Mastering Streamlined Content: Path to Productivity And Success

Do you ever feel like you're drowning in a sea of content tasks, unsure of what to tackle next? Trust me, you're not alone. Are you running on caffeine and dry shampoo? Or is that just me and my sister? Because I can totally relate. A chaotic content workflow can be a real headache, but here's the good news – it doesn't have to be that way.

Today, we will explore how to create a streamlined content creation process to simplify your workflow. Are you ready to reclaim your time and sanity? Well, grab your coffee because we're diving in.

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Why Streamlining Is Essential

Before we get into the “how-to” part, let's step back and understand why streamlining is essential. Having a streamlined content workflow is a game-changer for your business. It saves you time and ensures that you consistently produce high-quality content. Plus, it allows you to focus better and boost your overall productivity – and who doesn't want that?

If your days often feel like mine, a whirlwind of chaos, it's time to take control of your content creation process. Here's how you can start by looking at your current strategy or lack of procedure you have in place.

1. Evaluate Your Current Process

First things first, take a good look at your current content creation process. What's causing you to pull your hair out? Identify the areas that need improvement so you have a clear roadmap for streamlining.

Create a simple list – one column for “working” and another for “not working.” I like to fold a piece of paper and focus on one piece at a time. Do an exhaustive brain dump of everything in your current process. This will help you pinpoint areas for improvement.

 3. Embrace Batching Content

Batching content may become your new best friend. Instead of hopping from task to task, group similar activities together. If I attempt to do anything but write content, I will be all over the place. Though I enjoy writing, I enjoy watching YouTube videos on planning or organizing my house more. For me to focus on one thing, I must close all other tabs in my browser.

Designate specific days for different content creation tasks, like keyword research, brainstorming, outlining, writing, finding images, and scheduling social media posts. This keeps you focused and minimizes the need to switch between various software applications.

4. Leverage Tools and Software to Streamline Content Creation

Using tools and software is number four. There are a lot of great tools out there to streamline your content workflow.

Using Asana for task management will keep you organized, and you’ll never forget a step.

What are your thoughts on AI? How about using Chat GPT to brainstorm ideas for your content creation? I love to use Descript for my podcast editing. These are just a few examples.

SEO Research Tools:

Another excellent tool for your software when it comes to SEO is Ubersuggest. I love Ubersuggest. It is a perfect tool for keyword research. If you want people to be able to find your content, you’ll need to get aboard the SEO train.

I’ll be honest; I’ve mentioned how I initially looked for highly searched keywords. Why not? You want to use keywords that are search, am I right?

Well, I was wrong. Using keywords with a ton of traffic would not get me traffic to my website.  I needed to find keywords that had low competition but were still relevant. Ubersuggest was perfect for this. It gave me a list of keywords with low competition and high traffic. Or at least a bit of traffic, which is more than zero.

If your keyword research means looking for the keyword with the most traffic, You may want to use Ubersuggest. It will provide keyword suggestions, allowing you to appear on the first page of Google search results. We both know that’s where it is at.

SEMrush is a tool that I use with one of my content clients. The price tag is a bit much for a new business owner, but they allow you to use their content writing tool for free a few times. It lets you get your feet wet with understanding how to write for SEO and readability.

5. Delegate and Outsource:

While this isn’t a software tool, you must delegate and outsource to streamline content. You don't have to do it all by yourself. I’m sure I’m not the first business owner you’ll hear say this. I waited too long to onboard my first Content VA. While it allowed me to save money, it did not save time. Which, in the end, affects the bottom line of our businesses. You see, not outsourcing keeps me in the weeds of my business.

Do you know what else it did? It kept me safe; it told my brain that if we were doing something, we were growing. I was busy, but I was busy doing the wrong things. The tasks I was doing could be done by someone else. You see, instead of taking my own advice and looking at the dollars I could potentially bring into the business, I was more focused on the dollars going out of my business. Doing it myself only caused me to work longer and harder and earn less.

How can you prepare for onboarding later?

You want to ensure that your first team member is delegated tasks when you are ready to onboard them, right? Act like you have that team member starting in a month.

All my talk about content systems, processes, and workflows: begin implementing these if you’ve not done so already. Use a tool like Tango to create the step-by-step process.

If you create a checklist in project management software, your first team member will know exactly what to do and how to help.

What is something you can do to prepare? Make notes of all the tasks you will take off your plate. Consider what revenue-generating activity you can do in place of that soon-to-be outsourced task. You could create yourself a virtual assistant that will be able to have those tasks. Preparing in advance to onboard a team member makes the process easier for everyone involved.

And here's a bonus tip: once you've streamlined your content workflow, make it a habit to review and adjust it regularly. Remember, simpler is often better – keep your workflow straightforward and efficient.

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