Time management is something most of us struggle with, but it can be particularly troublesome for business leaders and content creators. You already know that creating high-quality content is crucial for drawing attention to your brand, and earning the trust of your audience, but it’s not easy.
Every content marketing process takes time, from crafting the perfect email campaign, to designing articles and eBooks for lead magnets. I know all too well what it’s like to wish there were more than 24 hours in the day. Fortunately, after years working with so many different brands and juggling various projects, I’ve learned a few ways to manage my time more effectively.
Now I’m going to share those “hacks” with you, so you can actually make the most of every hour you spend on your business (without sacrificing your personal life).
Step 1: Consistency is Key, Find your Rhythm
One of the biggest challenges I faced when I started working for myself, was getting used to the lack of “consistency” in my work day. Jumping from one task to another each day can be great, but without a genuine “plan” in place, you’ll spend a lot of time reorienting yourself between tasks.
With that in mind, create a strategy that works for you. Identify the times of day when you’re most productive, and block those moments for more focused work, like plotting out content ideas or writing. In the times of the day when you’re less “creative” you can tackle lower-value tasks, like responding to emails.
Align your schedule with your content calendar, paying attention to the key times of the day and week when you should be using different channels (Such as social media and email), based on when your customers are most likely to be active.
Step 2: Rethink Your Approach to Content Creation
Creating compelling content is hard work. If you want to set yourself apart from all of the AI bots churning out content today, with high-converting assets, then you need to put a lot of time and effort into connecting with your customers. However, that doesn’t mean you have to create all of your content at once. Consider breaking things down into chunks.
Start with a single portion of your day dedicated to research and deciding what your content is going to cover. The next time you’re feeling productive, draft the content, then come back to it the next day to proof-read and review everything.
Remember, the key to success isn’t generating as much content as possible, it’s about creating the best quality content, that positions you as a true thought leader, and generates real value for your audience. Don’t rush through the process.
3. Repurpose Your Content
If you’ve put significant time and effort into creating the perfect content, why would you only use it once? Repurposing your content is how you make a single effective asset go further. For instance, you could turn a blog post into a script for a podcast or video.
A webinar, event, or even a long article or report can give you all of the data and insights you need for multiple social media posts and snippets across every channel. I’ve turned countless articles and blog posts into comprehensive social media campaigns before, with excellent results.
So every time you create something with genuine value, ask yourself: “What else can I do with this?” Don’t work harder – work smarter.
4. Use Technology to Your Advantage
While it’s important to avoid becoming “too reliant” on technology, that doesn’t mean you should avoid it. Using AI to create all of your content for you won’t help you to forge connections with your audience, so it’s best to steer clear of this strategy.
However, you can use AI to generate content ideas based on your previous posts, insights into your audience, and an analysis of your competitors. You can also take advantage of various tools to help you automate tasks, like publishing content on social media at the perfect time, or sending a stream of connected emails to your target audience.
Plus, technology can help you derive deeper insights from your campaigns, showing you exactly what kind of strategies increase engagement and conversions. On top of that, there are plenty of tools out there, like calendaring and project management apps, that can help you manage your day. Consider using a time-blocking tool to help optimize your schedule.
5. Find New Sources of Inspiration
Even the best artists and creators have writers block sometimes. When you’re focusing on creating amazing content, a lack of creativity can seem disastrous. However, there are plenty of places you can look for unlimited inspiration. Aside from asking AI tools for ideas, or checking out your competitors, why not listen to your audience?
Social media isn’t just a tool for lead generation, it can also be a resource that offers insights into what kind of questions your customers have, or what they’re discussing in your industry. You can even consider talking to customers directly through polls or surveys.
Alternatively, collaborate with other thought leaders in your industry. Ask them to join you for a podcast session and gather ideas you can use for future blog posts and articles.
6. Maintain your Authenticity
Sometimes, when so many companies are churning out huge volumes of content, it can feel like you have to be a machine to keep up. The reality is that showing your authentic human side can actually help you build and maintain stronger connections for your customers.
Today’s consumers are looking for authentic human connections. You can build on those by not just sharing your own thought leadership content, but curating valuable content to share from other sources. Linking your audience to valuable news reports and quotes from other experts is a great way to showcase your credibility.
Plus, sometimes, you can simply show off your personality. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel with every piece of content. Just give customers an insight into who you are behind the scenes.
Take Control of your Content Journey
Finding the right balance between content creation and time management can seem impossible at times. However, there are ways you can regain control of your schedule. The strategies above should help you to create better content (without the stress), and make the most of the assets that you develop. Plus, they’ll help you to build better connections with your audience too.
If you’re still struggling to regain control of your to-do list, you can always seek extra help. I offer a wide range of services that can help you with everything from content scheduling, to repurposing, so you can focus more of your attention on growing your business.
Reach out today to find out how we can work together to overcome time management mayhem, and get you back on track towards your goals.