You Are Your Only Gatekeeper
I was teaching my students about the media as gatekeepers - how media's traditional format serves as a barrier preventing one from communicating to the masses, i.e., your audiences. Pre-the internet, the only way one could broadcast and/or promote their product or service was to pitch to media and hope that a TV or radio station's producer or that a magazine's editor, found your topic interesting enough to air or to publish. Today, although the art and science of media pitching and building relationships with media is ever thriving, the explosion of "content creation" is all but erasing the barriers that once prevented us common folk from reaching audiences and building a following.
What is content creation you ask? Well, you are both consuming and creating everyday! Whenever you post to your social channels you are creating content for others to consume. And in turn, whenever you read, share, or like someone's social posts, you are building a following - an audience - for the person who created that content.
The trend of becoming Instagram, YouTube, or Musical.ly famous is just starting to ramp up. With two million blog posts being uploaded every day (including mine!) and with one billion podcast subscribers, you no longer have to wait to build your audience. Additionally, technology has made creating content easy enough that a tween can create, edit, and upload professional, quality videos for public consumption.
So if you are waiting for the "right" moment to build your brand; or if you're thinking that you need money, or staff, or fancy equipment to reach the audiences you seek to help you reach your organization's goals, I respectfully suggest that you step out of the Wayback Machine, check your fear at the door, and start creating! We are in a most exciting time in history when everyone has an opportunity to create and produce wonderful, innovative art - whether it be in the form of music, writing, drawing, crafts - and share it with a willing and receptive audience. You just have to get out of your own way and take the first step.
Want more information on how to create content? Here are some of my go to sites:
Social Media Examiner- for all things social media marketing;
Hubspot - the inbound marketing experts (in my opinion); and
Fizzle.co - Great for independent entrepreneurial advice.
Originally published on the Office Hours Blog, Clemons Consulting, LLC