CREATE CONTENT

Great content doesn’t require expensive equipment or professional training. Learn how to turn the things you already love into content people want to watch, save, share, and come back for, while developing a creation process you can actually maintain.

One of the biggest things that stops new creators from posting is a simple question:
“What am I supposed to post?”
The answer is simpler than you think. Start with the things you already do, know, use, visit, or love.
If you're a food creator, share the restaurant you tried last night. If you're into gardening, show what you're planting this weekend. If you're a parent, share the activity your kids loved. If you cover fashion, show what you're actually wearing.
Your everyday life is full of content once you start looking for it.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR AUDIENCE GETS FROM IT
Before you post, ask yourself:
Is this useful?
Is this entertaining?
Is this inspiring?
Is this relatable?
Does this make someone curious?
A post doesn't have to accomplish all five. One is enough.
A restaurant Reel might help someone decide where to eat. A funny parenting video might make someone feel understood. A gardening tutorial might solve a problem. An outfit might inspire someone to recreate it.
Give people a reason to care.
CREATE CONTENT PEOPLE SAVE AND SHARE
Likes are great, but think beyond likes.
Some of the most valuable content makes someone think:
“I need to save this.”
or
“I know exactly who I'm sending this to.”
Examples could include:
5 free things to do this weekend
3 mistakes I made when starting my garden
The restaurant I'd actually go back to
What to pack for a weekend in Miami
5 rainy-day activities for kids
The beauty product I keep repurchasing
Useful content naturally gives people a reason to interact with it.
MIX DIFFERENT TYPES OF CONTENT
You don't need every post to serve the same purpose.
Try mixing:
Helpful content — tips, guides, recommendations, tutorials
Discovery content — places, products, experiences, trends
Personal content — your opinions, stories, personality, behind the scenes
Entertaining content — humor, trends, relatable moments
Community content — questions, conversations, responses to followers
This helps your audience get to know you, not just your niche.
DON'T WAIT FOR SOMETHING “POST-WORTHY”
A common mistake is assuming every post needs to feature an amazing vacation, expensive restaurant, perfect outfit, or special event.
It doesn't.
Some of your best content may come from something completely ordinary because your perspective is what makes it interesting.
Start paying attention to the moments when you naturally think:
“I should tell someone about this.”
That's probably content.
WHEN YOU'RE STUCK, START WITH THIS
Write down 10 things you could talk about without doing any research.
Then turn each one into a potential post.
You don't need 100 ideas before you begin.
Start with what you already know and love. The more you create, the more ideas you'll start seeing everywhere.
Getting someone to see your content is only the first step. You also need to give them a reason to stop scrolling and keep watching.
You don't need fancy equipment or professional editing. You need to make people curious about what comes next.
START WITH THE BEST PART
Don't automatically tell a story in chronological order.
If you're making a Reel about an amazing restaurant, you don't necessarily need to start with yourself walking through the front door. Start with the flaming dessert, incredible rooftop view, or dish that made you want to create the Reel in the first place.
Then tell the story.
Think:
Best part first. Explanation second.
CUT THE BORING PARTS
One of the easiest ways to improve your content is to be ruthless about what you leave out.
You may have spent 30 seconds filming something, but that doesn't mean your audience needs to watch all 30 seconds.
Ask yourself:
Would I keep watching this if it weren't my video?
If not, cut it.
KEEP THINGS MOVING
Especially with short-form video, changing the visual can help hold someone's attention.
Instead of showing one long clip, combine shorter clips that move the story forward.
For example, a restaurant Reel might show:
Exterior → atmosphere → cocktail → appetizer → main dish → dessert → your favorite moment
You don't need every angle of everything you experienced.
Show the viewer enough to make them want more.
SHOW, DON'T JUST TELL
Instead of saying:
“The view was incredible.”
Show the view.
Instead of:
“The dessert was huge.”
Show yourself putting your hand next to it for scale.
Instead of:
“This place is great for kids.”
Show the play area, kids' menu, or activity that makes it great for kids.
Your visuals should help tell the story even if someone is watching without sound.
GIVE THEM A REASON TO STAY UNTIL THE END
You can create curiosity by letting viewers know there's something worth waiting for.
For example:
“Wait until you see what's upstairs.”
“The last room was my favorite.”
“And there's one thing you need to know before you go.”
Just make sure you actually deliver on what you promise. Don't frustrate viewers with clickbait that leads nowhere.
DON'T CONFUSE “GOOD CONTENT” WITH “PERFECT CONTENT”
Sometimes a slightly imperfect video with a great idea will outperform a beautifully edited video that doesn't give the viewer anything.
Your lighting doesn't have to be perfect. Your house doesn't have to be spotless. You don't need the newest phone.
Focus first on the idea, story, usefulness, or entertainment value.
We'll improve the technical side next.
Good content gets someone's attention. Great content gives them a reason to keep watching.
You don't need an expensive camera to create great content. Your phone is more than enough to get started.
A few simple filming habits can make your content look dramatically better.
KEEP YOUR PHONE STEADY
Shaky footage can make even an amazing experience difficult to watch.
Hold your phone with two hands whenever possible, keep your elbows closer to your body, and move slowly and intentionally.
If you're panning across a room or landscape, don't whip your phone from side to side. Slow down.
When possible, lean against a wall, table, railing, or other stable surface for extra support.
You can also use an inexpensive tripod or phone stand, especially when filming yourself.
CLEAN YOUR CAMERA LENS
This sounds ridiculously simple, but wipe your camera lens before you start filming.
Phones spend all day in our hands, pockets, and bags. A fingerprint on the lens can make an otherwise beautiful shot look cloudy or blurry.
Make this a habit.
FILM VERTICALLY
If you're primarily creating Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts, film vertically (9:16).
This allows your video to fill the viewer's screen instead of leaving empty space around it.
There are exceptions, but vertical should generally be your default for short-form social content.
PAY ATTENTION TO LIGHT
You don't need professional lighting.
Natural light is often your best friend. When possible, position yourself or your subject facing the light rather than having a bright window directly behind you.
Before filming, look at your screen. If your face or subject is extremely dark or washed out, change your position.
Sometimes moving two feet makes a huge difference.

Get an inexpensive portable light that can clip onto your phone.
GET DIFFERENT ANGLES
Don't film everything from exactly the same position.
If you're covering a restaurant, event, product, hotel, garden, or experience, get a combination of:
Wide shots — show the overall setting
Medium shots — show the subject
Close-ups — capture details
Those different perspectives will make editing much easier later.
KEEP INDIVIDUAL CLIPS SHORT
You don't need to record every shot for a full minute.
For B-roll, I often recommend capturing several seconds of steady footage and then moving on. You can trim it down when you edit.
The important thing is to give yourself enough clean footage at the beginning and end of each clip.
Press record → hold steady → capture the shot → hold steady → stop.
Don't immediately jerk the phone away the second you think you have the shot.
FILM MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU NEED
One of the worst feelings is sitting down to edit and realizing you never filmed the one shot you need.
Get the exterior. Get the sign. Get the room. Get the details. Get yourself there. Get the food or product. Get the action.
You don't have to use everything.
It's much easier to delete an extra clip than recreate a moment that's already over.
FILMING YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE ALONE
You don't need someone following you around with a camera.
Use a small tripod, prop your phone somewhere secure, or find a stable surface. Set up the shot, press record, and walk into the frame.
Don't worry about looking silly. Most creators have had the experience of walking past their phone three times to get a five-second clip.
DON'T ZOOM TOO MUCH
Whenever possible, move closer instead of relying heavily on digital zoom.
Excessive zoom can reduce image quality and make shaky footage even more noticeable.
CHECK YOUR FOOTAGE BEFORE YOU LEAVE
This is especially important at an event, restaurant, trip, or one-time experience.
Before you leave, quickly look through a few clips.
Is the footage actually in focus? Did you get the important shot? Was your finger covering the lens? Did you accidentally record nothing?
It takes 30 seconds to check and can save an entire piece of content.
REMEMBER: THE STORY MATTERS MORE THAN THE CAMERA
Technical quality helps, but don't become so focused on getting the perfect shot that you forget why you're filming it.
Steady, clear, well-lit footage makes your content easier to watch. A good story makes people want to watch it.
Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts can be some of the best ways to get your content in front of people who don't already follow you.
And you don't need to dance, lip-sync, or jump on every trend to make short-form video work for you.
START WITH A PURPOSE
Before you start editing, ask yourself:
What is this Reel actually about?
Try to be able to explain it in one sentence.
“I'm showing people a free pop-up happening in NYC this weekend.”
“I'm sharing three plants that are almost impossible to kill.”
“I'm reviewing whether this viral restaurant is actually worth visiting.”
If you can't explain the point of the video simply, your viewer may not understand it either.
GET TO THE POINT
You usually don't need:
“Hi guys! So today I wanted to tell you about...”
Start with the information.
“There's a free three-day pop-up opening in SoHo this weekend.”
That's immediately more useful to someone scrolling.
Short-form content moves quickly. Respect your viewer's time.
YOUR FIRST FEW SECONDS MATTER
The beginning of your video should give someone a reason to stop.
You can do that with:
An interesting visual
A surprising statement
A question
A useful promise
Something people haven't seen before
For example:
“This might be NYC's best free event this weekend.”
“I wish I knew this before starting my first garden.”
“Would you pay $30 for this?”
We'll go much deeper into hooks in the next lesson.
HOW LONG SHOULD A REEL BE?
There isn't one perfect length.
A video should be as long as it needs to be and no longer.
A simple recommendation might work in 10–15 seconds. A tutorial or story may need considerably longer.
Don't stretch a 15-second idea into a minute just because you think longer videos perform better. And don't rush genuinely useful information just to make something extremely short.
USE TEXT ON SCREEN
A lot of people encounter social content when they aren't ready or able to listen to audio.
Use on-screen text to quickly communicate what the video is about.
For example:
FREE NYC POP-UP THIS WEEKEND
is much more useful than:
YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!
Be specific whenever you can.
If you're speaking in the video, captions also make your content easier to follow and more accessible.
THINK ABOUT THE COVER
Your Reel cover matters once someone visits your profile.
Use a clear image and a short title that helps someone understand what the Reel contains.
Think:
5 FREE NYC EVENTS
rather than:
YOU WON'T BELIEVE #3
You want someone browsing your profile to immediately see which videos are relevant to them.
DON'T DELETE SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE IT STARTS SLOW
Not every Reel takes off immediately.
Give your content time. A video can continue being discovered after you post it, and deleting every Reel that doesn't immediately perform can prevent you from learning what works.
Instead, look at the results and ask:
Did people watch?
Did they save it?
Did they share it?
Did it bring new followers?
We'll get much deeper into analytics in the Grow Your Audience module.
DON'T CHASE EVERY TREND
Trending audio and formats can be useful, but don't force a trend that has nothing to do with your audience.
If a trend naturally fits your content, use it.
If it doesn't, skip it.
Your goal isn't to participate in every trend. It's to create content your audience actually wants.
ONE IDEA, ONE REEL
Especially when you're starting, keep your videos focused.
Instead of trying to cover an entire weekend itinerary, five restaurants, your outfit, and a product recommendation in one Reel, consider turning those into separate pieces of content.
One experience can often give you multiple posts.
That's good. You don't constantly need new experiences to constantly create new content.
Short-form video works best when the viewer quickly understands what they're getting and has a reason to keep watching.
A hook is the first thing that makes someone stop scrolling and pay attention to your content.
It might be the first sentence you say, the text on the screen, the first visual someone sees, or a combination of all three.
You can create amazing content, but if nobody stops long enough to watch it, they may never discover how good it is.
TELL THEM WHY THEY SHOULD CARE
A good hook quickly answers:
“Why should I keep watching?”
Instead of:
“Come with me to this event...”
Try:
“This free NYC event is only happening for three days.”
Instead of:
“Here's what I did in my garden today...”
Try:
“If your hydrangeas aren't blooming, this could be why.”
Instead of:
“I went to this new restaurant...”
Try:
“I found a $15 lunch in SoHo that's actually worth it.”
Specific usually beats vague.
USE CURIOSITY, BUT DON'T USE EMPTY CLICKBAIT
Curiosity is powerful.
Examples:
“There's one thing I wish I knew before coming here.”
“I almost walked right past the best part.”
“Here's what nobody tells you about...”
But make sure your content actually delivers the answer.
Don't promise something shocking and then reveal something completely ordinary just to keep people watching. That may get a view, but it doesn't build trust.
LEAD WITH VALUE
Some of the easiest hooks simply tell people exactly what they're getting.
“5 free things to do in NYC this weekend.”
“3 easy vegetables beginners can grow.”
“The best kids' activities for a rainy day.”
“What I'd order again at this restaurant.”
You don't always need to be clever.
Clear can be more powerful than clever.
TRY DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOOKS
Keep a few formats in your back pocket:
THE QUESTION
“Would you wait two hours for this?”
THE PROBLEM
“If your Reels aren't getting views, check this first.”
THE LIST
“3 free things happening in NYC this weekend.”
THE OPINION
“This was the best part of the entire event.”
THE WARNING
“Don't visit this pop-up without knowing this first.”
THE DISCOVERY
“I can't believe this exists in New York.”
THE HOW-TO
“Here's how to get your hydrangeas to bloom again.”
THE MONEY HOOK
“Here's everything you can get for under $25.”
YOUR VISUAL CAN BE THE HOOK
Your first shot matters too.
If you're showing a castle, start with the castle, not the parking lot.
If you're covering an elaborate dessert, consider showing the dessert immediately rather than saving it for 20 seconds into the video.
If something makes you think “Wow,” that's often a good candidate for your opening shot.
WRITE THE HOOK BEFORE YOU EDIT
Before putting together your Reel, write one sentence:
“The reason someone should watch this is ______.”
That can often become your hook.
And don't be afraid to write three or four different hooks before choosing one. Sometimes changing the first sentence is all it takes to make the exact same content much stronger.
SAVE HOOKS THAT WORK
When you notice one of your posts performing particularly well, pay attention to how you opened it.
Don't copy the exact wording forever. Reuse the structure.
If “5 free things to do this weekend” consistently works for your audience, make it a recurring series.
You don't need to reinvent your strategy every time you post.
The best hook isn't the most dramatic one. It's the one that makes the right person stop and think, “I want to know more.”
There's no single “right” way to make a Reel.
You can talk directly to the camera, use a voiceover, rely on on-screen text, use music with visuals, or combine several of these.
The best format depends on what you're creating and what feels natural to you.
TALKING TO CAMERA
Talking directly to the camera is one of the best ways to help your audience get to know you.
It's especially useful for:
Opinions and reviews
Personal stories
Advice and tips
Explaining something quickly
Building trust with your audience
And don't worry if talking to a camera feels awkward at first. It does for almost everyone.
You don't have to memorize an entire script either. Record a sentence or two at a time and edit the clips together.
Most importantly, look at the camera lens, not at yourself on the screen. It creates much better eye contact with the viewer.
VOICEOVERS
Voiceovers are great when the visuals are the star, but you still want to tell a story or provide information.
They're especially useful for:
Events and pop-ups
Restaurants
Travel
Product demonstrations
Tutorials
Day-in-the-life content
You can enjoy the experience and capture your footage first, then record your explanation afterward.
Voiceovers also give you more control because you can write what you want to say after you've seen all your footage.
ON-SCREEN TEXT
Sometimes you don't need to speak at all.
A strong opening line followed by good visuals and concise text can tell the entire story.
For example:
“5 free things to do in NYC this weekend”
followed by clips with the event name, date, and location on screen.
This format can be especially effective for simple lists, recommendations, announcements, and visually interesting experiences.
SHOULD YOU SHOW YOUR FACE?
If you're comfortable doing it, I recommend showing yourself sometimes.
You don't need to appear in every post, especially if your niche is focused on places, products, food, or events.
But remember that brands aren't only evaluating your content. They're often evaluating you as a potential creator partner.
Seeing your personality, hearing your voice, and getting a sense of who you are can help both your audience and potential brand partners connect with you.
You can start small. Appear for the first few seconds, then switch to B-roll. Show yourself experiencing the place you're recommending. Add a quick reaction at the end.
YOU CAN COMBINE FORMATS
You don't have to choose one style forever.
A Reel could begin with you saying:
“This might be the best free event in NYC this weekend.”
Then switch to event footage with a voiceover.
Then show important information such as the dates and location as on-screen text.
That gives you personality + visuals + useful information in one piece of content.
DON'T FORCE A FORMAT THAT DOESN'T FIT YOU
Some creators are naturally great on camera. Others are fantastic storytellers through voiceover. Some build enormous audiences without speaking much at all.
Experiment with all of them.
But don't avoid a format simply because it feels uncomfortable the first few times. Being comfortable on camera is a skill, and skills improve with practice.
Eventually, you'll discover the combination that feels most natural for you and resonates most with your audience.
You don't have to choose between showing the story and being part of the story. The strongest content often does both.
A great visual might get someone's attention, but your caption gives you another opportunity to provide value, tell people what they need to know, and help the right audience find your content.
You don't need to write an essay under every post. Sometimes a few useful sentences are enough.
PUT THE IMPORTANT INFORMATION FIRST
Don't bury the reason someone clicked your post at the bottom of a long caption.
If you're sharing an event, include the important details:
What is it?
Where is it?
When is it?
Is it free or ticketed?
Do they need to register?
If you're recommending a product, tell people what you like about it.
If you're sharing a restaurant, include the name and location.
Think about what you would want to know if you discovered the post.
USE WORDS PEOPLE ACTUALLY SEARCH FOR
Social platforms increasingly function like search engines.
Instead of writing only:
“Obsessed with this place!”
consider:
“This new rooftop restaurant in NYC has incredible views of the Empire State Building.”
Now you've naturally included useful terms such as rooftop restaurant, NYC, and Empire State Building.
The same applies to your on-screen text, spoken words, captions, profile, and location tags.
Don't awkwardly stuff keywords everywhere. Write naturally, but be specific.
THINK ABOUT WHAT SOMEONE WOULD TYPE
If your content is about gardening, someone might search:
How to grow tomatoes in containers
If you're creating NYC content:
Free things to do in NYC this weekend
For parenting:
Indoor activities for kids in Westchester
Those phrases can also inspire your content titles, hooks, and captions.
WHAT ABOUT HASHTAGS?
Hashtags can still help categorize and provide context for your content, but don't treat them like a magic growth strategy.
You don't need to fill your caption with dozens of unrelated hashtags hoping one will make you go viral.
Use a small group of relevant, specific hashtags when they make sense.
For example, an NYC event post might use:
#NYCEvents #ThingsToDoInNYC #NYCForFree
A gardening post might use:
#GardeningTips #ContainerGardening #BeginnerGardener
Relevance matters more than cramming in as many hashtags as possible.
DON'T FORGET LOCATION TAGS
If your content is tied to a physical location, tag the location when appropriate.
This is especially useful for:
Restaurants
Hotels
Events
Stores
Travel destinations
Local attractions
Local discovery can be incredibly valuable for niche creators.
SHOULD YOU TAG OTHER ACCOUNTS?
If a business, restaurant, event, product, or creator is genuinely featured in your content, tagging the relevant account can make sense.
But don't tag 20 unrelated brands just because you hope they'll notice you.
Be intentional.
We'll talk much more about strategically tagging and building relationships with brands in the Work With Brands module.
ALWAYS DISCLOSE BRAND RELATIONSHIPS
If you're posting content because you were paid, received something for free, or have another material relationship with a brand, there may be disclosure requirements.
Don't try to hide the relationship.
We'll cover disclosures in detail later in Creator Academy, but get into the habit now of being clear and transparent with your audience.
END WITH A REASON TO ENGAGE WHEN IT MAKES SENSE
Not every caption needs:
“COMMENT BELOW!!!”
But a natural question can start a conversation.
“Would you try this?”
“Which one would you choose?”
“What's your favorite place that I missed?”
Ask questions because you actually want the answer, not simply because someone told you engagement is good.
WRITE FOR PEOPLE FIRST
Keywords, hashtags, and optimization can help people discover you.
But don't let them make your captions sound like they were written for an algorithm.
Help the algorithm understand your content, but write it for the person on the other side of the screen.
Editing can make good content better, but you don't need complicated transitions, special effects, or hours of work to create a great Reel.
For most creators, the goal of editing is simple: remove what isn't needed and keep the story moving.
START BY CUTTING
Before adding music, text, effects, or transitions, put your clips in order and start trimming.
Cut out:
Shaky beginnings and endings
Long pauses
Repeated shots
Clips that don't add anything
Anything that slows down the story
You'll often be surprised by how much better a video becomes simply by making it tighter.
DON'T USE EVERY CLIP
You filmed 40 clips at an event.
That doesn't mean your Reel needs 40 clips.
Choose the footage that best tells the story. Save the rest. You may be able to use it for another piece of content later.
KEEP YOUR EDITING CLEAN
Fancy transitions can be fun, but they're not required.
A simple cut from one good shot to another often looks more professional than adding an effect between every clip.
Use transitions and effects when they add something, not just because your editing app offers them.
PAY ATTENTION TO PACING
Your clips don't all need to be the same length.
An exciting montage might use quick cuts, while a beautiful view may deserve a little more time on screen.
Watch your finished video and notice where you start getting bored.
That's probably where you need to trim.
ADD TEXT THAT'S EASY TO READ
On-screen text should help your viewer, not overwhelm them.
Keep it:
Short
Large enough to read
Easy to understand quickly
Visible long enough to actually read
Avoid putting important text too close to the very top or bottom of the screen, where platform buttons, captions, usernames, and other interface elements may cover it.
USE CAPTIONS WHEN YOU'RE SPEAKING
If you're talking to camera or using a voiceover, add captions when possible.
People watch videos in all kinds of situations, including places where they can't or don't want to turn on the sound. Captions also make your content more accessible.
Always quickly review automatically generated captions. They make mistakes.
WHAT SHOULD YOU EDIT WITH?
You don't need expensive software.
The editing tools built into Instagram and TikTok may be enough for simple videos. There are also dedicated mobile editing apps that offer additional control.
Don't get stuck searching for the “perfect” editing app.
The best editing tool is the one you can use quickly and comfortably.
As your skills grow, you can always move to more advanced tools.
MUSIC SHOULD SUPPORT THE CONTENT
Music can change the entire feeling of a video.
Use it to complement your content, but don't let it overpower your voiceover or become more important than the actual story.
Trending audio can sometimes be useful, but you don't need trending audio for every Reel to perform well.
Also remember that music availability and permitted uses can differ depending on the platform, account type, and whether content is commercial or sponsored. We'll discuss brand content considerations later.
WATCH IT ONCE BEFORE POSTING
Before you publish, watch the entire video from beginning to end.
Check:
Did I spell everything correctly?
Can I read the text?
Are my captions accurate?
Is the audio balanced?
Did I accidentally leave in a bad clip?
Does anything feel unnecessarily long?
Then ask the most important question:
Would I watch this if someone else made it?
If yes, post it.
Don't edit a perfectly good Reel for another three hours because you're chasing perfection.
Editing should make your content clearer, faster, and easier to watch, not make creating content so difficult that you stop posting.
The best content strategy isn't the one that tells you to post three times a day.
It's the one you can actually stick with.
Consistency matters, but consistency doesn't mean you have to spend your entire life creating content.
DECIDE WHAT'S REALISTIC FOR YOU
Think about your actual schedule.
Can you realistically create three strong posts a week? Great.
Can you manage one? Start there.
It's better to post consistently at a pace you can maintain than to post every day for two weeks, get exhausted, and disappear for a month.
CREATE CONTENT PILLARS
Go back to your niche and choose a few categories you can regularly create around.
For example, an NYC lifestyle creator might use:
Events & pop-ups
Restaurants
Free things to do
Fashion & beauty
Personal NYC life
A parenting creator might use:
Kids' activities
Family travel
Easy meals
Product recommendations
Real-life parenting
These are your content pillars.
They give you direction without forcing every post to look the same.
BUILD RECURRING SERIES
Recurring content makes your life easier and gives your audience something familiar to look forward to.
Examples:
5 Free Things to Do This Weekend
Restaurant of the Week
What I'm Loving This Month
Sunday Garden Check-In
3 Things I'm Buying Again
If a format works, keep doing it.
You don't get extra points for inventing a completely new concept every time you post.
BATCH WHEN YOU CAN
You don't always have to create, edit, write, and post something on the same day.
If you have time, batch similar tasks.
You might:
Film several videos at once
Write multiple captions together
Record several voiceovers in one sitting
Edit a few Reels at the same time
Plan the week's content in advance
Even setting aside one hour to organize your ideas can make the rest of the week easier.
KEEP A RUNNING IDEA LIST
Content ideas will usually come to you when you're not sitting down trying to think of content ideas.
Keep a note on your phone.
Whenever you think:
“That would make a good Reel.”
Write it down immediately.
Don't assume you'll remember later. You probably won't.
PLAN, BUT LEAVE ROOM TO BE SPONTANEOUS
A content calendar can be helpful, but don't become so attached to it that you miss what's happening right now.
Trends happen. News happens. A brand launches something. An unexpected event pops up. Your audience suddenly starts asking the same question.
Sometimes your best content won't be on your calendar.
DON'T POST JUST TO POST
Consistency doesn't mean publishing something you don't like simply because your calendar says you need a post today.
Ask yourself whether the content gives your audience something useful, interesting, entertaining, inspiring, or relatable.
If it doesn't, you may be better off waiting until you have something worth sharing.
DON'T LET THE ALGORITHM RUN YOUR LIFE
It's easy to become obsessed with posting times, frequency, trends, and what the algorithm supposedly wants this week.
Pay attention to what works, but remember why you're doing this.
A sustainable strategy beats an exhausting strategy.
The goal is to create often enough to grow while still enjoying the thing you decided you loved enough to create content about in the first place.
You don't need to create something completely new every time you post.
One good piece of content can often become several different pieces of content across multiple platforms.
This saves time, helps you stay consistent, and lets you get more value from the work you've already done.
ONE EXPERIENCE CAN CREATE MULTIPLE POSTS
Imagine you attend a new restaurant opening.
That one experience could become:
A Reel showing the overall experience
A Story showing behind-the-scenes moments
A carousel featuring your favorite dishes
A “What I'd Order Again” post
A TikTok using the same or similar footage
A YouTube Short
A blog post or restaurant guide
A newsletter recommendation
You don't need eight different experiences to make eight pieces of content.
REUSE YOUR FOOTAGE
This is another reason I recommend filming more than you think you'll need.
If you have plenty of B-roll, the same footage can be edited into completely different stories.
A clip from an NYC event could appear in:
“Come With Me to This NYC Pop-Up”
and later:
“5 Things to Do in NYC This Weekend.”
Same footage. Different purpose.
DON'T JUST COPY AND PASTE EVERYWHERE
Repurposing doesn't necessarily mean uploading the exact same thing to every platform.
Different platforms may have different audiences, formats, caption styles, features, and expectations.
The idea can stay the same while the presentation changes.
A detailed blog post might become a 20-second Reel. A popular Reel might inspire a longer newsletter. A follower question on Instagram might become your next TikTok.
TURN YOUR BEST CONTENT INTO MORE CONTENT
Look back at what's already working.
If a Reel about free things to do with kids performs well, don't think:
“Well, I already did that.”
Think:
“My audience clearly wants more of this.”
Create another one.
You could turn it into:
Free indoor activities
Free weekend activities
Free summer activities
Free activities by neighborhood
5 activities I would actually do again
Your audience telling you what they like is useful information, not a reason to move on to something completely different.
UPDATE AND RESHARE OLDER IDEAS
Your audience changes over time. Many of your current followers may never have seen something you posted six months ago.
If the information is still relevant, update it and share it again.
You don't need to constantly reinvent yourself.
SAVE CLEAN COPIES
Whenever possible, keep the original, clean version of your video without platform-specific watermarks, stickers, or interface elements.
That gives you much more flexibility when you want to reuse the content somewhere else.
Organizing your original footage also makes repurposing much easier.
THINK “CONTENT LIBRARY,” NOT “CONTENT TREADMILL”
Every photo, video, article, idea, and piece of B-roll you create can become part of a growing library.
Over time, you should have more material to work with, not feel like you're starting from zero every morning.
Create once. Use it thoughtfully. Then find new ways to make your best ideas work harder for you.
When you're invited somewhere or visiting a place you want to feature, it's easy to get home and realize:
“I forgot to film the entrance.”
Or the menu. Or yourself. Or the one thing you actually wanted to talk about.
Having a simple mental shot list helps you capture enough content without spending the entire experience staring through your phone.
START WITH THE ESTABLISHING SHOT
Give your audience a sense of where you are.
Capture things like:
The exterior
Entrance or sign
The overall space
Decor or atmosphere
A wide shot of the experience
This gives you an easy way to introduce the location in your Reel.
THEN GET THE DETAILS
Once you have the overall scene, move closer.
At a restaurant, that might mean:
Menu → cocktails → appetizers → entrées → dessert → details
At an event:
Signage → activations → products → entertainment → food/drinks → special moments
At a hotel:
Exterior → lobby → room → view → amenities → pool → restaurant
Think:
WIDE → MEDIUM → CLOSE-UP
That combination gives you much more interesting footage to work with later.
CAPTURE ACTION
Movement makes videos more interesting.
Instead of only filming a cocktail sitting on the table, film it being poured.
Instead of only showing the food, capture the server placing it down.
Open the hotel-room door. Cut into the dessert. Walk through the exhibit. Pick up the product. Cheers the drinks.
Look for little moments of action.
GET YOURSELF IN THE CONTENT
This is one creators often forget, especially when they're focused on capturing everything else.
Get at least a few clips of you experiencing the thing you're covering.
Walking into the venue. Trying the food. Holding the product. Exploring the installation. Reacting to something.
If you're alone, use a tripod or stable surface and walk into the shot.
You don't need to be in every clip, but including yourself makes the content feel like your experience rather than simply footage of a place.
CAPTURE THE INFORMATION
Pretty footage isn't enough if your audience can't figure out how to experience it themselves.
When relevant, capture:
The name
Dates and hours
Address/location
Prices
Menus
Instructions
QR codes or registration information
You may not use these shots in the final Reel, but they'll be extremely helpful when you're writing your caption later.
IF YOU'RE INVITED BY A BRAND, CAPTURE THE BRAND
If a brand or PR agency invited you, make sure you actually capture what they're there to promote.
That sounds obvious, but it's surprisingly easy to leave an elaborate event with beautiful footage and barely show the product.
Look for:
Brand signage
Products
Packaging
Demonstrations
Branded activations
The product being used naturally
You can still make the content feel like you. The goal isn't to turn your Reel into a commercial.
But if a brand invited you to experience something, make sure the reason for the event doesn't disappear from your content.
ASK BEFORE FILMING WHEN APPROPRIATE
Be aware of your surroundings.
Some venues restrict photography or video. Certain events may have embargoes or areas where filming isn't permitted. And not everyone wants to be prominently featured in someone else's content.
When you're unsure, ask.
DON'T EXPERIENCE EVERYTHING THROUGH YOUR PHONE
You do not need footage of every second.
Get the shots you need, then put your phone down and experience the thing.
You'll create better content when you actually have an opinion, reaction, or story to tell afterward.
MY QUICK SHOT-LIST RULE
Before leaving, make sure you have:
WHERE AM I? — exterior, sign, wide shot
WHAT'S HERE? — details, products, food, activities
WHAT'S HAPPENING? — action and movement
WHERE AM I IN IT? — at least one or two clips of yourself
WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW? — dates, prices, location, important details
Then check your camera roll before you leave.
The goal isn't to capture everything. It's to capture enough pieces that you can tell the story later.
Your content is an asset.
The photos you take, videos you film, captions you write, and ideas you develop can continue working for you long after you originally post them.
Don't let the only copy of your work live on Instagram or TikTok.
SAVE YOUR ORIGINAL CONTENT
Whenever possible, keep the original versions of:
Videos
Photos
Edited Reels
Graphics
Voiceovers
Important captions or scripts
Save clean versions without platform watermarks whenever you can.
This makes it much easier to repurpose your content later.
CREATE A SIMPLE ORGANIZATION SYSTEM
You don't need an elaborate filing system.
Create folders that make sense for the type of content you produce.
For example:
NYC EVENTS
→ Fashion Week
→ Restaurant Openings
→ Pop-Ups
→ Holiday Events
Or organize by:
Year → Month → Event/Brand
The exact system doesn't matter nearly as much as being able to find something six months later.
BACK IT UP
Phones break. Accounts get hacked. Posts get deleted. Platforms change.
Consider keeping important content in more than one place, such as your computer plus a cloud storage service.
For your most valuable content, don't rely on your social media account as your backup.
KEEP BRAND CONTENT ORGANIZED
Once you start working with brands, organization becomes even more important.
Consider creating a folder for each collaboration containing:
Original footage
Final content
Brand brief
Approved captions
Contracts
Deliverables
Screenshots or links to published posts
Performance results
If the brand contacts you six months later asking about a campaign, you'll know exactly where everything is.
KEEP YOUR BEST WORK
Don't automatically delete footage because the post is finished.
A great skyline shot, product clip, restaurant scene, travel video, or seasonal moment could be useful again later.
Over time, you're building your own content library.
KNOW WHAT YOU'RE AGREEING TO WITH BRANDS
Creating content for a brand doesn't automatically mean they should be able to use it however they want forever.
When you begin doing collaborations, pay attention to terms involving things like:
Content ownership
Usage rights
Paid advertising
Whitelisting or partnership ads
Exclusivity
Length of usage
Those terms can affect what your content is worth.
We'll cover this more in Work With Brands and Get Paid.
PROTECT YOUR ACCOUNTS TOO
Your content isn't the only thing worth protecting.
Use a strong, unique password and turn on two-factor authentication for your creator accounts, email, website, and other important platforms.
Your email is especially important because it may be connected to password resets, brand conversations, contracts, payments, and your other accounts.
REMEMBER: YOU'RE BUILDING ASSETS
When you're starting out, it can feel like you're simply making posts.
But over time you're creating:
A portfolio. A content library. An audience. Brand relationships. Searchable content. And potentially a business.
Treat those assets like they're valuable from the beginning.
Platforms may come and go. Your work should still belong in your creator ecosystem.
Before you move on to growing your audience, make sure you have the basics of a strong content process in place.
You do not need to have everything perfected. This checklist is about creating habits you can improve over time.
BEFORE YOU CREATE
☐ I know who I'm creating this content for.
☐ I can explain the point of the post in one sentence.
☐ I know what value it provides: useful, entertaining, inspiring, relatable, or interesting.
☐ I have a strong hook or opening visual.
WHILE YOU'RE FILMING
☐ I cleaned my camera lens.
☐ I'm filming vertically when creating short-form content.
☐ My footage is steady and well lit.
☐ I'm capturing wide, medium, and close-up shots when appropriate.
☐ I'm getting a few seconds of clean footage for each shot.
☐ I'm capturing action, not only static shots.
☐ I'm filming more footage than I think I'll need.
☐ I'm getting myself into some of my content.
☐ At events and experiences, I'm capturing important details such as names, dates, locations, prices, and signage.
☐ If a brand invited me, I'm capturing the brand, product, or experience they're promoting.
BEFORE YOU POST
☐ The beginning gives someone a reason to stop scrolling.
☐ I've removed unnecessary clips and long pauses.
☐ My on-screen text is easy to read.
☐ I've checked spelling and automatic captions.
☐ My caption includes the information my audience needs.
☐ I've naturally included relevant keywords.
☐ I've tagged the correct location, business, brand, or account when appropriate.
☐ I've clearly disclosed any brand relationship when required.
☐ I've watched the entire post one final time.
AFTER YOU POST
☐ I respond to comments and genuine questions when I can.
☐ I pay attention to what people save, share, comment on, and ask about.
☐ I save my original footage and a clean copy of my finished content.
☐ I consider whether the idea could become another Reel, Story, carousel, blog post, newsletter, or other piece of content.
☐ I don't panic if the post doesn't immediately perform well.
MOST IMPORTANTLY
☐ I actually posted it.
You can spend hours changing a hook, choosing a font, moving text, or wondering whether you should post at 6:00 or 6:15.
At some point, you have to hit publish.
Your first videos probably won't look like your hundredth videos. That's the point.
You get better by creating, posting, learning, and doing it again.
Don't wait until you're a great creator to start creating. Creating is how you become one.

READY FOR THE NEXT STEP?

You've learned how to create content that captures attention and gives people a reason to watch, save, and share.

Now it's time to focus on getting that content in front of more of the right people and turning viewers into an engaged audience that keeps coming back.

NEXT MODULE → GROW YOUR AUDIENCE

next module: grow your audience