Hey everyone, I wanted to make a little bit of an intro this time as I’ve been delving straight into the episodes without really explaining the context of why I’ve picked each topic. So, I’ve decided to just add this little snippet in just before each episode so you know why this discussion is important to have right now.

Well, I’ve been discussing content creation with so many entrepreneurs lately and it’s generally been the thing they’ve been stressing about the most. It takes up so much of their time, they have no idea what to write and they’re not sure if it has that much of an impact on their business.

They know that people tell them that if they keep at it, it will eventually pay off. But when does “eventually” actually happen?

When I’ve asked them about why they want to create content online, the answers range from: “Because I feel like I have to”, “I really want to create value” and “I don’t actually want to”.

Now, I think the first and last answers here are honest. I don’t think a lot of people want to post online, but they feel obliged to. Content creation is a necessary evil that they have to do as business owners. But they’d rather just delegate it all to someone else and concentrate on the business aspects, or directly building relationships with their customers.

But because now you have to build a personal brand, they feel like they have to personally show up and do it.

The middle answer is what I have an issue with. I don’t believe people JUST want to show up and give value. And this is me saying this – someone who doesn’t even use her social media presence to sell anything. I show up and give value all the time. I have two free podcasts that take around 25 hours a week to work on!

So, I’m all about giving value.

My issue is with people who say that’s ALL they want to do. I want to do that, but I also want to build my business. I love helping people and giving value helps me help others which is amazing. But it also builds my personal brand and brings in a lot of money.

If you’re creating content on social media, then you will know that the most important factors for growth are… consistency and giving away value. Or so all the gurus say.

The advice is consistent at least – if you just keep showing up, it will eventually pay off. But this advice varies from saying you must post a couple of times a week to 10x per day!! Yup, there are some who actually suggest that posting 10x per day on certain platforms such as TikTok, YouTube Shorts and X are beneficial.

Now, imagine you’re posting to all of these 10x per day. That’s a LOT of work.

And we haven’t even gotten to quality yet. Even churning out 10 poor quality posts takes a lot of time. But if you’re someone who wants to do good work, it’s going to take time!

Nowadays, content marketing has taken over as the primary form of digital marketing and most businesses are taking a “content-first” approach. Entrepreneurs are given the advice that they must deliver “value-first” to their audience.

But what does this really mean?

Well, all the gurus state that in order to build an online presence, or a personal brand as what the kids call it these days, you need to build trust with your audience first. This is not new – it’s always been like this. But previously, you could showcase the work that you’ve done, your testimonials etc., and then rely on word of mouth.

Plus, people would be more open to trying out new people because how else do you know whether they’re good or not.

Nowadays, people are sceptical about portfolios and testimonials as so many of them are faked. So, it’s all about building a relationship with your audience first. The phrase “people buy from people” has been going around a lot, and again, it’s nothing new. But it’s become more prevalent because of the fact we now have access to so much content, which makes you feel like you really know people.

Therefore, the advice these days is to lead with value – give away so much insight because then it makes people think you’re super generous and they will follow you, like you and trust you. This totally works. I’m sure you’ve seen it.