How to love your content marketing again… after a hiatus and a serious dip in motivation
I’m writing this blog post from a very personal space. Because I fell out of love with my content marketing. I was doing it for other people. Other businesses. But I wasn’t doing it for myself and my brand - because I lost motivation. And honestly, I’m gonna use a business cliché here but I was working IN my business and not ON my business.
(Now I don’t write this to be harsh to myself. Quite the opposite. I had a baby!!! In a pandemic. A PANDEMIC! And in the 9 months or so leading up to this little ball of life-changing-havoc arriving, I must admit I was in panic mode. So, the things that matter - because content marketing does matter - got cut.)
So here we are. I’m back. And I feel this fresh wave of motivation hit me. Ethan is with a childminder a couple of days a week. My parents help out. He sleeps in the evenings (for now! I bet I’ve jinxed it now!). And I’m physically more free to get stuck back in. And mentally free. My mind is brimming with ideas again - because it’s not so occupied by milk feeds and Cocomelon.
BUT (and this is a big BUT!) it has NOT been easy. It’s a common misconception that when you’re a creative, a content creator or a copywriter, you can just do it. You are always inspired. And you always have ideas. NOPE. And if you ever meet someone who tells you they are, I call bullsh*t.
Read ahead to learn the practical ways that I have become motivated with my content marketing again - to see if it can help you. Because whether you’re a fellow freelancer or a small business owner, you’ll have a responsibility to drive content as part of your marketing strategy. And when you lose that spark, it feels so bloody hard to get it back.
Take a break
An obvious one. But there’s no point staring at your laptop for hours hoping a great idea will come into your head. I can tell you that before I wrote this blog post, I went to clean the bathroom and hoover Ethan’s bedroom because I just wasn’t feeling it. Now I’m sitting back down with a cuppa, the words are coming easily to me. There is never ever point forcing it.
Bonus tip: go for a dog walk. Something about fresh air and seeing your dog bounding about just does something to your mind!
Listen to a podcast
It doesn’t have to be within your industry or vocation. Just any podcast that interests you. In fact, I encourage you to listen to something completely unrelated, even. It’s amazing how listening to someone telling a story could inspire you. If you do listen to something specific to your area of expertise, imagine having a conversation with this person. You’ll naturally feel yourself nodding along anyway so talk back - and see where you get!
Read a (business) book for 10-15 minutes a day
I like to have something on my bedside table to flick through. It doesn’t have to be extensive but those few minutes digesting something new can help spark inspiration.
Create an ideas bank
You don’t always have to be at your desk, on a Monday, at 9 am to come up with those ideas. Content ideas come to me at the strangest times. I could be putting a load of washing on and have an idea. So, jot it down somewhere - and refer back to this in times of UGH.
Bonus tip: Make sure your content bank is centralised - so it’s always easy to locate. Choose a Google doc or one specific notepad. So much better than having five notepads, two google docs and a Canva board to muddle your brain further. I recommend something electronic so you can access it on your phone when you’re out and about.
Listen in and do your research
Chances are you’re already somewhat connected with your audience, so go see what they’re up to. Go on Instagram, visit their profiles, check out any DMs they’ve sent you - there will be pain points and challenges within the content they post. It could be as simple as “I’m feeling overwhelmed with X, Y or Z’ and therefore, you could share a simple hack to support that.
Remember not everything has to have a sales angle to it
The beauty of content marketing is that it has many strands. And there is a reason for doing non-commercial posts. Perhaps posting something lighthearted showcases your fun brand personality. Sometimes it’s easy to overthink content when really we need to take the pressure off, relax, let go and play around with it.
Reuse and recycle
What have you posted before that worked well? How can you revamp this and post it again? Don’t be afraid to rinse and repeat great content. No, don’t post exactly the same thing - but the same message or an update is a fantastic way to start.
Just start (and tell yourself you’re excited to start!)
Sometimes the way we speak to ourselves hugely hampers our ability to create.
I don’t know where to start
I am boring
I have nothing to say
I can’t contribute to the wider conversations
I sound rubbish compared to my competitors
What’s the point?
And this negative self-talk stops us from just having a go. But actually what if you thought about it like this:
I’m excited to give it a go
I can do this
It’s going to be fun
What’s the worst that can happen?
It’s amazing what we can create when we change our mindset. Because just getting started is often the best way. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It doesn’t even need to be the right direction. The online world is fast-paced and fast-evolving so if you did two months of content and then switched direction, great! At least you would have learnt from what you’ve done so far! Chalk it up to experience, be experimental and enjoy the process.
Finally, know that it’s ok to not love every minute
Whether you’ve stopped for two weeks or two years, it’s okay. You can get back into it and all is not lost. Sometimes there is a scary message in small business life that if you’re not consistent with content marketing, you’ll fail. This isn’t strictly true when you look at the whole picture. You probably fell out of love with writing regular blog posts or posting on social media. But that doesn’t mean your business failed. You were probably busy and couldn’t focus. Getting back into your content marketing can be a breath of fresh air and help you refocus or even redesign the route you’re going in - and that’s exciting. It’s certainly how I feel.
Get a little bit of help
When it comes to writing a good blog post or planning your next social calendar, do you feel exasperated? That’s ok. Often you just need a little nudge in the right direction or to know that someone is there to do the bits you don’t like (or don’t have time for). I’d love to help so say hello and let me know how you’re struggling.
