The 3 Pillars of Content Creation12/20/2024Hey Reader, Today I'm going to lay out the 3 major content pillars that you should be focusing on when you create content. These pillars are the framework for you to make engaging content that provides value to your audience through different methods. You implement these 3 pillars in your content you will see a difference in the response you get from your audience and you will have more fun making content. That's the whole point, right? Let's get into it. Pillar 1: EducationalThis pillar is usually the first thing people think of when they think of value-adding content for people. You go to YouTube to learn how to change your tire on your car. Who do you watch? ChrisFix. You have someone that you watch that teaches you how to do things. This is educational. You know how to do something that is a valuable skill. You can take photos and turn them into pieces of art, photography. You can take raw wood and turn it into a table, carpenter. You can knit a sweater. Anything that you can do, you can teach. And no, it doesn't matter if there are 1,000 other people who can knit a sweater that makes content. All that matters is that you put yourself in the videos. You tell them how to do the things, step by step. You make it entertaining and informational. You put your quirky self into it. You do it in a unique environment, like knitting on the subway. Somehow, you make your video unique. Educational content is great to teach your audience how you do what you do. Take my POV content, for instance. It may not seem like it, but it's built on the educational framework. I'm literally showing you how I do my photoshoots. Simple as that. Think about what you do, the steps it takes to do it, then document it. Post it. Today. Pillar 2: InspirationalThis is one where you tug at the heart strings of your audience. Maybe you've gone through an experience that taught you a lesson. Maybe you've achieved something great that you want to share with others and what it took to get there. Maybe you just have a bunch of B-Roll clips of you doing simple things and you use trending motivational audio. Whatever the method, inspirational content is to help your audience FEEL inspired to go do SOMETHING. I emphasize those two words because we are targeting a feeling and turning that into action for the viewer. You ever watch a video of something cleaning their house and think, "Man that house is super clean, I should clean mine." Or have you ever seen those videos where someone is using clips of them at the gym, on a run at the crack ass of dawn and then think, "I wanna go lift weights". Congrats, you'd consumed inspirational content. Creators use this type of content to tap into the emotions of their viewers. Often times you post inspirational content and you get thoughtful comments. I've had similar contents where someone will say that I've inspired them to pick up a camera again after giving up 5 years ago, all because of the content I post. I don't tell anyone to do anything. But when I SHOW them what I do and put the emotion into the edit, they FEEL the emotion and feel the inspiration to go do literally anything. This is a great way to also put your own emotion into it. Me being who I am, I create better inspirational content when I myself feel a certain mood. Sad. Is it healthy? No probably not, but my art comes out more intense when I feel what I portray. This content is powerful to make your audience look to you as their North Star. They feel connected with you. Use it. Show how you can inspire others. Pillar 3: PersonalThis pillar is the hardest for people to do, including myself. This is where you get vulnerable. And that word... is very important. You can have 3,000 creators that do photography content and show you all the cool tips and tricks. You can have the repeat content methods of trending audio with some cool snappy shots. But you can't have the same personal experiences and stories. This is where you become a 1 of 1. No matter where you are in life, you have experiences. You experienced trauma, pain, loss, growth. You experienced something that taught you a valuable lesson. You made mistakes that you learned from. You achieved something that is unique to you. You had an insightful conversation with your family member. You interacted with a stranger that brought you clarity and perspective. When you share your life experiences, break away your shell and show your true self, you immediately separate yourself from this crowded market. You are now the one person in the 8 billion people on this planet that others want to hear from. Because you shared something that's not often shared. You let yourself become an open book. And you didn't care what others would think. Because what you're experiencing now or have experienced, others have as well. And they will look to you and see themselves in you. And that, my friends, is the connection that no one else can replicate. You are a unique story. You are relatable to more people than you think. Sit in front of a camera and share a story that taught you something. There is a method I learned from Gannon Meyer, called "The Man in the Hole". This is a storytelling method I learned recently and I want to give credit to Gannon for teaching me it. You may not think it, but there is something that you have experienced or currently are going through that someone else will relate to. To really stand out from the crowd, you MUST be able to become vulnerable and share your story. No one else has your exact story. And now you're that 1 of 1. Go film yourself talking to camera like you'd talk to a friend. Do it once daily to get comfortable. Don't have to post it unless you want to. Then, when you've gotten it down, post it. Final thoughtsThese are the pillars I use in my content strategy and it has helped me grow to over 150k people in under a year. Not because I did something crazy, because I was myself. I provided value in these three ways. And I did it every day. You can share as much in each pillar. I recommend doing a mixture of content to get the different parts of your audience. Out of the 150k+ I have, majority likes the educational and inspirational content. The smallest group likes my personal content, but that content is what sells me as a figure for them. And that group, the smallest one, is the easiest to sell to when it comes to products and services. And if you've read this far in, you are likely one of those people. How do I know this? Because newsletters are built using the same pillars. From my family to yours, wherever you are and whatever you celebrate. Happy Holidays P.S. Our community has evolved and moved - check out the new name below. Foreshadowing my workshop coming soon. So stay tuned. What Can I Help You With? |
Showcasing my photography journey to help inspire other photographers
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