Three Beliefs Stopping You From Creating Content You Love
What to do when marketing feels cringey, performative, and forced.
Remember in 2020 when TikTok blew up and Instagram introduced the reels tab? Suddenly overnight, marketing your business became less about sharing your message and more about whichever dance trend you could learn the fastest while looking the least ridiculous.
It was truly a horrifying and cringey time to be a business owner on the internet.
Since then, content creation hasn’t felt quite the same. For better or worse, the pandemic changed the way we show up online, and the pressure to create perfect content feels louder than ever before.
But what would it look like to create content that doesn’t feel cringey, performative, or forced? What if you could market your business in a way that not only represents who you are, but connects you to new clients with ease?
If you’re struggling to show up consistently online, you likely don’t need a brand new strategy, or to go all in on another social media platform. You have to start by addressing the internal stories that are stopping you from showing up, sharing your message, and creating content that lights you the eff up.
Let’s get into it.
Story #1: “Creating content feels performative”
I’ve been hearing from a lot of people that creating content feels more like a performance for the algorithm than a form of genuine connection and self expression.
And that’s understandable.
Social media has become an echo chamber, plastering the flashiest, loudest, and most controversial ideas front and center. In order to get noticed, you either have to copy what everyone else is doing, or dress up your messaging in manipulative marketing tactics. And neither of those things are why you started your business.
But marketing only feels performative when you're following someone else's script. Underneath that impulse to “keep up with the Jones” is often a deeper fear of being seen.
The creators who make content look effortless aren’t concerned with fitting in or following trends. They’re using their unique perspective and point of view to build real relationships.
When you know exactly who you're talking to, what you believe in, and why your work matters, you stop performing for the algorithm and start connecting with the people who need what you have to offer.
Story #2: “Someone else is already saying this better than me."
There’s a niche for everything these days, which means there’s likely other people teaching the same topic or sharing a similar message as you. This can feel discouraging, but it doesn’t mean your opinion isn’t valuable or needed.
If you’re in a saturated market, people are actively searching for what you offer; they just haven't found your version of it yet. No one can replicate your lived experience and unique perspective.
This is why some marketing coaches follow very few people in their industry, and I recommend you do the same! If someone’s content is triggering your imposter syndrome, kindly mute them or unsubscribe.
It’s easy to underestimate how much you know when you’re surrounded by experts repeating the same messages. But I promise the things that feel obvious to you aren’t obvious to the people you’re working with.
Instead of believing you’re not skilled enough, established enough, or original enough to add to the conversation, start sharing your perspective and see what happens.
Story #3: “I tried this before and it didn’t work”
One of the biggest reasons people give up on their content marketing is because they invested time or money into a specific strategy and it either didn’t work, or it worked for a time and eventually stopped.
Maybe you bought an expensive marketing course but couldn’t stick with it. Maybe you hired someone to write your content for you, but they didn't capture your voice. Or maybe you hustled your butt off for a year on social media and didn’t see any results.
Whatever your version of this story sounds like, the conclusion is often the same: “Other people can make this work, so why can’t I?”
But I’ll let you in on a little secret…Marketing is just one big experiment.
The best marketing strategies are often a combination of data-driven decisions and innovative ideas. That’s why it’s important to be creative, take risks, and see failure as an opportunity for growth.
If you’re struggling to make your content work, ask yourself what feels the most fun and experimental right now. Then reach out to people in your community, ask for feedback, and find the courage to keep showing up.
You likely won’t see results overnight (content is a long game after all), but the combination of critical thinking, creative expression, and consistent effort is often a winning combo.
The content you want to create is on the other side of these stories
When you think about the type of content that lights you up, what does it look like?
Are you writing thought-provoking editorial pieces for your website or Substack? Creating gorgeous mood boards and dreamy videos for Instagram? Yapping away with your closest business friends on a podcast or video interview?
When it comes to content marketing, strategy is important. You want to make sure your message resonates with the right people. But what’s more important is feeling safe enough to share that message in the first place.
If you need more support uncovering what to say in your content and how to say it, my Content Clarity Guide is a great starting point.
We’ll meet for a 90 minute strategy session, where you'll get clear on the core messages that make you feel excited to create content again.
Then, alongside my own market research, I’ll create a 30+ page guide walking you through your brand story, ideal client, and solution so you understand how to communicate your unique positioning in your content (even if you’re in a crowded market).
You’ll also receive my Content Clarity Workbook with 16 different content ideas you can start working on right away. Each idea comes with a specific set of instructions and writing prompts for the perfect combination of strategy and self expression.
Book a call with me below to learn more about the Content Clarity Guide, and how it can support you on your content marketing journey:
Hey, there! I’m Keriann
I help online coaches, practitioners, and service providers turn their expertise into strategic and engaging content.
