Why Should I Start Creating Content As A Developer? (The Why) [Developer Content Creation Series #1]

The Beauty Of Creating/Sharing Content

I've been posting content fairly consistently (at least by my standards) for a few months now, and I have much to share.

Content is an amazing outlet for sharing ideas, solutions, and experiences so others can learn from them. In essence, it is a service to your community. As developers, this is tenfold due to the nature of our daily problems.

Think about a time you were struggling with a developer problem, and after a quick Google, you didn't have that problem anymore. This is because someone decided to create content on that problem. Now imagine that person, let's call him Gary, didn't post the solution to that problem. Your search for the solution would've been more challenging and consequently took longer. But, because Gary decided to share the solution, hoping someone wouldn't have to struggle like he did, you are now reaping the benefits.

This is the beauty of creating and sharing content.

This goes for any content; whether it's a written solution, YouTube video, online course, etc, your experiences and expertise can help make someone's life a little bit easier.

I'm under the impression that everyone has a story to tell and something to share, and this series helps you discover that, and understand the art and business of online content.

The Business Of Creating/Sharing Content

Of course, if we spend time creating this content, we generally want people to discover and read it. Let's face it, we can keep telling ourselves otherwise, but it sucks to have spent hours and hours creating and sharing something you've found useful and have no one consume it. This is why I am starting this series.

As developers, we have so much experience and knowledge to share that would benefit others (whether they're developers or not), and as a result, creating and consuming content has become increasingly vital for us and our communities.

I'm sure we've all encountered the situation I explained about Gary and the solution (Gary can sometimes be a Godsend), so it's up to us to pay it forward to be a Gary for someone else.

This series will show you how to do just that.

I will explain my experiences creating content, engaging audiences, and growing my brand. I will share my mistakes, successes, and strategies, which will help you kick-start your content-creation journey.

My Journey With Content Creation

It might help to hear a little bit more about my experiences with creating content. I've been creating content for a few years now. It first started with my friend's podcast. Long story short, he needed an editor to help him refine and upload his podcast to all the mediums he could, and I wanted to learn how to edit. It was a win-win, so we set out to grow the podcast with social media posts, consistent episodes, and short-form content.

Short-form content was the essence of our growth. We created content when the TikTok Boom was happening, so we had a good start before the market became too saturated. As I'm sure we all know, the market was saturated very, very quickly. I continued working with the podcast host for about a year and decided to go off alone.

I wanted to create content related to my work. After discovering the feeling of searching for a solution online and finding someone who carefully articulated a post showing how to achieve the solution to my problem step-by-step (the feeling was intense relief paired with excitement), I wanted to formulate my content around this feeling and help other Power Platform developers find solutions to problems that I was having daily (which is why I started Solution Sunday).

During this time (with University almost in the bag), I built an online course on Udemy, using my video-editing and (limited) branding skills to try and get students to enrol. I studied and read course creation mediums and strategies, used my editing skills, and produced a Free Power Platform Fundamentals Course (It's still up on Udemy here if you want to check it out). I'm happy to say that at this point, I have 700+ students and counting :)

For a while, I avoided social media like the plague. I thought they were crafted carefully to leech your time so they could make more money through advertising (which, in some respects, they are). But over the years, I've come to find that if used correctly, they can provide endless opportunities. It's like any tool: when used right, you can reap the benefits; when used wrong, you will incur setbacks.

Think of a kitchen knife and an apple. If I use the kitchen knife to cut the apple, then I have reaped the benefits, but if I use it to stab myself in the foot, that isn't practical at all. Social media is like a possessed knife, which can stab you in the back without you noticing, so using it efficiently is essential. I've picked up good and tried to eliminate bad habits for many years on social media, and I hope to share them with you in this series also so you can gain the benefits and avoid setbacks.

This series will discuss these experiences, including some of the mistakes I made (that I hope I can help you avoid) and the lessons I learned through hours spent manically sitting at my desk trying to figure things out.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am still learning daily, and these posts will grow with me. But I feel I have a lot to share already. As I learn more, I will be able to expand on these concepts more and more, hopefully paying it forward as much as I can.

Just A Note—As you know, I've primarily created content for Power Platform Developers in the past. While my experiences and examples may sometimes be specific to Power Platform Developers, I want to make the content I'm writing applicable to all Content-Creating-Aspiring Developers. You may see specific examples of the Power Platform, but I will do my best to generalise this for you and take lessons that can be applied to all Developer-Specific content.

Why Should I Start Creating Content As A Developer?

Our world is more connected than ever, and while staying off the map is a more than reasonable lifestyle (and trust me, social media isn't for everyone—it can be hell out there), staying connected efficiently can bring us numerous benefits and ultimately accelerate the speed in which we achieve our goals. Our world is changing quickly, so it's best to change with it (at least in some respects) than let it swallow us up.

I've mentioned previously that as a Developer, you have specific knowledge that can be used to help people in your immediate community and knowledge that can be applied in any profession. For example, the unique skills you develop along your journey could help someone else avoid pitfalls you've previously fallen into, your custom solutions can help someone struggling to solve a problem you've already solved, and every person you help can transform into a future connection. Connections can be extraordinarily powerful throughout your career (more on this later).

While you are paying a service to your community (which is a reason to do this all on its own - I hope at least), it'd be silly not to mention the benefits of content creation for you and your career. Gaining a reputation as a reputable content creator can open more opportunities for yourself and your business. Whether you're trying to climb the corporate ladder and be recognised as an expert in your field, find a new role, or even start up your own business, having a good reputation speaks volumes.

Being able to brand and market yourself properly is not only beneficial in today's world, but I would go as far as to say it is necessary to stay competitive.

After speaking to people within my community and other communities, I see that people struggle to find the time and space to create content, and I want to make this journey easier for you.

Anyway, like I said, I have a lot to share and can probably spend all day talking about this. So please let me know your struggles with content creation in the comments or simply leave a like so I can see if you'd be interested in this.

I look forward to hearing from you all.