A time-saving content creation process is a lifeline for small business owners striving to sustain the health of their brand — and their own sanity. For many entrepreneurs, becoming a content creator has been a journey of necessity, not choice, as the evolving demands of running a business today often include wearing the hat of a writer, a videographer, or a social media guru.

During my journalism days, where the norm was to churn out between two to twelve stories daily, I've lived the reality of high-volume content creation. Writing an average of 2,000 words a day – a feat that would impress even seasoned authors like Stephen King – was part and parcel of the job. Yet, the truth remains: writing, or content creation in general, doesn't always come naturally. And even for those to whom it does, time is a finite resource. Balancing work, family obligations, and the myriad responsibilities of life, all within the confines of a 24-hour day, is a juggling act familiar to many.

This post is your concise guide to maximizing content output without stretching your time thin. It's about working smarter, not harder, and finding those golden nuggets of efficiency that transform content creation from a daunting task to a manageable – and even enjoyable – part of your business routine. Let's dive into these strategies that promise to save your time in your process and embolden your creative spark.

Examples of Idea Bank Entries:

• Pain Point: Difficulty in balancing work and personal life.

  • Solution: Share strategies using your product or service for better work-life balance.

• Expertise: Digital marketing trends.

  • Content Idea: Write a blog post on the latest digital marketing strategies.

• Inspiration: A podcast on innovative startups.

  • Content Idea: Create a post discussing key takeaways and how they apply to your audience.

Why an Idea Bank Works

Your Idea Bank is more than just a list; it's a strategic tool that aligns with your audience's interests and your business goals. It's about making content creation more intuitive, less time-consuming, and always relevant. Regularly update your Idea Bank with new ideas and inspirations. This practice ensures your content remains fresh, engaging, and perfectly attuned to both your evolving business objectives and your audience's changing needs.

3. Brainstorming: Transforming Ideas into Sharable Content

Brainstorming is the engine room of creativity in content creation. As a content strategist working closely with entrepreneurs and founders, I've noticed a common theme: often, they are too close to their own magic to distill it into clear, impactful messages. This is where brainstorming, whether solo or with a partner, becomes invaluable, helping to translate brilliant ideas into concrete, engaging content. Brainstorming is more than just thinking up ideas; it's about strategically organizing and refining those ideas into viable content.

The Importance of Brainstorming Content

1. Idea Generation: Brainstorming helps in generating a diverse range of ideas, ensuring a rich content reservoir.

2. Clarity and Focus: It provides the distance and perspective needed to refine vague notions into focused, actionable content ideas.

3. Collaborative Creativity: When done with a partner or team, brainstorming can lead to more innovative and diverse content, breaking through the blind spots that often come with being too immersed in one's own business.

Practical Application of Content Brainstorming

• Solo Brainstorming: Spend 30 minutes mind mapping around the topic of "sustainable living." This could lead to content ideas like "Eco-Friendly Home Hacks" or "Interview with a Sustainability Expert." Set a timer and write non-stop about a topic. Don’t worry about coherence or structure; the goal is to get ideas flowing and capture them as they come.

• Partnered Brainstorming: Think of content prompts as your personal idea spark plugs – they kick your brain into gear when it's stuck in neutral. When used with a partner or team, brainstorming can lead to more innovative and diverse content, breaking through the blind spots that often come with being too immersed in one's own business. Team up for a content brainstorming session using content prompts like:

  • “What are the biggest misconceptions in our industry?” This could generate content ideas addressing these misconceptions or educating your audience.

• Using AI for Brainstorming: Employ AI tools to generate prompts or expand on initial ideas. For example, input a basic idea like “email marketing tips,” and use the AI's suggestions to develop specific content angles. See my AI Brainstorming Process here.

Pro Tip: Record all ideas, even those that seem offbeat at first. The best content often comes from unexpected sparks of creativity. Save them all in your content idea bank from tip one.

4. Batch Content Creation: Maximizing Efficiency in Content Production

Batch creation is a time-saving powerhouse in the world of content marketing. By dedicating specific blocks of time to create multiple pieces of content at once, you can significantly increase efficiency, maintain a consistent content flow, and reduce the daily pressure of content creation. The reason why I love batching content is because it frees up headspace to focus on other things in my business without the nagging questions, “what I am gonna post today?” hanging over my head.

5. Scroll Smarter

Ever found yourself lost in the scroll, seeking inspiration but ending up feeling more overwhelmed? Here’s a trick: set a timer for 3 minutes. That’s all you need to spot 3-5 pieces of content that grab your attention. Analyze what made you stop – was it a catchy hook, an intriguing visual, or a bold statement? Learn from these triggers and think about how you can incorporate similar elements into your own content. It’s like training your brain to think like a content creator.

Smart scrolling is about being a proactive and discerning consumer of content. By approaching social media with intention and a critical eye, you can turn scrolling time into a valuable session of content ideation and inspiration. It’s not just about finding ideas; it's about training your brain to think like a content creator.

6. Talk to Yourself

Finding time to sit down and write is the single most difficult part of creating content, at least for me. You’re busy. I’m busy. That’s why I sneak it in, like how my sister-in-law purees broccoli in tomatoes sauce to get my 5-year-old nephew to eat his veggies without a fight. My solution: Use those moments when you're doing the dishes or folding laundry to kickstart your content creation process. This is where the magic of talk-to-text comes into play, turning spoken ideas into a treasure trove of content.

The Art of Talk-to-Text

Talk-to-text isn't about crafting polished, ready-to-publish content. It's about capturing your raw ideas and thoughts in their most authentic form. It's a way to ensure that you never have to face the daunting blank screen again.

How to Use Talk-to-Text Effectively

1. Choose Your Tool: There are several talk-to-text apps available. I personally use the talk-to-text feature built into my iPhone, but you might find another that suits you better. If you're using Google Docs, their 'Voice Typing' feature under the “Tools” dropdown is also a great option.

2. Record Whenever, Wherever: Whether you're doing household chores or on a leisurely walk, start recording your thoughts. You'd be surprised how much content you can generate just by speaking your mind.

3. Transcribe and Refine Later: The goal is to get your ideas recorded, not to create a masterpiece on the first go. You can always transcribe or rewrite your spoken words later to refine them into structured content.

Making the Most of Your Voice Notes

• Be Prepared to Record: Before you start talking, ensure you’re actually recording. It sounds obvious, but it’s a common mistake.

• Invest in a Good Microphone: While not essential, a good phone microphone can improve the clarity of your recordings, making transcription easier.

• Add to Your Content Bank: Incorporate these voice notes into your Idea Bank. They can be invaluable sources of inspiration when you're ready to sit down and flesh out your content.

The Benefits of Talk-to-Text

• Efficiency: Capture content ideas as they come, without needing to allocate separate time for writing.

• Authenticity: Did you know Mel Robbins “wrote” her books via the talk-to-text method? If you don’t fashion yourself a “writer,” this is a great alternative. Speaking your thoughts can often feel more natural and lead to more genuine content.

• Never Lose an Idea: With talk-to-text, every great idea is stored and ready for when you have the time to expand on it. Throw it into the content bank to keep it handy.

7. Content Repurposing: Repetition is a Creative Advantage

"I'll bore my audience if I keep repeating the same message, right?" It's a common worry, but here's a little secret: repetition is actually a good thing in marketing. Contrary to feeling bored, your audience needs to hear your message multiple times – at least seven, as the marketing rule of 7 suggests – before they really start to take it in. And here's the exciting part: each repetition is an opportunity to hone your creative skills, to tweak and refine your message until it pierces through the noise. Repurposing content isn't about just rehashing old stuff. It's about taking what you've already created and giving it a new twist, a fresh coat of paint. It's like remixing a classic song – the tune is familiar, but the new beat brings a whole different vibe.

Repurposing Content Isn’t Just A Time-Saver

Benefits of content repurposing include:

• Keeps Your Message Strong: Repeating your message in different ways helps it stick in people's minds.

• Boosts Your SEO Game: More content on a topic tells search engines you're an expert, which can bump you up in search results.

• Flexes Your Creative Muscles: Each time you revisit an idea, you get to play around with it, fine-tuning and experimenting.

Keep It Fresh with the A.C.E Content Repurposing Method

This is how the simple and aptly named A.C.E method will help you ace your repurposing strategy — pun very much intended. 

1. Adjust: Look at your old content. What can you spruce up? Maybe there's a blog post that could use some updated stats or a video that could be edited to add some new insights.

2. Combine: Got a few smaller pieces on a similar topic? Mash them together to create something bigger and better. Like turning a bunch of tweets into a killer blog post.

3. Expand: Take a great idea and run with it. Maybe you've got a podcast episode that could spark a whole series, or a how-to guide that could become an online workshop.

A.C.E. Repurposing Examples

• Adjust: Take that blog post from last year, jazz it up with the latest trends, and repost.

• Combine: Those helpful tips you posted on Instagram? Bundle them into a downloadable PDF guide.

• Expand: Got a blog about easy home workouts? Why not turn it into a video series or a live Q&A session?

Smart Strategies To Level Up Your Content Game

As we wrap up these seven strategies to speed up your content creation process, remember that efficiency in content marketing isn't just about cutting corners – it's about being smart and strategic. From establishing a robust idea bank to embracing the power of templates, leveraging brainstorming sessions, batch creating your content, scrolling with intent, talking out your ideas, and creatively repurposing your content, each approach offers a unique way to save time while still producing quality content.

But the journey doesn't end here. If you're looking to dive deeper and truly elevate your content strategy, consider joining our Content Crafters membership. Here, we take these concepts to the next level:

• Live Brainstorming Sessions: Collaborate and generate ideas in real-time with experts and fellow content creators.

• Exclusive Workshops: Learn new strategies and get insights from experts in the field.

• Professional Feedback: Allow me to review your sales pages, social media posts, and email copy for better results.

• Customizable Content Calendars: Plan your content with ease using our tailored content calendars, designed to streamline your strategy and maximize your impact.

Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, a small business owner, or part of a larger team, Content Crafters offers the tools, community, and guidance to help you craft content that resonates, engages, and converts. Join us and transform the way you approach content creation, making it not just faster and easier, but also more effective and enjoyable. Sign up to turn your ideas into binge-worthy content.