New to Content Creation? Save Time & Maximize Productivity with Content Batching
Photo by Eugene Zhyvchik on Unsplash
Content batching is one of the best ways to save time and energy. And if you’ve struggled to batch in the past, don’t worry. You’re not alone! Before I found my rhythm and saw the results, I found batching pretty challenging.
I learned along the way that there are tips and tricks for batching efficiently and effectively that make all the difference. Let’s just say there was a lot of trial and error! But the most important thing is: I know these tactics now, which means I can share them with you!
Benefits of Content Batching
Content batching simply means creating a bunch of content at once so you have it available. Whether it’s blogs, videos, or podcasts, when you batch content, you go hard for a day or two so you can enjoy more breathing room and flexibility for the rest of the month.
Batching your content has a whole host of benefits:
Eliminate the anxiety of having to create new content every week
Have content on-hand to post and not scramble last minute
Establish predetermined days when you have the time and energy
Reduce procrastination and increase productivity
Free up time for other important tasks and responsibilities
Content batching isn’t always easy. But I can tell you from experience that you’ll get quicker and more comfortable the longer you stick with it. If you’re like me, you’ll even learn to love it! Having all your content prepared in advance is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
How Quick Do I Have to Batch?
Some people batch an entire month’s content in a day. But batching doesn’t have to mean doing everything all at once. For example, you might spend one day brainstorming your blog post’s for the month. Then, the following day you gather all the imagery. The next day, you draft all copy.
The point of batching is getting your content obligations fulfilled in a relatively short period – hours or days – so you don’t have to start over every week.
Content Batching for Video
If creating a month’s worth of high-quality, engaging videos in a few hours sounds like a dream come true, batching is going to be right up your alley. Remember that your first session will be the toughest, but once you hit your stride with batching, the sky really is the limit!
Set Realistic and Consistent Goals
Let’s say you want to batch all your videos for the month. If you typically post three videos weekly, that will mean batching twelve videos at once. Make sure your goal is realistic, giving yourself enough time to create, film, and edit your videos well.
Change Your Look
Content batching is smart and savvy, but you don’t want your viewers to get distracted by the fact that you look the same in all your videos. Naturally, you don’t have to do a complete wardrobe change! Add a blazer, change your top, and maybe try some different hairstyles to ensure that each video looks different.
Schedule Uploading
Once you finish editing, upload each video to your chosen platform and schedule the upload. You’ll also write your captions, hashtags, location, and tags. If you’re using YouTube and trying to grow your channel, batching and scheduling is a great way to ensure you maintain consistency for your viewers.
Content Batching for Podcasts
With proper planning, batching your podcasts is not only possible, it’s preferable! You’ll be amazed at how much overwhelm and stress you can avoid by leaning into the short-term challenges of content batching.
Communicate with Guests
If you’re batch-recording podcast content with multiple guests on the same day, make sure they know time is tight and punctuality is important. That said, you’ll want to leave at least a half hour in-between guests, so you don’t feel too rushed.
Plan Ahead
While you don’t have to have a complete script for every episode, outlining goes a long way. When batching, you want to be as efficient as possible, so thorough planning is essential. If you have guests, be sure and research them thoroughly.
Leave Time to Edit
Editing your batch session the same day you record is a good idea, so the topics are still fresh in your mind. If you leave enough time to edit, you’ll accomplish a tremendous amount of work in a single day. Then, you can go ahead and book your recording session for the following month. Keep that momentum going!
Content Batching for Blogs
Say goodbye to random, sporadic blog posts and say hello to feeling like a pro. Batching your blogs is a smart strategy, a valuable time-saver, and a surefire way to stop the pattern of procrastination in its tracks.
Don’t Forget to Repurpose
Repurposing content is one of the best ways to maximize efficiency and productivity. If you’re sharing content across multiple channels, look over your past social posts and videos. If you see something that resonates well with followers, consider expanding into a blog rather than starting entirely from scratch.
Time Yourself
It sounds funny, but timing yourself is an excellent trick for building enthusiasm in the long run. One of the hardest parts of batching is how tiring and time-consuming it can feel. But what you’ll notice as you continue is that you’re getting faster and faster each month. Timing yourself and noting your progress is a fantastic way to stay optimistic about batching.
Research Topics and Dates
When batching in advance, it’s essential to keep an eye on holidays and important dates. For example, you might want to take note that mid-terms elections, Valentine’s Day, or Christmas are approaching and choose your topics accordingly.
Thoughtful research will help you maximize your blog content for potential trending topics, upcoming holidays and celebrations, and unique selling opportunities.
