Dogs see only in black and white.
Popping your knuckles causes arthritis.
Lightning never strikes the same place twice.
Most myths are harmless.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for most content creation/digital marketing myths. At best, they’re slightly misleading. At worst, they lead you to waste precious time, money, and credibility on things that will never move the needle for the big dreams you’re trying to make come true.
So let’s bust a few common content creation myths once and for all.
Myth #1: If You Don’t Post On Social Media Every Day, You’re Doing It Wrong.
In the early days of social media, the more content you published, the more eyeballs you got in front of. In those days of substantial organic reach, naturally posting every day (or multiple times a day if you were really committed) was the thing to do.
It did work—for a while. People quickly grew huge audiences, and social media developed a reputation for being a cheap and easy way to market yourself online.
However, the “content factory” approach to churning out posts isn’t as effective as it used to be.
The main reason?
Most platforms today only deliver your content into the newsfeeds of about 2% of your audience. Just because you posted it, doesn’t mean your audience will actually see it. Posting every day can lead to burnout and often results in lower-quality content.
Quality trumps quantity. Consistency beats frequency.
What to do instead:
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- Aim to create meaningful and engaging content that resonates with your audience. (Pro tip: to do this well, you must be crystal clear on who your target audience is).
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- Decide on a reasonable posting frequency that gives you time to plan, create, and evaluate your audience’s response.
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- Develop a content calendar that allows you to create and schedule posts in advance, ensuring each one provides value and aligns with your goals.
Myth #2: You Need To Have A Profile On Every Social Platform To Be A Real Creator.
Trying to maintain a million different platforms is overwhelming, even if it’s your full-time job. To add insult to injury, it’s next to impossible to make each one as successful as you want it to be.
Then, when you realize it’s not even necessary, it’s like – what have I been doing all this time?
And if that’s not enough, here are 3 other reasons why publishing on every platform is an exercise in diminishing returns:
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- Reason #1: Your audience is not on every platform. They might be on more than one, but I promise they are not active on all of them.
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- Reason #2: You are not a superhero. Creating high-quality content for even one platform is a lot of work so too many is a recipe for burnout.
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- Reason #3: Spreading your efforts too thin will inevitably dilute your brand’s impact.
What to do instead:
Focus on a few platforms where your target audience is most active and where your content performs best. Conduct research to identify where your ideal customers spend their time and tailor your content strategy to those platforms. This allows you to engage more deeply and effectively, providing a better return on investment for your social media efforts. Quality engagement on a few platforms is more valuable than having a minimal presence on many.
Myth #3: The Algorithm Hates Me.
Among the most frustrating things I see from creators are the whiny excuses for underperforming content.
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- You have not been shadow-banned.
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- The algorithm doesn’t hate you.
While algorithm changes can affect reach, blaming them or supposed shadow bans for underperforming content overlooks more manageable factors. Often, content underperforms due to issues like lack of engagement, poor timing, or not resonating with your audience.
What to do instead:
Instead of assuming external forces are to blame, analyze your content’s performance metrics. Look at engagement rates, audience feedback, and content quality. Experiment with different formats, posting times, and engagement strategies. Continuously refining your content based on data-driven insights will help you understand what works best for your audience and improve overall performance.
Myth #4: Blogging Is Dead.
The truth? Ignoring blogging is ignoring a massive opportunity to move your audience from point A to point B.
Despite the rise of social media and video content, blogging remains a powerful tool for content marketing. Blogs drive traffic to your website, improve SEO, and establish your brand as an authority in your industry.
High-quality, informative blog posts (like this one!) can attract and engage your audience, encouraging them to spend more time on your site and increasing the likelihood of conversions.
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- There are over 600 million active blogs across the internet. (Growth Badger, 2022)
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- More than 50% of bloggers are between 21 to 35 years old. (Truelist, 2022)
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- Blog posts remain the most popular content format, with 9 out of 10 marketers using blogging to achieve content goals. (SEMrush, 2023)
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- There are an estimated 32 million bloggers in the U.S. as of 2022. (Statista)
What to do instead:
Instead of writing off blogging as a viable and effective tactic, consider the possibilities. Integrating a blog into your content strategy and creating valuable, evergreen content that addresses your audience’s pain points and interests can deliver great results. Let a blog article drive your main content message for the week, then pull out smaller nuggets to use in social media posts. Each social post is an opportunity to drive engagement and conversions back to the blog.
Wrapping it Up
There you have it: 4 content creation myths – BUSTED.
As I’m sure you know, the social media/digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and as a creator, you should, too. Content is king, but more is not always better. Today, it’s more about taking a measured strategic approach with laser precision. Connecting with one person in your perfect audience is more valuable than connecting with 10 people who aren’t.
I hope this post has helped you debunk some misleading information so you can create with confidence. Maybe some of the pressure is off?
Now, over to you. Which of these myths did you find most surprising? Shoot me a note and let me know!