As a author for HubSpot, probably the most I assumed I might use our product was creating advertising weblog posts and measuring their efficiency over time. I by no means envisioned myself truly utilizing a CMS to, effectively, you realize, construct an internet site.
However, that shortly modified within the Fall of 2022 once I created a weblog that cataloged my journey down the Nice Divide, a mountain bike path that stretches from Canada to Mexico.
Earlier than I knew it, I used to be managing Pedaling4Pups.com and producing a handful of weblog posts every week all whereas biking the 2700-mile path. Whilst a seasoned blogger, I used to be amazed at how a lot I discovered about creating content material — largely when doing it on the go.
This is what publishing a weblog publish seems to be like whenever you’re 12K toes above sea degree:
On this publish, I needed to share the teachings that I discovered about content material creation from my journey. Under are 5 suggestions you need to use to create superior content material from the highest of a mountain, on a sandy seashore, or wherever inspiration hits you.
Methods to Begin Creating Content material On the Go
If you happen to’re simply right here for the guidelines, scroll on all the way down to the following part for the good things — I promise I received’t maintain it towards you.
If you happen to’re curious concerning the weblog that I created and are questioning how I managed to publish 2 posts per week all whereas biking by means of 1000’s of miles of distant wilderness, you’re in the suitable place.
I had two objectives when creating my weblog. First, I needed a solution to simply share updates with family and friends. What higher method to do this than with weekly weblog posts accompanied by a recurring e-newsletter that readers may join?
The opposite purpose was extra private. I needed to make use of my platform to generate donations for a charity. Readers may observe my journey whereas concurrently having the chance to donate to a trigger that I used to be enthusiastic about.
This led to me to create Pedaling4Pups.com, a dog-centric weblog that will not solely observe my journey on the Nice Divide however would additionally help an animal shelter in Ukraine. Whereas on the path, I wrote two posts per week all by writing and importing content material by way of my smartphone.
Once I was at my campsite, I might sort up content material in my Notes app, then add it to the weblog each time I had the posh of cell service.
It was an superior solution to cross the time and I used to be shocked at how straightforward it was to drag off. With pre-made templates and themes, creating an internet site took no time in any respect, and writing and importing posts on a cellphone is extra environment friendly than you could suppose.
Skeptical? I might be, too. It wasn’t all the time a downhill trip (bike pun supposed) and I needed to adapt my content material creation abilities to suit every scenario I discovered myself in. Learn on to study how I did it and what you are able to do on your web site should you ever end up in an analogous scenario.
5 Ideas for Producing Content material On the Go
1. You may produce content material actually anyplace.
Creating content material on the go is less complicated than you suppose. In case you have a smartphone or a pill, you’re already midway there. I used HubSpot on my cellphone, however you need to use any running a blog device that gives a cellular CMS.
Even should you simply have a pen and paper, sitting in a tent in the course of the woods, you possibly can nonetheless give you tales, classes, or different items of attention-grabbing content material that your viewers will wish to learn. Simply jot it down whereas it’s recent in your thoughts then switch it to your cellphone or laptop computer as quickly as you get the possibility.
As for the precise creation half, you’ll nonetheless want a platform to publish your content material on in addition to web entry so you possibly can share it with the world. Some platforms to think about using whereas on the go:
- Your Web site: Don’t have one? If I can create one, then I’d argue most land mammals can, too (sorry whales). Simply seize any free website builder and also you’re off to the races.
- Social Media: Tik Tok, Fb, Instagram, Twitter, Membership Penguin — take your choose. There are many social media websites to select from they usually all have their very own options that make them distinctive.
- Neighborhood Boards: Nowadays, it’s powerful to be authentic on the Web. However, that’s okay. There’s energy in numbers which suggests there’s probably a neighborhood discussion board or chatroom that will be focused on your content material.
- Information/Media Shops: Whereas I didn’t do that personally, I do know two content material creators who did get some media consideration for his or her perilous canoe trip down the Mississippi River.
In the case of importing content material, you might need to get slightly inventive as to when and the place you’ll have web entry. Listed here are just a few locations to maintain a watch out for should you’re in want of web or mobile phone charging whereas on the go:
- Libraries: Libraries all the time have free wifi and often don’t care should you hang around for some time. They could even have computer systems you need to use should you’re uninterested in importing content material by way of mobile phone.
- Fuel Stations: Fuel stations are nice locations to add content material. Many supply free wifi and there are sometimes charging ports scattered across the constructing.
- Relaxation Areas: Relaxation areas are a no brainer should you’re touring by way of a busy highway. Together with loos and snacks, these locations are fairly dependable at no cost wifi and charging stations.
- Public Parks: Whereas wifi might differ from park to park, maintain a watch out for charging ports as effectively. I discovered parks had been one in all my favourite locations to cease and steal a cost for some time.
- Eating places + Espresso Outlets: As long as you’re a paying buyer, most companies received’t thoughts you plugging your cellphone into their wall retailers. Some will even have free wifi you need to use to add your content material.
So, there you go. If I can discover a solution to add a weblog publish right here:
Then I’ve the utmost confidence that you would be able to add your content material anyplace, too.
2. Folks nonetheless learn private blogs.
That’s proper. Social media hasn’t stolen all of running a blog’s thunder. Positive, you possibly can publish like-grabbing pics on Instagram, or shoot viral movies on Tik Tok, however you possibly can’t change the storytelling capability {that a} weblog platform affords.
Blogs are wonderful areas to share private experiences, and also you don’t must be sponsored by a enterprise to be a preferred blogger, both.
In reality, our analysis exhibits that almost 1 / 4 of all creator companies don’t but generate revenue (mine for positive didn’t). Which means you don’t should be a enterprise to drum up an viewers on your web site, you simply have to create compelling content material.
Listed here are some suggestions for creating superior content material on the go:
- Be clear: If you happen to’re posting about private experiences, make them actual. Folks need real content material and most are good at sniffing out when one thing is faux. And, as quickly as they suppose you’re ingenuine, it’ll be arduous to win them again.
- Be optimistic: Don’t drown in your sorrows or search empathy too usually out of your readers. Whereas this may occasionally achieve you some consideration within the brief time period, folks will develop uninterested in listening to concerning the negatives in the event that they aren’t ever adopted by just a few positives.
- Don’t shrink back from battle: Now don’t get me fallacious. This isn’t me saying exit and fire up bother. That is me saying that my two top-performing posts had been those the place I confronted the most important challenges on my journey. Folks wish to hear about your struggles and the way you overcome them so don’t be afraid to play up the dramatics when it requires it.
- Break the 4th wall: Don’t be afraid to speak on to your reader. This makes the expertise really feel extra private like they’re on the journey with you.
3. Anybody generally is a content material creator.
Earlier than this journey, probably the most website-building expertise I had was creating my bio on AOL On the spot Messenger. I do know some coding, sufficient to know I do know nothing about coding — actually not sufficient to construct a full-scale web site.
Fortuitously, I had one factor going for me. I labored for a corporation that sells this website-building device you could be accustomed to. It’s referred to as HubSpot, and like Squarespace or WordPress, one in all its instruments is a drag-and-drop web site builder that makes running a blog easy for non-technical folks like me.
Is that this a plug for HubSpot? Sure, however that’s not my level. My level is, anybody can construct an internet site if they’ve entry to a drag-and-drop page builder.
Mine took me a couple of week or so to design, and from there I used to be posting content material very quickly. I used a pre-built template for my net pages so none of my design concerned arduous coding and I used to be thrilled with how a lot customization I had entry to with every of the modules that had been already included on the web page.
The arduous half was entering into the mindset of a content material creator. It’s important to be slightly susceptible and keen to simply accept that some content material received’t carry out in addition to others. In time, you’ll get the dangle of it, however studying what works and what doesn’t can actually pose an intimidating problem for brand spanking new content material creators.
4. Content material creators are all over the place.
One of many coolest issues about my journey was what number of different content material creators I bumped into. My hands-down favorites had been Jesse and Fien who handle the web site “Two Tired Belgians.” These two adventurers are biking from Alaska to Argentina multi function, two-year journey — placing my measly little trip by means of the Rockies to disgrace.
The excellent news is that you simply don’t must journey 20K miles by bike to change into a content material creator. There are many causes to get into content material creation and bikepacking is just one of many.
Under, are just a few different the explanation why content material creators do what they do.
5. Bear in mind, it’s only a weblog.
On the finish of the day, it’s necessary to keep in mind that your weblog is only a weblog. Don’t overthink it, simply take pleasure in it as an outlet to share your experiences with others.
In spite of everything, should you’re not making a living from it, you ought to be having enjoyable with it and testing what works together with your viewers and what doesn’t. If you happen to aren’t having enjoyable creating your content material, your viewers will not be going to have enjoyable interacting with it.
I discovered this lesson once I wrote about my tent getting sprayed by a sprinkler system in the course of a frigid night time. Looking for some humor within the scenario, I wrote concerning the expertise as if I had been at conflict with the sprinkler system and used navy phrases to explain how I moved my tent to security or “engaged in defensive maneuvers.”
I used to be soaking moist, chilly, and sitting in the dead of night ready for a sprinkler to cease spraying my tent. The very last thing I needed to do was write about it. So, I had some enjoyable with it.
I poked enjoyable at myself for pitching my tent in such a ridiculous spot and sarcastically applauded my efforts to salvage the night time of sleep. It was quirky and doubtless not all that humorous, but it surely was what I wanted to do to get a publish out that day.
To my shock, this was one in all my best-performing weblog posts. Family and friends reached out to inform me how a lot they loved the lighthearted storytelling and the way they thought the entire scenario was hilarious and was glad I shared it.
Whereas it wasn’t my shining second as a bikepacker, it was memorable and by placing my very own humorous spin on the scenario, I shared a real expertise that my viewers needed to listen to extra about — isn’t that the mark of an excellent piece of content material?
Bonus: Canine content material all the time sells.
If there’s one elementary fact that I can converse to about bikeblogging, it’s that canine content material all the time sells. It may not make sense, it could be irrelevant, however sprinkle in just a few pics of pups should you can and also you would possibly simply see your engagement go up slightly bit.
Undoubtedly not a science, but it surely’s a wagon I’m keen to hitch my horse to.
