The busy professional's guide to content creation
Building a strong personal brand online requires consistent, engaging content. But for busy professionals like myself, juggling a full-time social media manager role with personal content creation can feel like a recipe for burnout.
This guide is an outline of my streamlined approach to content planning for my personal brand, allowing me to maintain an active presence across platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest, all while dedicating just Sundays to content creation and scheduling.
Tools of the Trade:
Notion: My digital brain, housing a content calendar linked to a brainstorming journal. Once an idea is fleshed out and proofread, it gets slotted into the calendar.
Google Keyword Planner: My secret weapon for keyword research, helping me identify trending topics for LinkedIn content.
Slidebox: Keeps my Photos organized with folders for various photo categories, making photo dumps a breeze.
Unsplash & Freepik: My go-to sources for high-quality, free images.
The Sunday Scramble:
Forget scrambling for fresh content on Sundays. Leverage the week's accumulated material. Here's how each platform gets its content fix:
LinkedIn: Research suggests Tuesdays and Thursdays are prime posting days. I double down with posts linking to my blog on those days, scheduling them with the platform's integrated function. A future post will delve deeper into crafting the perfect LinkedIn update.
Instagram: Embrace the photo dump! Slidebox keeps my photos categorized, allowing for effortless weekly updates. Aim for a cohesive story, showcasing photos from a single event or capturing a week's highlights. A sprinkle of relevant hashtags (think 30, ultra-specific to your niche) and a short caption complete the package. Scheduling for optimal engagement depends on your target audience – evenings or afternoons might work best. Remember, daily story posts are key for boosting engagement.
Pinterest: A recent addition to my repertoire, Pinterest requires consistent effort. While the recommended five-a-day posting might be unrealistic, I've found success with a streamlined approach – 14 scheduled posts per week keep the momentum going, always linking back to my blog for maximum impact.
Content Creation Powerhouse:
I write all my content myself, but a little help from AI goes a long way. I leverage Gemini to refine my posts and tailor them slightly for each platform.
Ditching the Planner:
While some swear by dedicated planning tools, scheduling directly within each platform works perfectly for me. It's a personal preference, so explore what works best for your workflow.
Remember:
This is a framework, not a rigid rulebook. Adapt it to your specific needs and brand identity. With consistency and a touch of planning, you too can conquer the social media landscape, even with a jam-packed schedule.
Stay tuned for future dives into crafting compelling LinkedIn posts and mastering the art of Instagram!