32 Experts Reveal Their Top Content Productivity Tipscontentchampion.com/content-productivity-tips/

Are you trying to do too much at once? Credit

Let's face it. Being productive with content creation can be hard. We've all been there – asuperb idea for a new blog post, free report or guest article pops into your head, and wecan't wait to get started.

Excitedly we find ourselves in front of the computer screen – a blank Word document openand ready – but then things begin to look a little daunting.

Suddenly, the phone rings and while idly chatting about nothing in particular, a couple ofnew emails come in and you start half reading them – half listening to your call.

With the phone back on the hook, it turns out one of your emails was from a new bloggeryou're following – so you click through to read her post and get distracted by a popup to joinher list half way through. (After all, that offer looks great doesn't it?!).

Wait! You've got to confirm your email address – so it's back over to your inbox, click on a link– then become immersed in the first of those free videos she promised you.

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Digital media can be distracting. Credit.

A few cups of coffee later you've been through the whole video series, and remember youshould really go back and read that excellent blog post where this all started – so you fire upChrome again and finish the second half of the article.

‘What a great piece of writing!' you say to yourself, while opening Hootsuite to share it onsocial media. ‘This is good stuff, perhaps I should leave a comment too?'.

‘If only I could pump out fantastic content like this, my email list would be bigger than NeilPatel's by now and I'd probably be an online celebrity or something – with people emailingme to say my content is so valuable it changed their life!'.

Hang on…

It's at this point you remember you were actually about to craft that epic blog post you got soexcited about earlier, so you return to the blank white page – staring ominously back at you.

‘I'll come back to that later' you tell yourself, ‘it must be time for lunch now'.

OK, so that scenario is a little outlandish perhaps – a little far fetched – except for the factsomething very similar has happened to me on more than one occasion.

That's why I'm trying to be more productive with my content marketing.

And productivity is important. Just ask Henry Ford.

The Productivity Pioneer

As far back as 1913 when he pioneered the 40 hour week and raised minimum wages –Henry Ford hypothesized that working 8 hours a day, five days a week in regular shifts –would create happier and more productive workers than flogging to death unhappy staff

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Henry Ford

Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto. Credit.

with 12 hour days like hiscontemporaries did in theirfactories.

Like everything else on hisassembly line he tested this theory– and was proved right.

Increasing productivity – or outputper unit of input – was essential tothe early success of the Ford MotorCompany, and paved the way forthe modern manufacturingmethods we still use today.

Ford knew the secret to increasingproductivity was choosing the rightsystems, tools and processes toenable his teams to work smarter –not necessarily harder – and wecan definitely learn from this interms of our content production.

How Do The Experts Do It?

Starved of time and swamped by distractions – thePareto Principle tells us that focusing on the 20% ofthings that matter when completing any task, andignoring the other 80% – is the key to working smarteron creating content and by extension being moresuccessful at it.

But what does this mean in practice?

What specific tactics can we use to make sure all theaction we take is firmly routed in the productive 20%bracket and we are not wasting our time?

Searching for the answer to these questions led me toseek the help of some of the content marketingworld's most adept creators of content – the contentchampions who consistently produce fantastic workand who do so despite suffering all the samedistractions as the rest of us.

So I reached out to some big hitters in the industry and asked the following simple question:

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‘What is your top content productivity tip?’

The answers I received are set out below, and have really helped me gain more focus andstay on task when creating content – while being a hands on father to three kids, a(reasonably) helpful husband, full time copywriter, podcaster and blogger.

Content Marketing Pros Share Their Productivity Secrets

Here are the answers in the order I received them. Thank you so much to everyone who tookpart…

Matt Heinz

Heinz Marketing

Matt says:

Whatever you have to do, get in the discipline of writing every day.Set time aside, get up earlier, set a recurring task, find a quiet spotwith minimal distractions. Whatever you do, make it a dailydiscipline.

Michael Brenner

NewsCred

Michael says:

“Deadlines are the greatest source of inspiration.” I know MarkTwain said that but not sure he originated the idea.

I'm sure the earliest writers figured this out. The only way I am ableto write is because I commit to it. Two posts a week. I don't always know what I will say. But Iblock the time because it is important. And sure enough, when I'm under the pressure ofthat deadline, something always hits me.

And then I find the actual words, well they usually just flow. Often, it is a customer questionthat has come up recently. Or it's something I read that inspires me to think about my ownpoint of view. But setting a writing commitment is my top content productivity tip.

Interestingly, this means putting quantity over quality. Which most people dismiss right away,on the surface. But when you set a quantity goal and then make sure you create somethingthat will help your audience, you find that quality is much harder to define.

But quantity is concrete and easier to manage. Set a content quantity goal. And stick to it.

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Neil Patel

Quick Sprout

Neil says:

If you want to be productive, focus on writing your headline first. Ifyou don’t have a good headline, you won’t have a good post. If youwrite a post that doesn’t have a great headline you’ll find that veryfew people will read your content.

Stan Smith

Pushing Social

Stan says:

Work in batches. I like to set aside time to batch create blog content.

For example, Saturday mornings are reserved for creating theoutlines for 3-5 posts. Normally, I set a time limit of 90 minutes tokeep me on task. I don't write I just outline my thoughts on each topic.

On Sunday afternoon, I write 2-3 posts over a 4 hour period. The batch outlining the daybefore makes it easy for me to zip through these posts efficiently.

Gael Breton

Authority Hacker

Gael says:

Sure, here's my tip to write faster. This helped me save a ton of timethis year:

1. Only write the titles down and the break down of your poststructure2. Write freely between the titles, don't edit, don't delete anything, just dump what's in yourhead3. Add graphics, examples etc4. Edit and delete the crap

I usually do these on 4 difference occasions. That helps relieve the pressure of creatingcontent and has me revisit the post 4 times with a clear head which improves my critical viewof it. I'll go back to it for phase 3 and clean it up/change the structure when needed.

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Shane Melaugh

IM Impact

Shane says:

My tip is: take notes and talk to peers. Some of my best contentcomes from a combination of these two things. I take notes (inEvernote) whenever an idea pops into my head. Then, in discussionswith fellow entrepreneurs, I bring these ideas up and that's wherethey will often be fleshed out and turn into something worthy of a blog post or video.

John Lee Dumas

Entreprenuer On Fire

John says:

Sprints and breaks. I use the pomodoro method for 53 minutes ofsprint work, with a mandatory 7-minute break. This keeps mefocused and fresh throughout the day!

Rob CornishRob Cornish

Gain Higher Ground

Rob says:

I like to “chunk” bigger tasks into smaller ones of around 20-40minutes. Also, establishing a post-work related reward such as awalk or coffee before you start a task can help a lot with focus,motivation and therefore productivity.

Brian Dean

Backlinko

Brian says:

I don't check my email until 3-4pm.

As any novelist will tell you, your brain HATES writing. And it will doeverything in its power to stop youfrom putting pen to paper.

That includes wasting time on email and social media. I find that once I check my email, mybrain is toast. Which means I can't write anything good.

But when I open up my laptop with a fresh cup of coffee and a clear head, everything flows.

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Kristi Hines

Freelance Writer

Kristi says:

Get inspiration from others. No, you shouldn't copy other people'scontent. But when you research a topic you're working on, you'rebound to find that 1) it's been written about before and 2) there arelots of points / angles that you can cover that others didn't.

This tactic helps boost productivity because it will prevent you from staring at a blank screenfor hours, trying to figure out how to get started.

Jeff Bullas

JeffBullas.com

Jeff says:

If you want to do content marketing at scale and be moreproductive then you need to automate all tasks that allow you toleverage your time. I use a tool that automates most of my tweetingand it saves me over 100 hours per month.

Kavi Guppta

Forbes

Kavi says:

One of the things I'm very particular about is the curation of mydaily reads — all the content on business, technology, news, andculture that informs my writing and client work.

If there's a Twitter profile, an email newsletter, or a blog I'm following that isn't giving mewhat I want from the content, I remove it immediately. This eases the clutter of my inbox andfeeds, and keeps the types of perspectives I want to see fresh at all times.

A big part of this is making sure I'm getting the right information, rather than being delugedby all the information. I encourage it: remove people that you aren't learning anything from,and add people who can offer growth in the work you do.

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Joe PulizziJoe Pulizzi

Content Marketing Institute

Joe says:

Instead of thinking of the tactic (the blog, the podcast, etc.), we liketo look at the story.

In that way, we can plan ahead of time how that story should betold…and in a plan like that, we often can get 3-4 or more different content outputs up frontinstead of just one (a podcast becomes a blog which becomes a data graphic which becomesa magazine article).

It saves a lot of time and resources if you plan first instead of re-purposing after the fact.

Brian MasseyBrian Massey

Conversion Sciences

Brian says:

Put thoughtful time on your calendar. Figure out how long it willtake for you to complete a project. Add an hour, and put it on yourcalendar for one block. Close email. Leave the office if you can.

This long session allows you to slip into your zone. It gives you time to do a remarkable,thoughtful things. Guard these focus sessions from client emergencies, fires and last-minutemeetings. The world wants your thoughtful work.

Ryan Biddulph

Blogging From Paradise

Ryan says:

My top content productivity tip is to write offline. I gatherinformation online – if I need research – and copy and paste to aWord doc. That works wonders for me because the online world isfull of distractions.

Focusing on one goal – creating content – devotes all of my energy to creating that content.Dividing my energy between online and offline stuff diminishes my effectiveness.

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Using this approach I ‘m able to publish one, 7,000 word blog post weekly and I've alsopublished 10 eBooks during a 4 months stretch by doing the offline bit.

PS – Since I have the attention span of a guppy with ADD, this is the only way I can do contentcreation

Ann Handley

AnnHandley.com

Ann says:

How to Be a More Productive Writer in 3 Easy Steps:

1. Write TUFD (The Ugly First Draft) of a post or article withoutworrying about what it sounds like, whether it makes sense, orwhether you sound completely stupid or incoherent. Ban self-slander! Giving yourselfpermission to write badly completely undermines any fear of the blank page. It neuters anypower it has to stop you before you begin.

2. Watch Netflix, and get a good night's sleep.

3. Sit down at your desk again and swap places with your reader. Look at the post or articlewith fresh focus. Go through it ruthlessly — Are you being clear? Could you say this moresimply? More sufficiently? More artfully?

The difference between a good writer and a mediocre one is that the good writer takes thetime to edit his or her work. “Write with the door closed; edit with the door open.” —Stephen King

Rebecca Lieb

RebeccaLieb.com

Rebecca says:

Productivity? Prepare an editorial calendar in advance, keyed to keydates, seasons, and content features. It keeps you from continuallylooking at that proverbial white page, wondering how to fill it!

Susan Gunelius

Content Marketing For Dummies

Susan says:

Remember, you're not creating the Mona Lisa. Get out of your ownway and just start writing. If you agonize over the content you'recreating, you'll waste so much time.

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Part of being a great content creator is being a great editor and knowing that the first draftdoesn't have to be perfect. However, if you don't start creating, you won't have a first draft toimprove.

Carla Johnson

Type A Communications

Carla says:

My content productivity has gone up since I began setting a specificamount of time to write and complete (super important) somethingthat I'm working on.

For example, I used to schedule several times during the week to work on blogs. But I noticedthat I had a tendency to (ahem…) procrastinate and I bumped finishing the post until my nextwindow of writing. For me it was a mental shift from activity to productivity.

Brendan CournoyerBrendan Cournoyer

Brainshark

Brendan says:

Be strategic. With so many demands placed on content marketing,there’s no time for wasted effort. Everything needs to have a clearlydefined purpose.

Use web and traffic analytics to ensure blog topics are actually resonating with youraudience. Connect with lead gen teams to ensure content aligns with their campaigns.

Communicate with sales teams to ensure you’re delivering valuable content that reps willactually use to support their sales conversations (and won’t just “sit on the shelf”).

A productive content strategy isn’t just about volume – it’s about making an impact witheverything you do.

Ahava LeibtagAhava Leibtag

Aha Media Group

Ahava says:

Keep an open file with topic ideas. When you find articles andcontent you like, copy and paste the URL there with a note abouthow you might be able to use it for an article on that topic.

It’s a low tech solution that works.

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Rachel Foster

Fresh Perspective Copywriting

Rachel says:

I’ve recently increased the amount of content that I produce, whichsometimes makes it challenging for me to keep up. I find that doingthe following helps me stay on track:

– Planning my content in advance. Every month, I have a planning session with my CMO tocome up with ideas for the following month’s content. Then, we put these ideas into myeditorial calendar. This eliminates the dreaded, “What am I going to blog about?” question.

– Outsourcing parts of the process. Since I’m a copywriter, I write all of my own content.However, I outsource things such as research, proofreading, design and queuing content forpublication. This saves me a lot of time and has allowed me to produce more content.

– Focusing on what matters. My CMO and I review my results to determine what’s workingand what’s not working. I’m not afraid to drop something if my efforts on it aren’t leading tobusiness. I prefer to have great results on a few channels than try to do everything.

Cas McCullough

Content Marketing Cardiology

Cas says:

Using Google Docs to work collaboratively with clients is great foryour productivity because you can edit copy at the same time.

Bernie BorgesBernie Borges

Social Business Engine Podcast

Bernie says:

I log out of my primary user profile and log into an incognito profileto avoid all distractions. This allows me to conduct research andwrite without any distraction from email, notifications, tweets, etc.

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Sara Fraser

EnVeritas Group

Sara says:

What I've found helps me is to work in bursts: 30 minutes on thisstrategy and then I'll wander to the kitchen for a glass of water. Or,45 minutes researching and taking notes and then I'll break for awalk around the building.

Content strategy and creation requires a high level of concentration. For me, that meansprioritizing tasks, planning/setting goals, and then allowing a natural creative ebb and flow.

Graham CharltonGraham Charlton

eConsultancy

Graham says:

I'd say avoid meetings and just get on with writing.

Steve Kamb

Nerd Fitness

Steve says:

Use the program self-control and block all time wasting websites fortwo hours. Put on a pair of headphones, your favorite playlist, andstrong cup of black coffee. Get in the zone and don't stop!

David Meerman ScottDavid Meerman Scott

DavidMeermanScott.com

David says:

I wake up most days at 3:00 am and that early morning hour is mybest time to write. (Yes, I also go to bed early).

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Adam Connell

Blogging Wizard

Adam says:

Write at the right time. We tend to be the most productive in themornings and we’re less prone to self-control issues in themornings. So I block out most mornings for writing content for mymost important projects.

I’ve found that by using this approach I’m more productive and the quality of my work ishigher.

Jim Tobin

Ignite Social Media

Jim says:

Content has to be listed on your task list, along with everything else,but also with a fixed due date. If not, it’s too easy to let a good ideadrift.

For certain businesses, like ours, our content drives lead generation so it’s critically importantthat we produce high quality content regularly. That means it gets the same priority as tacticsthat may be less important, but feel more urgent in the short-term.

Chris Ducker

ChrisDucker.com

Chris says:

The best ‘evergreen' content productivity tip I can offer is to createcontent your audience wants – once you've built relationships withthem they will naturally tell you want they want to see fromyou/need help with. Anything else you create is likely to be ego-centric and ultimately a waste of time!

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Steve Seager

SteveSeager.com

Steve says:

Atomise! Once you have written your brand new blog post, forexample, take another look before publishing. Dig out the factoidsin your post and see if you could turn them into individual, tweet-able images.

What about pulling out some of the quotes and publishing on LinkedIn? If you have a pdfthings get even better. How about turning it into a slideshare pressie? Serialising it in blogposts?

The bottom line: if you have good stuff to share, share it in small bits. Give each of those bitstheir own permalink wherever you can. Turn one piece of content into many.

Action Steps: How To Be a Productive Content Creator

There are some great answers here, and as I want you to take away some practical tacticsfrom this post, I've distilled what our experts have said down into some key actions you canstart taking right away – in the form of this nifty infographic:

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Feel free to share this content productivity infographic

How to publish this infographic

To make it easy I've included the following html code so you can embed this infographic onyour own site or social media platforms. Simply cut and paste the code and you're ready togo…

Conclusion

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I've been thinking about trying to be more productive for quite a while now, as I know thatstreamlining my content creation processes are key to the success of this blog.

Asking experts for their help in this context seems like a sensible and inspiring route to take,so I hope you got as much value out of this as I did.

For my part, I've got an excellent productivity tip that has really helped boost my creativeedge and will also help me get fit and combat the curse of sitting down for long periods oftime.

I give you my new standing desk – I highly recommend you get one

My standing desk has already boosted my productivity

Again, thanks to everyone for taking part, I appreciate your help putting this together.

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