Top 3 Content Creation Hacks To Boost Your Creativity And Grow Your Email List

Great content marketing will grow your email list but… How do you get your creativity going? Get my top 3 content creation hacks to unlock your creativity, delight your audience and grow your business:

1. Discover why you need these 3 content creation hacks.

2. Hack #1 will ensure your digital content creation delights your audience every time.

3. Hack #2 will keep your content fresh and relevant to keep your audience coming back.

4. Never go blank with your creativity with Hack #3.

5. Your BONUS tip: Reduce the pressure on you.

6. If you only have 5 minutes, read this!

Why you need these 3 content creation hacks

Do you think that others are so much more creative than you? Are you wondering what others do to get soooo many new ideas and you can’t… 

Or are you starting to think that some are born creative and you are not one of them?  

As a child...

I was always led to believe that creative people were born creative.

That either you are creative or you are not.

I always thought that, as I was not really good at painting, drawing, or playing music, I wasn't definitely able to be creative.

And that belief followed me for many years into my adulthood.

That limiting belief stopped me for a long time from undertaking activities that required creativity in my professional life.

I was wrong.

Creativity is open to everyone. Yes, to you too!

You can learn to be creative

First of all, let’s look at the definition of creativity.

“Creativity: the ability to produce or use original and unusual ideas.”

— Cambridge Dictionary

Have you noticed the words used in the definition? “Original and unusual”.

It does not refer to “new”, an invention, a breakthrough. It does not refer to arts. It is a far wider concept than we are lead to believe.

Scientific studies about creativity help understand better what it is and what is not. You may have developed, as I did, a certain concept of creativity that could be limiting you, as it limited me in the past.

I want to share these 6 common misconceptions about creativity, as Mark A. Runco explains (Director of Creativity Research and Programming, Southern Oregon University) and is summarised in Developing the Cambridge Learner Attributes (Cambridge International).

Creativity:

1. isn’t limited to arts, it applies to any subject.

2. doesn’t happen thanks to pure talent, it is a skill you can learn.

3. isn’t fun by default, it can be hard work.

4. isn’t just about originality, it is also about generating value.

5. doesn’t happen out of the blue, it requires prior knowledge in a field.

6. isn’t the result of a major breakthrough, it occurs thanks to thinking skills.

Creativity isn’t a talent.

You CAN learn and develop your creative thinking skills.

Take action

I usually don't include actions for you in the intro, but this is an important exception!

• Ditch your misconceptions about creativity. Creativity isn't for the talented few.
• You can and will develop your creative skills!

Content creation hacks to get your creativity going

“Ok”, I can hear you saying… “That sounds promising but… my brain is empty. I just can’t get ideas for my content creation…”

Have you ever struggled to know what your new piece of content is going to be? 

Maybe you’re just going through a dry patch and are not quite sure how to get out of it…

Any of these are super common. Yeap! They felt very familiar to me too!

You don’t need to be Picasso to be creative. We have established that! Fab!

Find in this blog my 3 simple hacks to help you to create daily on and on and forget your creativity doubts. Each one comes with a set of ideas so you can start make it happen for you today!

And you know the best? Content is the number one way to grow your email list!

So the more you create, the more you grow. Happy growth!

1. Content creation hack #1: Truly understand your audience

My first hack may feel surprising to you.

While we have been told so many times that creativity is getting outside the norm, it does not mean that you should forget the basics.

What do I mean?…

What are the basics when thinking about content creation hacks?

Research, research, research

Here is a key principle in digital content creation: Being creative for you as an online entrepreneur is not just about creating brand new, totally uncovered, unseen content.

• It is about generating content, consistently, that interests your audience.

• Even more, digital content creation is truly successful when it encourages your audience and drives them to take action.

So never forget than creativity starts with researching your audience interests.

for example:

Think about the best of TV / Netflix / Amazon series.

They research the audience through pilots.

Don’t conclude too quickly that you know what your audience really needs.

Take action

Consider the following questions:

• Have you analysed your audience struggles?
• Have you looked at social media, Facebook groups, YouTube, podcasts and blogs to understand the top 3 pain points of your target audience?
• Do you understand their goals, what they want to achieve?
• Have you identified their ultimate dreams?

If the answer to any of the above questions is 'no', spend some time finding the answers.

That's the first best investment in time you can do as a content creation hack.

Once you have this first step covered, consider the following step.

Create content for different levels of knowledge in your audience

You might be creating content without thinking of level of knowledge in your audience.

Let’s look at the example of course creation and their digital content creation.

for example:

Look at the examples of great course creators.

They have:

• the entry level online courses,
• memberships, for students who have typically completed courses (or have already achieved a certain level of business growth) and
• masterminds, for the most advanced that are ready to invest in more personal coaching to get their business to the next level. 

Easy and simple. 3 levels of offer:

• beginner

• intermediate

• advanced

Your content should also consider this knowledge ladder for your audience.

If you are only creating content for beginners, consider what you can offer to those with intermediate or advanced skills so that they remain part of your audience. 

Wouldn’t it be fab that they grow with you?

Take action

• Create content explicitly for different levels of knowledge in your audience.

A great content creation hack is to define what level of skills your content is for, so that you adapt your content to different levels of understanding of your audience.

You can obviously decide to only address a certain skill level only, let’s say, just beginners. This may however limit your ability to create different levels of pricing. Typically advanced skills attract much higher revenue.

By creating content for all three levels, your target audience has the potential to deliver revenue multipliers for your online business.

Define your content pillars and content plan

Now that you have a content learning ladder for your audience, also consider your content pillars. Establish 4 to 5 subjects of content you want to write about based on what you know, you love and your audience wants.

Have you noticed my content pillars?

for example:

Let's take my blog and social media as an example. These are my content pillars:

• Entrepreneur mindset
• Internet marketing
• Content creation
• Online business
• Travel and photography/videography as my personal interest

Having content pillars helps you attract slightly different audiences and maintain an easier flow of digital content creation.

Take action

Define 4-5 types of subject for your content that:

• you know about
• you love
• your audience needs to find solution to their struggles to achieve their dreams

Alternate the content pillars week on week.

And don’t forget to read my blog on How To Write Unique Blog Posts For A Whole Year - My Exact Blueprint For Quality Blog Content Ideas.

Learning about your audience is an ongoing journey

Never think that the job is done once you have completed your audience research.

Areas of interest change, things become widely known and your audience moves on from a hot subject to another.

The best way to stay connected with trends is to stay close to your audience and other online entrepreneurs in your niche. More about this in the next section.

Take action

Leverage your audience to know what works best for them:

• Use CTAs to ask your audience what they want to see more of through your main content and social media posts.
• Pay attention to your audience comments: you will notice what they love and create more of it.
• Check your metrics: what is working best.
• Maintain an eye on new apps, new approaches or new features to share early with your audience.

2. Content creation hack #2: Leverage trends wisely

In the online world, like in fashion, there are trends. It is important that you follow the heart beat of what your audience wants to hear about.

Let me say it again: creativity is not about inventing something brand new, never done before. You can be super creative generating content about well known subjects, in a way that is personal to you, in a way that resonates with your audience. It is also essential to understand trends, to provide value to your audience.

for example:

If you rewind a few years back, everyone was super keen to understand Instagram hashtags.

Hashtags were a new concept and key to drive the Instagram algorithm for maximum exposure.

Back in summer 2020, Instagram Reels were launched and Reels became the trending subject related to Instagram.

Now is about understanding how to get your video trending to monetise in Instagram.

Trends do not mean that you should change your digital content creation completely from one subject to another.

Understanding trends is a great content creation hack to maintain your audience interested and provide them a feed of fresh subjects to learn about from you.

Curiosity is your best friend

The key question is therefor is what do you need to do to spot trends?

Here is the best hack for trends: curiosity.

Never consider that you know your stuff.

Continue to be a content consumer yourself.

Learning is a very fulfilling activity throughout all of your life, not just at school. So read, watch, listen to content that relates to your own niche and adjacent ones.

You will start noticing trends across different platforms almost unconsciously. The best content creators maintain their creativity flow going thanks to curiosity.

Take action

Consume content yourself: videos, social media, podcasts, blogs, courses.

• Follow other leading content creators in your niche.
• Follow newcomers, smaller accounts than yours, with fresh ways to approach your niche. Engage with them to brainstorm ideas and opinions.
• Follow other niches related to yours. Interesting new trends can be generated from them.
• See what trends in Google and Pinterest for your niche.

BE CURIOUS.

Develop and maintain a constant desire to learn. Trends will become obvious early on when you do.

Be you

When looking at trends, like in fashion, there is a major risk: to become a copycat.

for example:

One Instagram trend that has blown big in the past year is to show vulnerability.

For many years, Instagram was the platform that showed the perfect world: the perfect beautiful location without crowds, the perfect success story, the perfect body, the perfect couple.

Now influencers have moved to show more of what real life is about. Fails, insecurities, doubts... so that their audience can relate better to them and not just idolised an unatainable world.

However some are just trying to implement the "vulnerability trend" for the sake of it and it feels artificial with the brand they had built for years. Have you noticed them? It just feels wrong.

Following others, consuming others content should not be with the objective of replicating what they do in your content.

The heart beat of any content creator is easily energised when surrounded by other creations. Your brain creates connections. You see how others approach the same subjects differently. You identify new things, interesting approaches, trends.

Importantly, you spot gaps: what is not being done by others in relation to a certain subject.

That’s your golden nugget.

By consuming others content, not only you help yourself identify trends early and gaps, but you learn to develop your uniqueness, your style, what makes your content uniquely yours.

Take action

Once you identify a new trend:

• Don't copycat.
• Create your own approach to the trend.
• Identify the gaps: what is not yet being done about the new trend where you can bring your unique value.
• Be you. Don't jump on a trend for the trend sake. Be consistent with your brand.

Trends will help you keep your content fresh.

Use easy & trendy sources for fresh digital content creation

Make it easy for you.

There is trendy content that is always sought after without needing to spend time spotting as a brand new trend…

Incorporate this as a content creation hack in your content plan:

• Write about new features in apps.

• Do an unboxing of new released gear. It does not need to be an expensive item.

• Share the list of tools you use.

• Show the behind the scenes to one of your processes.

for example:

Many YouTube channels specialised in unboxing of new equipment.

One of Pat Flynn's most downloaded pdf is the list of tools he uses.

Notice the amount of Instagram Stories or Reels that cover new features.

Trending content isn’t always brand new concepts but simply content that always work well with audiences. Don’t forget to build some of it in your digital content creation.

Be consistent: don't confuse your audience

A word of warning about using trends as a content creation hack: don’t move randomly from one thing to another just because it feels like the latest trend.

New trends in your niche do not necessarily mean that you should be changing your content pillars constantly.

While it is great to leverage trends in your digital content creation to feed your creativity and maintain your audience interest, don’t over-do it.

Constantly jumping into the latest trend, leaving behind your content pillars will confuse your audience. You run the risk of making your audience not understand what you are about. It is important to build the understanding of what you bring to them, so that they come back again and again for more. If you become unpredictable, it is confusing and you will quickly lose your audience loyalty.

So let’s recap:

Take action

When leveraging trends in your digital content creation:

• Understand what has been overly covered and move on.
• Some trendy content a is ok because your audience needs to learn about it.
• Don't jump from trend to trend for the sake of it. Be consistent with your content pillars.
• Review your content pillars annually and adapt them when a shift is needed.

Adapting is winning in digital content creation.

3. Content creation hack #3: Help your brain be creative

Now that you truly understand your audience and can leverage trends wisely, hack #3 is all in the way you help your brain get into creation mode easily.

Let’s get some fundamental content creation hacks covered related to optimising the way you make your brain operate.

Your mindset is your best friend

I know! You are constantly reading about the importance of your mindset.

Before you skip this too quickly, hear me out. This isn’t just another generic statement about mindset.

Scientific tests demonstrate that a growth mindset positively influences your ability to be creative as your growth mindset will help you approach the creative process as a task enjoyment, an effort with positive affect.

In other words, your beliefs about creativity influence your creative performance.

A positive mindset feeds your creativity, as Nujaree Intasao and Ning Hao (School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China) demonstrate in Beliefs About Creativity Influence Creative Performance: The Mediation Effects of Flexibility and Positive Affect.

So when you approach your digital content creation as a chore, your brain is fighting the process and you will be finding it much harder to be creative.

It is easy when you stubble in your digital content creation to revert back to your old misconceptions about creativity. Reinforce the right concepts about creativity to help your positive mindset.

Take action

Beyond the usual positive mindset exercises (such as affirmations, meditation, journaling, goal tracking and so on), reinforce the following creativity concepts:

• Creativity applies to any subject, not just arts.
• Creativity is a skill you can learn.
• Creativity can be hard work, it just doesn't come out of the blue.
• Creativity is also about generating value, not just a breakthrough.
• Creativity requires prior knowledge in a field.
• Creativity occurs thanks to thinking skills.

Get in the habit of capturing ideas anytime, anywhere

Ideas don’t necessarily come when you need them. So be ready to capture ideas when they come, so that you can late refer to them for your digital content creation.

for example

My mind has this somehow annoying habit to get into idea generation late at night, in bed, generally when my husband is sleeping.

When those moments happen, I feel extreme clarity of thought. The outline of content comes naturally. The examples I think of match perfectly the points I want to make.

Before, I was convinced that because all those thoughts were so clear at night time, I would be able to remember them crisply the morning after.

To my surprise, that isn't the case! The morning after I struggle to summarise half of what I so vividly thought the night before.

I have learned that when it happens now late at night, I need to capture a few words, just keywords right at the moment the brain gets into idea generation.

That is sufficient to work from later another day.

We all have different ways our brain works. Irrespectively of how you trigger your creative brain, have an ideas notebook (digital or paper) where you easily reflect your content ideas, wherever you happen to have then.

You can also draw simple mind maps to interlink different concepts when ideas come to your mind.

Take action

Be ready to capture your content ideas wherever and whenever they come.

These days the easiest tends to be in your mobile, as most of us have it with us at all times!

This will provide you with an invaluable source of ideas, concepts or even outlines to get your digital content creation going. Fab!

Get into the right environment for your brain

Here is another insight about creativity from science.

did you know?

Daniel Kahneman won the Nobel Prize in 2002 for his work on behavioural economics.

He also authored the book Thinking, Fast and Slow. In it, he explains that the brain doesn’t like logical, rational, conscious thinking, and will take any shortcut it can.

What is the relevance of this for your digital content creation?

Many times one tends to approach the content creation in a way that is too logical. In the content creation hacks above, Hack #1 and #2 are in fact process driven. They will not work well on their own, unless you implement Hack #3, which is all about liberating your brain for content creation.

Kahneman’s findings help identify what works best. So when you start your digital content creation, break some routines so that you can help your brain find the shortcuts Kahneman refers to.

The concept of brain shortcuts comes from the fact that the creative process of the brain happens when physical connections occur between different parts of the brain that usually do not connect. To facilitate these connections, it exists a few tricks that work very well:

• Play music

• Exercise or walk

• Engage in a repetitive activity that does not require focus (and it isn’t relates to your creative content)

• Meditate

• Eat or drink something healthy you love

• Break the routine you follow throughout the day

Which one of these will work best for you depends on the person. So experiment to see what has a better creativity impact for you.

You can also help your brain get into the right environment by changing a few things over. For example:

• Change how you write (if you type, try hand writing or voice recording from time to time).

• Change the location where you usually work long hours (go to the sofa or the garden).

Some simple routine changes can help trigger a creativity circuit break, a mental shortcut which puts your brain in a flow state for content creation.

Take action

To help your brain establish creative connections:

• Change your environment.
• Don't push your brain to think hard on the creation. Distract yourself with other things.

Engage in a repetitive, potentially boring activity that distracts and liberates your brain. The connections to your creative brain side will be more likely to happen.

The above is one of the most useful insights I have uncovered about creativity and I wanted to share it with you.

Have you stared at an empty page and feel you go blank? Nothing comes out. No inspiration. The techniques above can truly help you break through those moments.

Use questions to trigger creativity & make room for mistakes

Multiple scientific studies demonstrate the importance of questions to help creativity.

It is called the possibility thinking.

Not any question will work.

Great questions are those you ask yourself (or others) to explore ideas and use your imagination to generate plenty of scenarios and possibilities.

They are open questions. Questions that have more than one answer. “What if…” is a great opening question for ideas exploration.

The more you create an environment where you ask yourself plenty of questions when shaping your digital content ideas, the more you will free your brain to think creatively.

Don’t prejudge your answers. You need to allow yourself to make mistakes.

Take action

To foster your creativity in your brain:

• Explore possibilities and ideas by asking yourself open questions to promote possibility thinking.
• Create room for mistakes. Don't be judgemental.
• Learn to accept that mistakes are inevitable and ok.

Help your brain make connections with mind maps

A great technique to explore related ideas when answering question during your digital content creation process, is to use mind maps.

Mind maps are graphical representations of concepts that are related and will help promote connections in your brain.

Take action

Use mind maps for your digital content creation.

Mind maps are a great content creation hack to trigger connections in your brain for new concepts and ideas.

Define your digital content creation workflow & batch it

Now that you have a series of systems to get your creativity flowing, remember that not all the digital content creation process requires your maximum level of inspiration. Some stages can easily be standardised so that you simplify and systematise how you approach your content creation.

So here is another content creation hack for you. It is very helpful to establish a defined a content creation workflow. Some of the stages in the workflow will benefit from facilitating brain shortcuts, some can be easily completed by just following a predefined set of steps.

for example

Here is an outline of my typical digital content creation workflow as an example:

• Research subject
• Keyword research
• Outline, outline, outline
• Create core content
• Create graphics and videos
• Review and publish
• Repurpose

Batch the creation of several pieces of content. This means that you create several pieces of content at once.

I personally find that the stage of outlining is the one that requires more from by brain to be put in a stage of creation. The other stages are more systematic.

Take action

Simplify your digital content creation by:

• Defining your workflow
• Batching your content

Batching your digital content creation will make you super productive and eliminate the stress and pressure to create too often.

Lastly, it is important to understand that not every piece of content will work as well as others. You might find some subjects easier to cover than others.

Don’t feel constrained by your content plan schedule. If you need to change things over because you don’t really feel in the zone to create a certain content that week, just swap things around. Flexibility is a magic tool to move forward with content creation.

Some can seek efficiency to the detriment of exploration. This will negatively affect your creativity.

Being efficient with workflows and content plans is great as long as you don’t restrain your curiosity to explore.

Foster curiosity to face adversity easier

Undeniably, as online entrepreneur and content creator, you hit moments that are tough.

As The Business Case for Curiosity, from the Harvard Business School explains: “When we are curious, we view tough situations more creatively”. 

Studies have found that curiosity is associated with less defensive reactions to stress and less aggressive reactions to provocation. We also perform better when we’re curious.”

Take action

Nurture your curiosity.

• Create an environment that encourages curiosity.
• Allow yourself time to be curious in your scheduled time.
• Be mindful that time pressures can kill curiosity.

Curiosity will help you:

• spot trends for your digital content creation

• approach creativity slumps with less stress

• ask questions that will feed your creativity

A curious mindset performs better and faces adversity easier!

Your BONUS tip: Help yourself

With digital content creation, you can overcomplicate your life. Make it easier for you.

From time to time, alternate brand new original pieces of content with:

• a review: write a review about some else’s content (books, videos, courses, podcast…).

• a best of compilation about a certain subject.

  • This is a great way quickly generate content.

  • It also creates an opportunity for you to generate good engagement with other entrepreneurs, as you are creating backlinks to their content and helping their SEO.

• a Q&A with your audience.

for example:

YouTube and Instagram Stories have regularly Q&A content segments.

They are fab to drive engagement up and to generate content super easily.

Lastly, remember to repurpose your content to:

• maximise your reach,

• make it reach different audiences in different platforms and

• extend it over time.

Here are my 41 Ways To Repurpose Your Content To Explode Your Blog Reach & Website Traffic.

Take action

Follow these content creation hacks:

1. truly understand your audience
2. use trends wisely
3. help your brain be creative
4. help yourself with easier pieces of content from time to time

In summary, you now have a full set of content creation hacks to help you:

• have more impact and be more relevant

• be more creative

• be more productive

• enjoy more your digital content creation process

• never run out of content ideas, including latest trends

• make your audience grow with you and increase their engagement

And best of all, great content will make your email list grow!

If you only have 5min, read this!

Ditch your creativity misconceptions. Being creative is a skill you can learn.

Here are my top 3 content creation hacks.

1. Content creation hack #1: Truly understand your audience

• Research, research, research

• Create content for different levels of knowledge in your audience

• Define your content pillars and content plan

• Learning about your audience is an ongoing journey

2. Content creation hack #2: Leverage trends wisely

• Curiosity is your best friend

• Be you

• Use easy and trendy sources for fresh digital content creation

• Be consistent: don't confuse your audience

3. Content creation hack #3: Help your brain be creative

• A growth mindset is your best friend

• Get in the habit of capturing ideas anytime, anywhere

• Get into the right environment for your brain

• Use questions to trigger creativity & make room for mistakes

• Help your brain make connections with mind maps

• Define your digital content creation workflow & batch it

• Foster curiosity to face adversity and creativity blockages easier

Your BONUS tip: Help yourself

• Create easier pieces of content from time to time like reviews, compilations or Q&As.

• Repurpose your content to maximise your reach.

You have learned how to:

1. Delight your audience with your content by understanding their struggles, goals and dreams.
2. Be more relevant by wisely identifying trends for your digital content creation.
3. Be more productive by defining your digital content creation workflow and batching.
4. Be more creative by enabling your brain creative shortcuts.
5. Never run of content ideas, with your content plan.
6. Enjoy your content creation process by liberating your mind from the pressures of creative blockages.
7. Make your audience grow with you by creating content for different levels of knowledge.
8. Grow your audience and its engagement by repurposing your content for different platforms.

Watch your email list grow thanks to your great content marketing.

No more horrid moments of looking blank at a white page or screen, wondering what is your next piece!

What next?

You have now a system to bring your digital content creation to the next level.

Identify which of these 3 hacks you don’t do that well and put into practice the actions I have shared with you. You’ll notice the improvements super quickly! Content will become less of a headache. Your email list will grow!

And please, don’t forget to tell me:

Please let me know in the comments

• What do you struggle more with your digital content creation?

I love having you here! I read every comment!

I love understanding what has worked for you, what you find helpful and what you want more of.

A HUGE thank you for being with me. It is an absolute privilege to have your time and knowing you find value in my blog!

Don’t forget to get your Free Cheat Sheet with your Action Plan to stop struggling with your digital content creation, delight your customers and grow your email list.

Hi! I’m Isabel

Visual content creation is my passion

The sea is my happy place!

For years and years I have created and produced content, in particular visual content. You can find me very often with my cameras and tripod out and about! 

My passion: to help you with your online presence and drive business growth through my blog and visuals collections (marketing templates, styled photos & video).

Ah, I have also worked for 24+ in the corporate world, leading quite a mix: transformation, marketing, coaching, sales, productivity, programme management, investments and product management. 

I love sharing all these skills with you in my blog.

I am also founder of Agavea Properties, our family holiday rental business.  My husband and I lead it with the passion with one goal in mind: serving our customers to create a memorable holiday experience for them.

So there you have it, that’s me! Ah... I almost forgot, my happy place is by the sea. 

Thanks for being here with me!