Ask any successful creator how they amassed growth and success, and the answer often will be ‘consistency.’ The Oxford Dictionary defines consistency as ‘the quality of achieving a level of performance which does not vary greatly in quality over time.’ For many creators, myself included, staying consistent is a struggle and something we grapple with. Having the discipline to do what you intend to do and doing it are two different things. Throw procrastination in the mix and you see your problems compound.
With over five years since starting my career as a content creator – columnist, YouTuber, blogger, podcast host and digital creator, I have invested many hours learning how to become consistent. In this blog post, I share some of the strategies that are helping me achieve my goals.
- Set clear goals and objectives.
Whenever I write or speak on personal finance matters, I often reference the SMART goals framework that requires that we set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound. The same applies to content creation.
Setting clear goals, that are specific and realistic is key. What do you want to achieve by creating content? Are you looking for growth or followers?
To answer this question, it is important to clearly define your WHY!
‘Why are you creating?’
‘For whom are you creating?’
‘Why is it important to create this?’
With the above in mind, the next step is to carve out a strategy to achieve the goals which outlines how to achieve the goals, implementation plan and strategic partnerships required to execute the plan. Then prioritise building a brand, growing an audience and then treating your brand as a business. A mistake new and existing creators make is treating their brands like ‘side hustles’ and often show up unprofessionally or inconsistently.
- Choose the right social media platforms.
An important pillar of your content strategy lies in selecting the right platform that aligns with what you are creating and for whom you are creating. Ask yourself questions such as ‘does my target audience prefer this platform?’ ‘Is the platform suitable for the content I am creating?’ ‘Does the platform align with my business goals?’
Focusing on the right platform and where your target audience is most active will help you stay consistent in the long run. It is also key to invest time to learn and understand how the platform works. A trick that helps me as a creator is analysing the data and using it to make decisions. So, learn and use your analytics.
‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.’
Benjamin Franklin
- Create a content calendar and implement it.
As the saying by Benjamin Franklin goes ‘If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.’ This holds for content creators too. Planning is an important ingredient to staying consistent. Create a system and have processes to help you structure your content, for example creating a content calendar that maps out which content you are creating this week or month and for which platform. Have clear timelines and a schedule for when the content will be published or uploaded, for instance, you can decide to post on social media every Monday. This will help your community know when to engage with your content. Again, use your analytics to inform when your audience is most active and online.
A hack I have learned and implemented for my YouTube channel and podcast is bulk shooting ahead of time. I shoot three to four episodes in advance then upload and schedule them. This has helped me stay more consistent.
- Engage and interact with your audience.
What makes being a creator exciting, at least for me, is the community that you build that genuinely enjoys connecting and engaging with you. As a content creator, consistently engaging and interacting with your audience is important. Schedule time to respond to messages, comments and mentions. Initiate conversations and questions on relevant and interesting trends or topics. This shows your community that you value and care for them.
In summary, being consistent is NOT easy, especially if the number of views or likes is low which can be disheartening. Remember your WHY, focus on creating and be patient with your growth. I believe that there is no overnight success, slow and steady wins the race. So, be consistent, have a strategy and adjust where necessary.
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