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3D modeling, learning design, and content strategy

“What Content Should I Create?”: A Content Creator Matrix

The Quest for Content Ideas

Creating content can seem difficult. You are a content creator, yet coming up with ideas can be difficult. Deciding which media to create can be difficult. It can feel nigh-on impossible at times. The confusion. The overwhelm. Run away!

It’s not all gloom and doom, but it may feel that way at times. Navigating doubt and uncertainty is part of the process. Having a process that works for you and your goals can help. You may have a head (or notebook) full of ideas, but to just go about creating whatever can undermine the purpose and audience you are creating for in the first place.

The following matrix is an attempt to visualize the organization of content topic ideas and related obstacles and knowledge gaps that stand in the way of achieving a desired outcome.

A Content Creator Matrix

This matrix is an organized way to visualize content categories (needs /desires), audience obstacles /knowledge gaps, and content ideas to fill those gaps. The matrix is based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and human survival desires. The survival desires are mentioned in the book Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller. These desires prompted me to think of Maslow’s Hierarchy, so I grouped the related survival desires and mapped them to four of Maslow’s needs. I omitted the base level of Maslow’s Hierarchy (physiological needs: food, water, shelter, clothing, etc.).

With the needs and desires organized, I listed out content ideas that could fit into the four categories. But there was something missing. Content should address a need like bridging a knowledge gap or overcoming obstacles. So, the middle column was added for listing the problems, gaps, etc. that need to be addressed as they relate to each category.

Why?

I created this matrix because, as I mentioned earlier, conjuring ideas can be difficult, especially if you are new to creating content. It started as a reason to better understand and organize the process for myself. Then, I thought that this could be useful for others.

NOTE: The matrix can be used to brainstorm the obstacles and knowledge gaps in your industry or niche and the content ideas that will address those elements for your audience. The needs stay the same. The desires in parentheses may need to be tweaked to be more relevant for your purposes.

There are any number of ways you can derive ideas for your content strategy. What works for one person may not work for another. Working out a process that works for you takes some experimentation and time. There is no one correct method. Creating content is a mix of parsing analytics and educated guesswork. Any way you can organize your ideas, process, and strategy creates efficiencies in your workflow.

Having your ideas sorted out is all well and good, but what type of content will you create? Or how do you want to present or frame your topic ideas? There are many content formats and media types you can tap into.

Video: Tutorials, interviews, vlogs, animation, presentations
Text: Blog posts, articles, copywriting
Audio: Podcasts; live audio events like Twitter Spaces, LinkedIn Audio Events, and Clubhouse

You Are a Content Creator

Whether you like producing written, audio, or video content, there are opportunities to explore, create, and experiment with various media types. Dive in and get to creating. If you don’t know where your interests or talents lie, just creating content (good, bad, or otherwise) is a good way to find out. And I don’t want to hear any “But, I’m not creative” nonsense. Bullshit. Yes you are. The act of being creative is just something you have to do and practice at. Work it out like a muscle. You are human and humans are creative creatures. On the off chance that you aren’t human, then you are on your own. I don’t know what to tell you.

Here are a couple of questions you can ask yourself if you are not currently creating content, but want to start:

What is(are) the reason(s) you are not making content?
What kind of content would you like to make (written, video, audio, visual, interactive)?

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Generate Valuable Ideas: A Content Creator Matrix