#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Productivity Hacks

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Productivity Hacks

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Do you ever struggle to stay on track when it comes to content creation? If so, you are in the right place! In this week’s #ContentWritingChat, we talked all about Content Productivity Hacks. These tips are going to help you accomplish your writing with ease, so you’ll want to check them out!

#ContentWritingChat Recap: Content Productivity Hacks

We had another community chat this week, which means our participants were the stars of the show. A while back, we polled our audience to see what chat topics they were most interested in and this was one of them. If you need some content productivity hacks to get you through, keep reading for our recap.

Q1: What does content productivity mean to you?

What exactly is content productivity and what does that look like for you? We all have different ideas of what productivity means. Here are a few responses from the chat:

For Julia, content productivity is all about getting great content researched, written, and published on time.

Organizing your content ideas, having a clear understanding of your end goal, and timelines for execution are all important factors.

Lexie said content productivity is creating quality content efficiently and regularly.

Delivering valuable, quality content to your community on a consistent basis is definitely key.

For Sarah, it’s all about getting done what needs to get done and doing it on time.

Q2: How do you come up with great topic ideas for your content?

When it comes time to write your content, how do you come up with amazing topics to cover? There are a variety of ways you can draw inspiration, but here are a few suggestions from the chat:

As Lexie know, it all goes back to knowing your audience. You can ask them what they want to learn and then provide them the content they’re seeking.

You can find content ideas by spending time on social media, reading your blog comments, and through so many other ways. If you need to figure out what your audience wants, the answers are right in front of you!

Sarah said social media is a go-to for coming up with new ideas, as well as chatting with colleagues, and reviewing questions/comments from clients.

Danielle knows it’s also beneficial to review your competitors. You can see what they’re sharing and how their audience is responding to it. It might spark new ideas for you.

As Cheval said, Twitter chats are a great way to get to know your audience.

Doing research is essential to finding content topics. Brian also recommends talking to people and figuring out what they’d like to see.

If you’re writing content for clients, you need to understand their business and get to know their customer’s needs and problems.

Q3: Once you’re ready to start writing, what’s your first step?

It’s finally time to write! Now what? Depending on your content creation process, your first step might be different from someone else’s. Here’s how a few of our chat participants get started with writing:

To get started with the writing process, creating an outline is a great place to begin.

Sarah also likes to start with an outline. Outlining your content is a great way to organize all your thoughts and ideas before you begin writing.

Leah starts by conducting keyword research, then she begins brainstorming sections of her content.

Julia’s advice is to map your ideas to your goals. She suggests knowing your goal before you begin writing anything.

Brainstorming is a great place to begin. Jot down any ideas that come to mind.

Molly recommends ditching any distractions. You don’t want anything that takes your attention away from your writing.

Laura’s advice is to just start writing. It doesn’t have to be good, so just focus on getting some words out and letting everything flow. You can edit later.

Q4: How do you stay on track with your content creation schedule? Any tips?

When it comes to consistently creating content, it helps to have a schedule in place. If you need some advice with staying on track, check out these suggestions:

Setting deadlines is a major help in staying consistent with content creation. You can allow yourself ample time to take care of writing and editing so there’s no last-minute scramble to get things done.

Zachary suggests setting a schedule for yourself. For example, he shares blog posts on Tuesdays and YouTube videos on Sundays. This will keep you on track.

Kyle relies on his content calendar to stay organized. You can also share it with other team members so they can see what’s being worked on and provide input.

Leah has an accountability call every Monday with another writer. Having to check in with her helps to stay on track with her schedule.

If you’re part of a team, make sure you’re staying in touch with them. Regular communication is important!

Jade relies on Google calendar, Excel spreadsheets, and Zoho.

Q5: When you’re working as part of a team, how can you collaborate to produce great content?

Working with a team certainly has its benefits, but it can also be challenging. To make the most of your partnership, here’s some helpful advice:

Make sure you’re brining your team together often to brainstorm ideas. As Meghan said, you can also review what’s working and where you can make improvements.

Sarah’s advice is to brainstorm together and bounce ideas off one another.

Julia recommends having systems for communication in place. Set up a way to stay in touch with your team on a consistent basis.

Since Lori has team members all over the world, she surely knows it can be tricky working across timezones. She relies on tools like Slack, Basecamp, and Zoom to stay in touch.

This is a great reminder from Lexie. She stresses that you should be open and listen to the ideas from others on your team. Don’t be offended by any proposed suggestions or edits.

Q6: What do you do when you’re feeling uninspired to get the creative juices flowing again?

When you’re lacking inspiration, what do you do to get back into that writing groove? If you need some new ideas, check out these tips:

To get the creative juices flowing again, Julia said you should step away from your writing. Take a break to clear your mind.

Going for a walk is a great way to let your mind wander, while also getting in a little exercise!

Cheval also likes to go for walks while listening to music.

Kyle suggests reading when you’re feeling uninspired. It’s a great opportunity to learn and that could fuel your content productivity again.

Danielle’s advice is to switch to another project. Get your mind off your writing and ideas will come to you in time.

If you’re on a team, bounce ideas off one another and make time to brainstorm.

Tammie said you shouldn’t force writing if you just aren’t feeling it. Instead, step away from the computer and take a break.

Q7: What are your favorite tools when it comes to content planning and creation?

Fortunately, there are a plethora of tools out there that can help with your content productivity. You just have to find the right one for your needs! Here are some suggestions:

Julia’s go-to is BuzzSumo!

Molly likes to use the Notes app on her phone to jot down ideas. It’s especially handy since it can sync between your phone and laptop. She’s also a fan of CoSchedule.

Trello and Google Docs get the job done for Brent.

Feedly is a great way to keep up with your favorite websites and all the content they’re posting.

Jennifer keeps it simple with pen and paper. You can’t go wrong with that!

For social media, Aisha likes both Hootsuite and Buffer. She also likes Google’s Keyword Planner.

Q8: Any final tips on content productivity that we should be implementing?

To wrap up the chat, we asked everyone to share their final tips for content productivity. Here’s what some participants had to say:

Julia suggests scheduling time to write. When it’s time to sit down, eliminate any distractions and take breaks when you need to recharge.

Communication between you, your team, and your clients is a must!

When you get stuck, don’t feel like you’re in it alone. Ken suggests talking to other creators for a boost of inspiration.

Don’t try to follow everyone’s advice. Focus on what works for YOU.

Join us for #ContentWritingChat every Tuesday at 10 AM Central! Follow @ExpWriters and @writingchat so you don’t miss anything!

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