3 Excuses Why You’re Not Creating Content
It happens all too often. We want to create content for our brand, maybe it’s a blog post, a video because it’s what every marketer is talking about, or perhaps a podcast.
We set up meetings with the right team members, ideas start spinning, then it happens, the excuses start rolling in on why we can’t get the content created. There’s always the one or few people on the team that will kick and scream and fight and do anything possible to not have to create content.
Unfortunately, or rather, fortunately, I should say, these excuses usually boil down to the same few lines. These excuses allow us the opportunity to dive into those reasons and change the mindset behind them.
What are these excuses?
1. We don’t have time
I get it. There’s only so much time in a day. Time is of the essence, there’s no doubt about that and these days, it seems that time just slips right through our fingers. The key is, to take back that time, for the sake of your content development, here’s a few ideas to get you started.
Within larger teams, everyone can find 5–15 minutes per day to contribute to the content strategy.
When we step back, for a moment, we’ll begin to spot moments of our day that are content worthy and don’t add a stress to our timeline.
You may be familiar with the concept of “document, don’t create”. This is the concept that says you are more likely to actually create content when you are documenting the journey or the day-to-day, rather than attempting to create something from scratch.
Documenting is a huge time saver because you’re already doing it. This becomes a matter of just writing it down or pulling out the iPhone and taking some pictures or video.
Time should never be the excuse for why your company doesn’t create content. Sometimes, though, we don’t create content because there’s so many people already doing it…
2. There’s already similar content out there
Hate to break it to you: your competitors are probably some of those already doing it too.
And that’s ok!
There is a major advantage to similar content existing on the web. It provides your company with a roadmap to what’s working, what’s not and how you can improve. You literally have others successes and failures right in front of you.
Rather than make an excuse, figure out how you can improve upon that content or provide better context around the questions your competitors aren’t answering.
3. We don’t have anyone that’s good (on camera, at taking pictures, a good writer)
It’s 2017. This is quite possibly the worst excuse you can make at this point in time.
Someone in your organization knows how to write, I can guarantee it, because you’re obviously hiring people with exceptional talent and understand their area of expertise. Everyone has an incredible camera in their pockets (that also double as phones, yippee!). And, I’m going out on a limb here, most people probably know how to speak.
You may not have Marlon Brando or Meryl Streep in your office, but that’s ok! Just be yourself. Don’t be afraid to show off the company culture and personality.
It’s really as simple as that. You have to start somewhere, but you have to start.
Mark Hamill was a soap opera actor before catching a big break on Star Wars.
Cameron Diaz tried out 12 times(!) for her role in The Mask.
I could list hundreds of thousands of examples just like these, and the stories are all the same.
I encourage you to find the vehicle that makes you want to create, and go after it. The first time is the most difficult, it really gets a lot easier after that.
What’s holding you back from creating? Is it a different excuse than what’s listed? We’d love to hear from you. Comment below or tweet us @aftermarq or @vincenzolandino.
