14 Tips for Surviving the Endless Grind of Creating Content

In order to keep up with the amount of fresh online content needed today, businesses need a defined content creation process.

From blog posts and photos to TikToks and Reels, businesses today have a lot of options available when it comes to engaging with clients and consumers online. However, with so many platforms to create content for on an ongoing basis, content creation can eventually start to feel like a never-ending process that no longer sparks joy like it used to.

For leaders not directly involved in this aspect of the business, this problem may not be taken as seriously because they don’t see the value content provides, but current and prospective customers will be able to tell when a business is only interested in getting something out.

That’s why it’s essential to implement a creative process that keeps content fresh and valuable for consumers. To help, the members of Newsweek Expert Forum offer recommendations to help business leaders navigate the seemingly endless grind of creating content.

Hire Experts

Hire experts to help you with the creation and distribution of your content. By working with people who are already experienced in the field, you can free up your time to focus on other aspects of your business. In addition, hiring experts ensures that your content is high-quality and engaging. As a result, you’ll be able to build a loyal following of readers who appreciate your work. – Umang Modi, TIAG, Inc.

Make Content a Business Priority

Putting out and updating content on a regular basis is important for almost every single business as it’s how you communicate with the public. Your content influences potential customers, employees and others, so it’s something that needs to be prioritized. Too many leaders put it on the back burner. Also, if you learn to delegate and outsource content creation, that will make this task much easier. – Elliott Smith, The Ohana Addiction Treatment Center

Anchor Your Content

Make sure to create anchor content, especially those pieces that stand out and drive brand awareness. Find what your audience is curious about and create unique content around those topics. We have seen success in producing research reports that can feed our content machine for months and drive huge amounts of traffic because it offers our perspective on a challenge that is important to our customers. – Melissa Puls, Ivanti

Implement a Creative Process

I’ve been a content creator for more than two decades. The landscape has changed dramatically since then, but when it comes to meeting the demand for content, some of the techniques I used in the early 2000s still apply today. List out your content ideas just to keep track of them, and designate specific days to “batch” create content. Remember to take content creation breaks when necessary! – Monique Caradine-Kitchens, OverFlow Enterprises LLC

Make Content in Batches

Take time to batch content and it will lessen the angst to get something out. For example, when I worked alone, I took time to create 52 graphics with written content of about 200 words. I scheduled one to post for each of the 52 weeks of the year, then I washed and repeated that process. I now have a team that helps me repurpose a lot of my prior content while also adding in new content. – Nickquolette Barrett, iRock Development Solutions, LLC dba iRock Résumés

Look at Key Metrics and Performance

If you feel like you are running out of content ideas, it is important to take a step back and look at key metrics and performance. Learn what is working best for your audience and what is not. You may be creating content that is not connecting with your audience and wasting valuable time. It is always great to speak to your colleagues as well for ideas or events around the office to highlight. – Paul Miller, Miller & Company LLP

Stay Open-Minded

Keep it fresh in terms of topics, perspectives and inspiration-sourcing alike. While stellar content is undeniably crucial to building a memorable brand, the task itself can grate—and results can falter—if you apply the same formula time and again. Tap different colleagues for ideas, look outside your industry and remain open to inspiration; it’s said the best ideas often come from unexpected places. – Arturo Elizondo, EVERY™

Prioritize Your Mental Health

When you keep your mental health a priority, creating content feels less like a grind and more like endless opportunities. Mental wellness is the key to maintaining a strong, creative and engaged mind, which in turn keeps fresh content flowing. – Sonja Wasden,Speaking Mental Health

Leverage Different Experiences for Inspiration

Pull content toward you so you can get inspired. I find it helpful to pay attention to what goes on in companies and organizations around the world. There are usually content opportunities based on the experiences of customers and employees. – Diane Helbig,Helbig Enterprises

Take Breaks

In most professional lines of business, we are often pressured to be thought leaders within our vertical or practice area. For most of us, the publishing of content happens in addition to our day jobs, which means that the creativity and inspiration may fizzle out from time to time. Give yourself the space to pause and you will feel reinvigorated with new ideas. – Sabina Pons, Growth Molecules

Do Activities That Drive Inspiration

Solving for simultaneous experiences means that we are mainly our thoughts, feelings and actions. When you feel stuck in one or two of those channels—like thinking about creating content—do activities that would trigger your feelings, such as watching movies, reading fiction or doing physical activities like going for a walk. Doing so can often help you unblock your blocked channel. – Mark Goulston, Mark Goulston, M.D., Inc.

Break Content Down Into Pieces

Don’t create content for the sake of creating content. You are more than likely already creating content that is inherently tied to your brand. Chop that into smaller “content doses” and release it in pieces. Keep it consistent but relevant. – Uriel Saenz, THE US LIFESTYLE GROUP LLC

Determine What’s Motivating All Sides of Content Creation

Step back to find what motivates your company to produce the content and, more importantly, what motivates your prospects to receive it. If your approach is all oriented around the need to get something out instead of quality, then you are going about it wrong. Focus on adding value and stimulating conversation among your target audience. Growing followers will diminish the grind. – Matt Domo, FifthVantage

Be Passionate About Your Content

Content is key to engagement, which is what we all aim for no matter what the industry. In order for content to be engaging to others, it has to be engaging to you as well! If you’re not captivated, why should anyone else be? By creating content around things that you have a passion for, you can remove that burden and “grind” to ultimately produce content that both you and your audience will value. – Israel Tannenbaum,Withum

Previously published on Newsweek.