People may find you on social media, but that’s just the beginning of the relationship. You want to try to get them onto your website to expand, grow and nurture this little baby relationship. 

When In Doubt, Blog It Out

If you are still stuck on what to do, my recommendation is always to start a blog, and here’s why. A blog lives on your website whereas a video show lives on Youtube, and a podcast lives on a podcast hosting platform. Now there is absolutely no harm in those other 2 things, BUT personally, at least for me, if I am going to do a video or a podcast, I am also going to have a corresponding blog post to go with it where I can embed the original content.

That way, anytime I want to link that particular piece of content, I can link the blog post instead of the direct video. What this will do is bring more people onto my actual website which is my main goal anyway!

Now that is not something I would suggest for a new creator because it adds a lot of extra steps. That’s why I think starting with a blog is great because you are beginning with content that is straight on your website from the beginning and it doesn’t require you to have any fancy equipment. Just the internet! 

Having content being hosted on your own website allows you to be in charge of your user experience. When we rely on 3rd party platforms like Instagram or Youtube only, we are putting the control in those owner’s hands. But on your own website YOU are in control because you own your website. 

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, all that really matters is that you choose something you can stay committed to. The more time and energy you put into being consistent in one platform the faster the results are going to be for you.

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