Do you have a creator’s block? Don’t worry I got you!

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the blog

by sarah elrod

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Are you a Content Creator that struggles with Creators Block? This is the post for you!

The other day I was on TikTok Live, because apparently I do that now… and someone asked me what it is that I do for a living and I paused awkwardly because I never quite know how to answer that question. 

I usually throw out that I am a wedding photographer, and then slowly hesitate to say I am also a podcaster, business educator and…. Content creator??

I can feel my voice getting shaky just saying those words out loud. We live in this new up and coming generation where content creators are a real thing. It’s a career path that was never around until recently but why does it feel so yucky to say?

Maybe because of how new it is, and we worry that some people just won’t understand. The same thing goes for the word “influencer” right? Everything hears that and secretly we all eye roll. But the fact of the matter is, Content Creators are taking over and are here to stay.

Believe it or not, you too are actually a content creator. That’s right. If you are producing literally any kind of content whether it be photos, videos, audio, or writing… you create content. 

Where do you feel stuck as a content creator?

Now, you may be thinking one of two things. Either “Sarah I do not think of myself as a content creator I don’t want to be that SOS”

Or “Sarah I am aware that I am creating content and want to continue, but it just feels like such a burden. There are so many trends and platforms to keep up with!”

If you fall on either side of these statements then keep listening because today we are breaking all of this down and I am going to be helping guide you along your content creation journey whenever you feel like you are stuck in a rut of what to do next.

My Schedule As A Content Creator

As some of you may know, I am currently a one woman show. Many times I have thought about bringing on an assistant but just have not pulled the plug yet. And for being someone who is creating and producing all of my own content I was shocked when I looked at how much I am actually pumping out each week. 

There are 2 podcast episodes twice per week on mondays and wednesdays, blog posts that go along with those podcasts episodes as well as youtube videos. Then there are Instagram posts on the Podcast instagram account as well as my personal Instagram account. There is my facebook group for the podcast, and not to mention the blogging, youtube videos and newsletters that go along with my Making Of Elrod Ranch brand too.

In total it’s about 3 instagram posts daily, a blog posts almost daily, a newsletter a few times a week, videos, Pinterest posts and so on.

Holy moly that’s a lot of content. 

Why Create So Much Content?

Why do I choose to create so much content? The short answer is I love to do this. Being a content creator has been such a fun way to market my business but also it’s how I can be creative sitting at home. I am a marketing nerd and love coming up with strategies and content marketing is a winner in my book.

The longer, more complicated answer is, because the world is changing and moving at a more rapid pace than ever before. People are losing their attention spans by the minute and crave fast results, and quick information. 

In order to keep up with this, you need to be pumping out an insane amount of content. And before anyone freaks out who has a different opinion than me let me just say this. Is it possible to succeed and grow by producing less content? Absolutely. There are ALWAYS exceptions. However, I like to use this analogy.

If you have fitness goals for yourself and you go to the gym 2 times a week, sure you will eventually reach those goals over a period of time. But will you reach those fitness goals a heck of a lot faster if you went to the gym every single day? Yes. Of course.

My life is currently just me and my husband, so I also understand that I have the time to do this. I do not have kids and this is my full time job. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. There is a lot to get done at this one woman show and sometimes I drop the ball and that’s okay.

The most important thing is I do my best to stay consistent and show up whenever I can.

Content Creator Mental Blocks To Get Over

If you want to up level your content creation game, there are a couple of mental blocks you need to get out of your head.

First, you need to know that in today’s world – creating content is non negotiable. It doesn’t matter what form of content it is and you do not need to be on every single platform. But you do need to be on at least one, producing good quality and consistent content. 

The reason for this is because the “If you build it they will come” mentality Is not true. Have you ever started something and thought to yourself “oh yeah all I have to do is post a picture of what I sell and bam… the money is going to roll in”. How did that work for you?

Sure maybe your mom and grandma will buy some things and maybe a few facebook friends but after a while if all you are doing is posting the stuff you sell with no other form of content to go with it? The flame is going to burn out.

Creating An Online Experience

With today’s society being the way it is, people are building businesses based on experiences digitally. That means your client experience should go beyond just the purchasing process. 

You should be making content that is educational, inspirational, or entertaining.

By doing this consistently, you are going to be creating a like, know and trust factor with your audience and customers. If you can build that for Someone who isn’t ready to buy from you yet 

You’ve hit the gold mine because they will remember you for whenever they do need your product or service.

Things A Content Creator Typically Gets Wrong

1. Not thinking about the customer journey or client experience 

Your client journey starts the moment someone stumbles across your brand. This could be someone who is ready to buy right away or maybe someone who you need to guide along a journey or experience. This is done through your content creation process and roadmap. 

The content you create should be anticipating the questions that people have and answering them. It should be giving an inside look at what people can expect from you. And then also content that is relatable so that you can build connections with them. I highly suggest checking out episode 029 of the branded cowgirl podcast to learn more about the online marketing basic foundation. 

2. Spending too much time creating and not enough time promoting their content

There is a trap that a lot of content creators fall into and it’s spending way too much time on the creating process and less on the promotional side. What this means is creators will just create, hit publish and go right back to creating again. 

But here’s the thing, if you are creating content that is valuable and GOOD why would you not spend more time making sure other people see it?

You worked hard to make it, make sure you work hard at getting it out into the world. Use it as a reference whenever people ask you questions. If you are a wedding photographer and a bride asks you for help on a timeline, you can refer her to a blog post you wrote that has tips for creating a wedding timeline.

If you are a western boutique owner and you have customers asking how to style certain pieces, you can refer them to a youtube video you made on that exact topic. It’s a way of serving your people without really having to put much effort into it because you only had to create the content 1 time. 

3. Give your content longevity

This goes along with the previous point, but do whatever you can to stretch out your content. You can literally produce 1 piece of content and then cross post on other platforms. 

For example… this podcast episode will have a written form that goes on the blog. There will also be a quicker more “straight to the point” video on youtube on the same topic. Then I can produce probably 3-5 instagram posts based on the blog copy and podcast transcripts. I will make reels/TikToks using the audio and video clips from the youtube video and maybe a shorter IGTV type video as well. A newsletter will get sent out that touches all of these platforms drawing attention to them as well. Finally, there will be a pinterest pins that get posted, and these have a really long shelf life.

Instagram itself said that it will shelf your content after about 3-5 hours of posting, or at max 24 hours. Whereas, platforms like Pinterest have about a 30 day shelf life. Blogs, youtube videos and podcasts are all longer forms of content that should be your main source of content creation and use Instagram as just the supporting roll since it is less likely to stick around. 

4. Have an end result in mind 

One of the last things that people tend to get wrong with creating content is they do not have some kind of end result in mind. Do not create just for the sake of creating. That’s how you burn out and get Creators block. 

Instead, think about what kind of promotions you are going to do throughout the year and what types of things you are wanting to focus on. Then you can create content around those promotions. The content will point people in the direction of eventually buying from you.


Resources:

GET 10% OFF WHEN YOU SHOP AT FARM GIRL BOUTIQUE (USE CODE SARAHE10 AT CHECKOUT TO SAVE)

TUNE INTO EPISODE 049 : USING PINTEREST FOR YOUR BUSINESS

TUNE INTO EPISODE 029: THE ONLINE MARKETING BASIC FOUNDATION

howdy!

I'm Sarah Elrod

The Podcast

Rural Lifestyle

Personal

Business

I'm a Cowgirl turned serial entrepreneur.
I'm a horse trainer, western wedding photographer, business coach and ranch wife.
I help women in the western industry grow thriving businesses from rural America.
When I am not strategizing new marketing tactics, you will find me riding my horses, cuddling my cattle dog, or kissing my hot husband.
There is also a good chance I am buying way too many outfits from western boutiques.

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