If you’ve ever struggled to put yourself out there by creating content online, firstly, let me say, I get it.

Coming up with an effective, long-term content strategy can seem daunting at first, and taking risks in public is scary.

But if you can get it right, creating content online can absolutely change your life.

Simply posting on a regular basis can be the first step in creating the life of freedom and fulfillment you’ve always dreamed of.

So if you yearn for something more but aren’t sure how to make it happen, this one’s for you.

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Start by making what you like

The best place to start is by making content around the things you’re already doing, the things you enjoy.

For example, if you’re already making music and building a home studio, make content about both of those things.

If you have a dog or a cat you love, throw in some vids of them too.

Now you have three distinct avenues to pursue, all of which can overlap in some way.

Because, I promise you, there are more animal-loving, at-home music makers out there than you can imagine.

The point is to tackle the low-hanging fruit and lower the barrier to entry when it comes to making stuff.

The easier it is to turn on the camera and make a 15-second video, the more likely you are to do it.

Once you’re consistently creating, you can refine, narrow, and improve along the way as you get more feedback from your audience.

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Figure out what you’re good at

Once you’ve been consistently creating content for a time, the next step is to look back and figure out what you’re good at.

Odds are, the things you enjoy making the most are what you’re naturally going to excel at (and it’s likely going to be what your audience is consuming the most of too, so check those view counts).

And it’s not just the “meat” of what you make but how you present it too.

Do you like making skits? Performance videos? Are you more introspective and thought-provoking? Do you naturally prefer to explain things and educate? Do you like talking to the camera or simply overlaying text?

Do you lean into higher-production value content with overlays and transitions, or are you more of a “turn on the phone camera” type of creator?

It’s not to say you need to narrow in so tightly that you can’t mix and match different types of content or creativity, but knowing what you’re good at within the context of what you enjoy is especially important if your goal is to provide as much value to your audience as possible.

Which leads us to our final point…

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Figure out what people want

If you truly want to build an audience online, you have to know what people want to see from you, and you have to deliver value within that context.

Because if someone is not getting value from you, then why would they continue to consume your content?

This is especially true if your aim is to build a business on top of your content system.

If you want to construct a natural, seamless funnel to drive sales of products, courses, downloads, music, services, or anything else, your audience needs to get something they want from you for free.

This series of steps may seem complex at first glance, but it’s really quite simple.

An example…

If you’re an artist and you want people to listen to your music, start by making content around your music that you enjoy—performance clips, skits, production tutorials, etc.

Next, lean into the ones you do the best. Let’s say that’s the performance side of things.

Lastly, keep delivering on that promise to entertain, because that’s what your audience wants from you—entertainment.

As long as you keep entertaining your audience, they’ll keep paying attention and heading to Spotify to listen to your work.

Another example…

Let’s say your long-term goal is to sell presets and sample packs.

Start by making educational content. Share your tips and tricks for free. Teach others how to create music using the sounds and presets you’ve built.

Learn the style of music you do the best and lean into the version of that that your audience enjoys as well.

Continue to deliver on your promise to share your knowledge and people will naturally move down the funnel and buy your products as you further position yourself as an expert in your niche.

The best part is that these three steps can be applied to virtually any business or endeavor you can think of, so get out there and start making content you like and figure the rest out along the way.

Your future self will thank you.

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