How to Build a Better Online Presence With These 5 Content Tips
Creating content online can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re just starting. This guide will help you develop a smarter strategy for your content creation. You’ll learn how to analyze what works, make your content last, use AI wisely, get comfortable with being yourself, and highlight what makes you unique. These tips will help you grow your audience and connect with people more effectively.
What You Will Learn
- How to study successful content from others to get ideas.
- Why patience and enjoyment are key to long-term content success.
- How to use AI tools without losing your personal touch.
- Strategies for overcoming the feeling of embarrassment when posting content.
- Ways to identify and use your unique qualities to stand out.
Prerequisites
- A desire to create content consistently.
- Access to the internet and social media platforms.
1. Study Your Competition for Inspiration
Many people create content without a clear plan, which is fine if it’s just a hobby. However, if you want your content to grow your audience or help your business, you need a strategy. This is where looking at what others are doing becomes very helpful. Successful creators often have teams that research what’s working well in their field. You can do this too by looking at popular videos or posts in your niche.
Don’t copy ideas directly, but use them as inspiration. For example, if a video title like “17 Tiny Habits That Made Me Rich” performs well, you could create your own version, perhaps focusing on “10 Small Habits for Better Productivity.” This isn’t plagiarism; it’s adapting successful formats to your own style. On platforms like LinkedIn, pay attention to the strong opening lines, or “hooks,” of popular posts. For short videos on Instagram or TikTok, analyze the first few seconds to see what grabs attention. By understanding what works for others, you can make your own content more effective.
- Tip: Focus on titles, hooks, and formats rather than watching entire videos from direct competitors to avoid accidentally copying content.
- Expert Note: Aim for an 80/20 balance between imitating successful strategies and adding your own original ideas.
2. Content is a Long-Term Investment
Think of content creation like planting a seed. It takes time to grow and show results. Don’t expect overnight success in the first few weeks or even months. Building trust and an audience is a gradual process that compounds over time. The most important factor for long-term success is enjoying the process enough to keep going.
Find ways to make content creation enjoyable for you. This might mean experimenting with different formats, like filming a video in a casual setting instead of a studio. While optimizing for views is important, sometimes choosing a slightly less optimized approach that you enjoy more can help you stay consistent for years. It’s a balance between creating content that gets views and creating content that you genuinely like making. If your content isn’t working at all and not bringing any results, you might start to dislike it. So, finding that sweet spot is crucial.
- Warning: When you are just starting, focus on creating consistently rather than solely on enjoyment. Getting good at the basics will make the process more fun later.
- Analogy: Learning a new skill like tennis is similar. It’s not much fun when you’re just starting and can’t hit the ball well. But as you improve, rallies become enjoyable.
3. Use AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT can be tempting for beginners who struggle with content creation. However, relying too heavily on AI can hinder your growth. When you’re new, you need to develop your own skills and understand what makes good content. Outsourcing this work to AI means you miss out on learning and developing your unique voice.
Content is fundamentally about building relationships and trust at scale. AI-generated content can often sound generic and lack the human touch that builds genuine connection. People are increasingly able to spot AI-written text, and following channels that feel inauthentic can be off-putting. Instead of using AI to write your posts, consider using it for brainstorming ideas or refining your own writing. The goal is to be a authentic voice, not just another source of AI-generated material.
- Tip: Use AI to help you brainstorm or overcome writer’s block, but always rewrite and add your own personality to the final content.
- Expert Note: Manually creating content, especially in the beginning, helps you build essential skills and a stronger connection with your audience.
4. Overcome the “Cringe” Factor
Most people feel a bit embarrassed or “cringey” when they first start posting content. This is a natural fear of social disapproval. As you continue to create and share content, you’ll become more comfortable, and the things that once felt awkward will seem less so. This process is called becoming inoculated against cringe.
Think about actions that might make you feel awkward, like speaking to strangers or filming in public. Even experienced creators can still feel these hesitations. However, the willingness to do things that might feel uncomfortable is often what helps people stand out and grow. Your brain is wired to care about what others think, a survival instinct from ancient times. In today’s world, being willing to be a little different, even if it feels cringey, can help you gain attention. It’s important to distinguish between feeling cringe and actually doing something wrong.
- Tip: Recognize that the feeling of cringe is often a sign that you are pushing your boundaries, which is necessary for growth.
- Example: A friend who approaches strangers to ask about their dreams might feel cringe about it, but their willingness to do so helps them connect with many people.
5. Lean Into Your Unique Advantages
To stand out online, avoid being like plain vanilla ice cream. Instead, identify and highlight your unique qualities, experiences, or perspectives. These “unfair advantages” are what make your content interesting and memorable. It can be hard to see these advantages at first, and you might even feel like you don’t have any.
Look at successful creators and try to understand what makes them different. Often, accounts that grow have something quirky or distinctive about them. You can’t be a major online presence without being disliked by some people. Your unique traits, even flaws, can make you a more compelling character. Think about what your friends find interesting or different about you. Consider what strong beliefs you hold that might go against the common opinion. Sharing these genuine, slightly unconventional viewpoints can help shape your personal brand and attract an audience that resonates with your authentic self.
- Action: List things that make you different or that you feel strongly about, even if they are a little controversial.
- Insight: Embracing your quirks and “sharp edges” makes you more relatable and memorable than trying to be perfectly inoffensive.
Source: How I'd Create Content in 2026 (If I Had To Start Over) (YouTube)
