How to set boundaries in content

When it comes to creating intentional content –?in interviews, on social media, in books – it’s helpful to know what is and is not within the limits of what you’re okay sharing.

You may feel strongly that you're an open book in your content, but your kids aren’t. You may feel comfortable doing Facebook Live or Reels from business locations around your area, but not at home (side note: you may want to get permission first if using other people's properties to go live.) You may decide you want to reach out for permission before mentioning people in your social posts.

Take a quick look at the topics below, and give yourself some guidelines related to how you will bring these aspects of your life into your content.

• Your immediate family (children, partner)
• Your close friends and family
• Locations you frequent or visit alone
• Vendors, partners or clients
• Colleagues and connections
• Your personal history
• Your political or religious beliefs

Setting guidelines will help you, because it gives you clear boundaries you can share with others. It also helps you line up what stories are off the table, so to speak, in terms of sharing with the world.

When deciding to share something from my life, I ask myself a few questions first:

1. By sharing this content, is it building character, connection, credibility or curiosity?
2. How can I share this story in a way that provides value to my reader?

Even if you decide you are an open book, not every single moment in your life is worth sharing. Save some of those moments just for you –?your audience will thank you.

Here's something important to note: We've all been through heavy things. You don't have to hide the things that have happened to you, nor do you have to mention them. But, if you are comfortable, you can be vulnerable and talk about heavy aspects of your life with people – with strangers, with friends, with support teams – and, yes, even prospects and customers.

These experiences are a part of your story – and you can use them as fuel. I say this because the content that connects the MOST with any audience is content inspired or driven by real experiences.

Your true stories will be what drives the connection, the quality of your conversations – and will immediately break down the "marketing" wall, and build human connection.

So while you don't have to shout all of your worst experiences from the rooftops in your content – you can weave your takeaways from those experiences into creating more connected conversations.?

I'm a content strategist, not a life coach, but I always find there's a bit of "therapy" in the work that I do with folks.