Content marketing is one of the most effective tactics for founders and early-stage startups.
To introduce new ideas into the market, you must educate your audience, sharpen and refine your positioning, and resonate with your messaging.
Consistently publishing a lot of content can achieve all these objectives and generate revenue with relatively little effort. But let’s be honest: consistently creating content is tough without a system.
Here’s how my content marketing machine works:
Create a Constrained Content Framework
An entrepreneur’s broad and deep mind often leads to friction and failure in content production. The solution? Constraints and density.
First, figure out your niche and then dive deep into it. Identify your topic and break it down into all its atomic parts. Explore it from every angle, and don’t avoid potential contrarian views. Make your content as simple and digestible as possible.
Repetition is your friend. Hammer your critical points until the end of time or until you sell your company for a fortune. Focus is key.
Create a Spark File
A spark file is a central repository for capturing ideas, thoughts, and inspirations. Here’s what it does for you:
1. Kills writer’s block forever: Never struggle for ideas again.
2. Organizes your thoughts: Helps you categorize and refine your content ideas.
Make your spark file the first step in planning or working through your content sessions. Whether it’s a notebook, a note app, or a productivity system, house your spark file in a place that’s easy to access and update.
When inspiration strikes, dump your idea into your spark file. Then, make an outline or draft with AI assistance. This outline or AI rough draft is your spark—not just a title.
Start in the Same Format Every Time
Consistency is crucial. Work hard to create and publish daily. A structured workflow can help:
1. Start with a blog post (long form) or a tweet/LinkedIn post (short form).
2. Transform that written piece into a video (or start here if you’re more comfortable talking than writing).
3. Finish by flipping the format—expand a short post into a long-form or distill a long post into a concise update.
Don’t Forget Distribution
1. Use platforms first: Leverage X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube before building a website or email list. Your audience is already on these platforms. Attract them with your expertise and exciting perspectives.
2. Build an owned hub: Eventually, develop a website or email list. These owned platforms will give you direct control over your audience and content distribution, empowering you to reach your audience on your terms.
By following these steps, you’ll create a content marketing machine that drives your startup forward, educates your audience, and keeps you consistently producing high-quality content. Happy creating!
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Book a strategy call with me if you want to focus on building your product and leave the demand generation to us.
