Create a Years Worth of Content in 5 Simple Steps

Can you write a new article for your website for 52 straight weeks? 

This is where I snarkily say….

Of course you can. I did.

…but no one wants to hear that.

In fact, let’s be real. Odds are you can’t. 

Writing a new post each week for a year takes dedication that most of us just don’t have.

Many of us, small business owners, are worrying about client requests, customer orders, and administrative tasks. 

Even if your entire job is to write content, you have to come up with 52 topics or ideas – AND have enough expertise to write 500 or so words on the subject. 

And what’s the reward? A few “likes” on Facebook? Doesn’t quite seem worth it.

There’s more to it than vanity metrics. Read Do Small Businesses Need to Blog?

But, I do know it’s possible and you will be rewarded (if you do it right).

And much like the 100% optimized clickbaity title suggests, I can help you achieve this goal.

[pretend this is a recipe blog and skip right to the directions]

How to Leverage Podcasts and Videos to Get Content Ideas

Most creative individuals will struggle with writers block at one point in time.

Coming up with 52 original topics sounds daunting.

It would be difficult to sit down with a blank piece of paper and write down 52 topics.

I found myself in the same situation when I sought out to write a new blog each week.

What I soon realized is that you can draw inspiration from curation.

curation – the selection, organization, and presentation of online content, merchandise, information, etc., typically using professional or expert knowledge.

There are thousands of podcasts and videos being released each week on topics you should be writing about.

Content creators have (and will) continue to publish new concepts, theories, and case studies.

All you have to do is put yourself in a situation where this content is pushed to you. (You know, like Subscribe).

Finding Niche Podcasts and Videos

It sounds pretty self-explanatory, but maybe it’s not that easy for specific industries.

I’m a digital marketer. There are hundreds of digital marketer podcasts and videos. All I have to do is type “digital marketing” in to Apple Podcasts and start subscribing.

What if you are a hair stylist or a hardware store? Finding specific topics might not be that easy.

The Generic Search

Let’s start off with a generic search. Take your industry and search “best {Industry} podcasts” in Google.

That should give you a starting point.

Now try the same for videos – “best {industry} videos”. If you don’t like the results, add the word “educational” in front of videos.

Someone out there has made a list or a webpage dedicated to helping you out.

What’s Your Customers Problem? Find Answers.

If you are having a hard time finding specific channels or feeds, think about problems you have in your business.

Do what most individuals try first….search for a solution on Google.

• How to file my own taxes?
• Make my own Walt Disney World family T-Shirt
• Is it cheaper to paint my house or hire a professional?

We all love videos, so odds are you will find a video as one of the results.

Videos in Search? Read “Ten Blue Lines” to see how they ended up so prominent.

Reverse engineer the results.

Does the content creator have more videos? Do they also have a podcast? Can I follow them on social?

Follow the Hashtag

Head over to your favorite social media platform and type in your industry in the search. Some platforms do it better than others, but follow the results.

You might land on a popular hashtag (Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok) or you might find some prominent industry leaders you can snoop on.

Long-form content (podcasts, blogs, and training videos) are great, but you can get small bite-sized information to spark your creativity.

Consume and Take Notes

You have found your fair share of content. Some content might be one-off creators while others might be producing new topics each day/week/month.

You might LOVE some of the content and HATE some of the others.

Your job right now is to gather the data.

Subscribe. Save. Bookmark.

You don’t have to listen, watch, or read. Just collect the various sources so we can create a successful process for YOU creating new content.

Create a Learning Path

52 is still a big number – even if you are jotting down topics from various sources.

But 12 – that’s a doable number.

Guess what? We have 12-months. This makes it easy to pick one topic per month.

You have yourself a list of potential sources and inspirations. Take a look at your collection.

• Do you spot reoccurring topics or themes?
• Are there episodes or titles that YOU want to listen to?
• What episodes have the most views, shares, listens, etc…?

Can you find 12 topics or subjects from just reviewing your list of video and podcasts?

Broad Topics

They can be vary broad topics. In fact, life will be easier if you just pick a broad topic.

Here’s my list from 2020:

• Email Marketing
• Google Analytics
• Website Audits
• eCommerce
• Passive Online Income
• Website Speed
• YouTube
• Website Schema
• Branding
• Keyword Research
• Content Marketing
• Time Management

Why so broad? Remember, we want to get 52-weeks worth of content…not 12.

Answering the Common Questions

In 4th grade I had to give a science project. My teachers asked what my topic was going to be and I said “snakes”. She refused and said that it was entirely too broad. I couldn’t limit the topic of snakes to a 5-minute conversation.

I tried again and said Cobras. She turned me down again. Finally, I said King Cobras. She agreeed.

Just through her exercise, I realized that my one topic was really endless topics.

I could write about snakes for the next 5-years, each month a new type of snake and each week a different characteristic or answering a new question.

• King Cobras Physical Description
• King Cobras Geographic Locations
• King Cobras Diet
• King Cobras and Humans – Discovery and Interactions

The list could really go on and on, depending on how much you learn and want to write.

Curating the Content

You made a list and now you get to start cutting.

Take a deeper look at your 12 topics. Find the episodes and videos that directly relate to your topic.

You might even want to go back and search specifically for hashtags, videos, and blogs relating to your core-broad topic.

Organize your content into your topics. These will come in handy for later.

You should be able to find some inspiration or sources to write 4-5 articles (per topic).

Gathering the Content and Generating the Outline

Part of this whole process is getting expert advice and opinions. By the end of this, you will have consumed plenty of content about you niche topic – answering questions and giving you expert advice.

Listening, Watching, and Reading

Carve out some time a month before you need to write or publish anything.

Choose the medium that works around your day.

If you drive a lot, try podcasts.

If you walk on an treadmill for exercise, try videos.

Maybe you have some downtime at night, read a blog.

Depending on how much time you can dedicate to learning, the more information you will be able to consume and choose from.

Taking Notes

Note taking can be a bit hard, especially if you are multitasking.

If you have the luxury to jot down notes, timestamps, and ideas – do so. Everyone compiles notes differently, so I do what works for you.

If you don’t have that luxury, odds are you going to want to re-watch and re-listen. Not to everything, just the content that stood out to you as the MOST HELPFUL.

Take the “most helpful” list and put yourself in a situation where you can take notes. You will likely also grab some additional insight on the second round.

Creating the Content and Publishing to the World

Not everyone is a skilled writer. I’m certainly novice at best.

Most of us can talk about our jobs.

We likely answer the same questions over and over. We also have our “spiels” when it comes to our business.

Whatever tone you use when you are talking to your customers and clients, start there.

Now that you’ve consumed a whole bunch of content, your job is to explain it in your voice, to your audience, using your opinion on what you just listened/watched.

Become the Expert

It’s likely you have a little case of imposter syndrome. These professionals may know more than you. You’ve likely listened to the industries “best of”. They have been interviewed on national podcasts and videos (which you just found).

Okay, it’s not a little case of imposter syndrome. It’s a big case of imposter syndrome.

You might want to scrap the whole idea.

Don’t.

Remember, the person reading your blog is NOT THE EXPERT. They found you because they want help.

You don’t have to be the smartest or best in your industry. You just need to be helpful for the person seeking your assistance.

Just because I wrote about Passive Online Income doesn’t mean I’m an online millionaire.

All I did was find helpful articles from possible online millionaire and explain to my audience how it works.

Yes, I listened to dozens of podcasts from experts, learning their tips, tricks, secrets, and strategies.

Hold on…correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t that the whole process of becoming an expert?!

We might need some experience and practical application, but the learning process is a great place to start.

You’ve earned the right to help people. You did the work. You can publish that blog.

Give Credit to Your Sources

You are not hijacking others work. This isn’t plagiarism – or shouldn’t be.

Your job is to give your opinion, practical experience, suggestions, and tactics.

If you developed your thoughts based on a video or podcast, share it in your article. Link to a blog if you found interesting facts.

What makes these articles unique is your opinion and ability to bring together your sources into YOUR article. YOUR audience will be exposed to new creators because YOU created something.

I’ve discovered so many new thought leaders and experts from reading other blogs.

You may drop in a statistic or quote that was originally found in a different blog. As long as you don’t claim credit, you are helping out the author/creator. Link and link often.

Clockwork – Process for On-Going Content

You won’t run out of content.

I repeat…you won’t run out of content.

Industries will change. You will change.

Your opinion on the same topic might shift in three years.

There might be 100 new podcasts released since the last time you covered a topic.

Cover it again.

Go back and update your old article.

Share it again to your audience.

Focus on the process and the content will come.

How Long Does It Take?

You have to set aside some time to write.

Some people might need to take several hours per article. Others might be able to hammer out a few in the same period.

It will take longer when you first start. It’s important to keep track of how long these tasks take.

• How long did it take you to find “content of inspiration”?
• How long did it take you to consume your “content of inspiration”?
• How long does it take you to write and publish your article?

After a few sample articles, you will be able to know how long it takes you to complete one article.

Once a Month or Once a Week

I’ve tried it several different ways.

The pros of doing it once a month:

• Easier to organize your thoughts from one article to the next
• You can get in a rhythm
• Less switch-tasking

If you block out the majority of your day, you might be able to finish all of your content for one month. That is an amazing feeling.

Others might like to go week-to-week:

• More flexibility to fit into your schedule
• Single focus on your content
• Less fatigue when writing

Remember: your content DOES not have to work like a weekly television show. It can be Netflix. Drop them all at once if you’d like. The goal isn’t to have one article per week. The goal is 52 articles for the year.

And to be honest, 52 is also a made-up number. The goal is really to produce consistent content and have a process for making this easy.

Easy and Predictable

As I was writing this, I thought to myself,

“Easy? This sounds awful complex and time-consuming”.

I think it looks worse in writing. Here is really what it comes down to:

• Consume educational content while you are doing other activies
• Revisit the best content you’ve consumed
• Give your opinion on these topics

Most of my consumption was done while I was walking on a treadmill or driving my kids to school. Most of the writing took place while I was waiting in my car for pick-up.

The only time I dedicated specifically to the process was when I was taking notes and putting the final touches on the article (images, formatting, and such).

I knew exactly when I could listen/watch, write, and format. All I had to do was fit it in my schedule.

Once you get the hang of it and see an opportunity, you will fit in “the work”. Yes, you might have to fit off the urge to check TikTok or Facebook, but if your goal is to advance your business online through content marketing, that’s a decision you will have to make.

Time vs. Money – Content Marketing

It always come down to Time or Money.

If you are reading this, you value your money more than time.

You could always hire a freelance writer or a content marketing company to do this work for you. All you have to do is ask how much it would cost and/or if you could do it yourself – cheaper?

It’s not a matter of if it works. It does.

It’s really a discussion based on if you want to use content marketing as a strategy to grow your business.

Many don’t. Many utilize traditional marketing. They pay for billboards, radio, and television spots.

This works for them and I’m not one to criticize.

Actually, who am I kidding, I’m a digital marketer.

Of course I will criticize.

Everyone should attempt content marketing.

Just like everyone should try traditional marketing.

They all work. It’s just a matter of time vs. money.

I don’t have the time to create a television network so I can air my own commercials. And maybe I don’t have the money to buy airtime on someone else’s network.

There’s an easier entry point for content marketing, so why not give it a try.