So let’s talk time-saving hacks, also known as everything you need to know about creating outstanding digital content FAST.
Did you know that the average business owner spends 11,000 hours a week dilly-dallying about online?
Ok, that figure might not be quite accurate, but you know what I mean. We all spend an awful lot of time researching and drafting and editing and posting and commenting…
Read more: 3 ways to deal with content overwhelm
You don’t need me to tell you that having an online presence is a must. It’s how we get the word out about our genius; it’s how we attract in excitable fans; it’s how we build our little base of authority…
Read more: Sex up your blog in 10 minutes or less
But wouldn’t it be delightful if we could create that content, and be seen as that expert, without sacrificing what little time and sanity we have left?
Time is sacred. Like lasagne. Don’t waste it. Click & Tweet!
Read more: 10 tea break tasks to get your content under control
The ultimate stash of time-saving hacks for content-creating solopreneurs
In this here guide I’ve rounded up some of the best and brightest tricks and techniques to help you create inspired, interesting, insanely useful content… FAST.
Yep. We’re taking the effort and the endless to-dos out of the whole process.
For your ease, this handy collection of time-saving hacks is divided into…
Part 1: Productive habits for content creation
Part 2: Coming up with all the ideas (in none of the time)
Part 3: Super-sweet, super-smart research
Part 4: Creating knock-out content
Part 5: Adding visuals with va-va-voom
Part 6: Pimping and promoting your content
Part 7: Repurposing. Like. A. Machine.
The ultimate stash of time-saving hacks
for content-creating solopreneurs
Part 1: Productive habits for content creation
Productivity is a hobby of mine. In fact, sometimes I spend so much time reading and learning about productivity that I fall into a mad whirlpool of procrastination… and I know I’m not the only one.
However, one thing I do know is this: if you set yourself up with good, no-nonsense habits, you will save yourself an extraordinary amount of time. And not just in the realm of content creation.
Read more:
How wildly successful bloggers ignite their productivity
6 mind hacks to help you write faster
15 productivity habits for procrastinators
5 minutes to a more productive day
Is the pomodoro technique right for you?
Part 2: Coming up with all the ideas (in none of the time)
Most people I work with fall into one of two camps – either they have endless ideas and no clue what to do next or they are excellent action-takers with no inspiration.
If you consider yourself the latter, there are so so many tools, prompts, and techniques you can use to start generating inspired, interesting content ideas for your online platforms, whatever they are.
Read more:
Conquer your content with this series of idea generation hacks
5 questions to jumpstart your content ideas
20 ways to find your best content in 30 minutes or less
Brainstorm content in a fast, easy, visual way
Go wild with HubSpot’s idea generator
Part 3: Super-sweet, super-smart research
If content is king then research is queen. Click & Tweet!
You cannot create heroic digital content without relying on other sources of information; it’s arrogant to think that you can.
Incorporate expert opinions. Lean back on the stats. Use the resources at your disposal to support your claims and boost your authority.
Read more:
Smart research for busy writers
Use Trello to automate and plan killer content
Use Evernote to research like a pro, then connect your notes to get around even faster
Make the research come to you with Google Alerts
Part 4: Creating knock-out content
The actual creation part of content creation is another source of procrastination for oh so many – trust me on that one.
But, and go with me on this one, it doesn’t have to be. It can be simple. It can be easy. It can be totally 100% painless.
Read more:
A simple way to create more blog and social content in less time
Start small by creating micro-content
5 easy steps for creating great digital content (while staying sane)
23 types of audio, video and other media to make your content even more epic
8 secrets to better, quicker content creation
5 tips to create killer content and boost your business
5 idiot-proof tips to write copy for scanners, cynics, and know-it-alls
Make your content more consumable
Part 5: Adding visuals with va-va-voom
Here’s an enlightening stat for you…
If somebody hears or reads a certain piece of information, in 3 days time they will remember only 10% of that information. If that info is paired with a (relevant) image, they will remember 65%.
(Source: HubSpot)
Don’t you want your content to be memorable?
Read more:
Visual content for the creatively challenged
How to create free eye-catching images for your blog and business
Repurpose and customise stock photos
The best way to capture whatever’s on your screen
19 tools for creating engaging social media videos, images and GIFs
Part 6: Pimping and promoting your content
Somebody once told me that you should spend twice as long promoting a piece of content as you do creating it – and I totally I agree.
If you create evergreen content (i.e. stuff that won’t go out of date) you could, in theory, keep sharing it with more and more readers FOREVER… so why don’t you?
Don’t waste your past efforts, dude.
Read more:
Tools to raise your profile online
Use Tailwind to blast off your blog traffic in 10 minutes a day
Use Todoist to promote your posts in Facebook groups
Automate your social media marketing with IFTTT
Build a lead engine and make the people come to you on automatic
Part 7: Repurposing like. a. machine.
The concept of repurposing content is not a new one, but it is a POPULAR one… and rightly so!
If you have the chance to extend the lifespan and reach of a piece of quality content, you should. It doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, it rarely is.
Read more:
Avoid the insane pressures of content creation
Find your greatest hits and hidden gems
11 crafty ways to repurpose old content
Tools for repurposing content like a boss
The ultimate guide to reach more people by doing less
You’re busy, I get it. But busy does not have to mean frantic.
You can have a lot of responsibilities and still make space to market your business. And with these time-saving hacks, you’ll be able to do just that.
The ultimate stash of time-saving hacks
for content-creating solopreneurs