When it comes to content batching, there are different steps you can take to help you batch your content in different phases such as researching, creating, editing, scheduling and so on.
In this article, I’m going to share five essential rules you should follow that will make you more effective while executing your content batching tasks so that you can be more effective and focused on your process.
1. Create Templates
The first thing you should do is create reusable templates to use. Templates are a time-saving tool for you—especially when it comes to creating content.
Templates can look like graphic design templates and visuals that you reuse for your social media posts. You might also have a template that you re-use when it comes to writing your opt-ins or freebies.
Here’s a list of templates that you can create to help make your process of creating and distributing your content easier:
- Graphic design templates for social media posts.
- Email templates with your custom header, email signature and bullet points for you to add in your key takeaways and your call-to-action.
- A template for your email/freebie opt-ins. A plug-and-play template that has a format that you can use and reuse every time you create a checklist, guide or an e-book for your audience.
- A template with your workflow checklist that you duplicate and use every time you create a similar project. This is something you can save within Asana, Notion, ClickUp or any other project management program you use to help you manage your projects and tasks.
- A template to help you draft your tweets or other social media posts.
- A content calendar template that helps you plan and manage your editorial calendar for your brand or business.
This is a quick and short example of ways you can leverage templates while batching your content.
CONTENT CALENDAR TEMPLATE
Get access to this course and content calendar that helps you maximize your channel distribution and helps you with your content marketing.
2. Repurpose Your Content
A step that is often overlooked is repurposing your content. So many people (myself included), may spend a lot of time on one video or blog post, but overlook all of the different ways to reuse and repurpose that content into other formats and channels.
I’ve become more intentional with this process by using my Airtable content calendar which helps to provide me with a better view of how I’m repurposing my content.
So how can this look for you? Say you write a blog post, you’d take that post and turn it into three Instagram posts and create two videos with catchy titles and key takeaways.
If say you don’t write articles, there are other ways to execute on this. You could take your Instagram post and repurpose it as a news article. You could also take the tips and expand on them on a live video.
If you worry that you might be repeating yourself, don’t worry! People need to be reminded and understand your brand message frequently and this helps you achieve brand awareness and message recall with your audience.
Related: How to Easily Repurpose Content
Here are five essential rules you should follow to help you batch your content like a pro. Share on X
3. One Thing at a Time
This rule of completing or focusing on one thing at a time can make or break your content batching system.
What does the “one thing at a time” rule look like? This means that as you’re content batching, you finish shooting all of your videos in one take, you log a list of photos you need to take and get them off your list, you design all of your graphics before turning to the next thing in your batching to-do list.
This is a crucial part of the process because you want to avoid multi-tasking and switching from one area of focus to another.
So next time you find yourself content batching and feel tempted to jump into another task, give yourself a quick walking break and come back to the task to finish it.
You will be more effective with your time and output.
free download
If you’re looking to streamline your process for how you batch create and publish your content, download this free planner and guide that will help you create an ideal content planning schedule and optimize your workflow.
4. Time Yourself
An interesting part about content batching is that you initially move very slow and feel frustrated with your progress. One way to help accelerate your improvement is to time yourself.
Use a time-tracking app to help you keep track of how long it takes you to complete a task. It may feel a little disheartening at first, but over time, you will improve your process and workflow.
Timing yourself helps you understand how long it takes you to complete a task and it helps you identify ways to improve your workflow and automate your content batching (i.e. incorporating templates, checklists and refining your workflow).
I like to use a tool called Toggl to help you keep track of how long it takes me to complete a task and over time I notice certain steps are faster than others, but it helps me better allocate my time and improve my overall time-management skills.
Related: Productivity Hack: How to Batch Your Content to Save Time
5 Tips to Help You Successfully Batch Your Content Share on X5. Create a Workflow
As you continue to put in your reps toward content batching and improving your process, it’s going to be important for you to create a checklist for yourself so that you know what the next step in the process and you lose less time figuring out what to do next.
For example, when it comes to creating a YouTube video, you may follow steps such as: researching topics and keywords, scripting, shooting, editing and distributing. However, within each of those steps there will be certain steps that will help improve your video or script quality.
Be sure to make the time to create a workflow that helps you optimize your content and batching process.
Related: 6 Ways to Improve Your Content Creation Workflow
FREE GUIDE
Use this guide to help you create an ideal content planning schedule. Save time with your content creation process, maximize your channel distribution strategy and content you’re creating on a weekly basis!
Takeaways
When it comes to batching your content there are five rules to follow that help make you more effective while executing your content batching tasks.
- Leverage useful templates: They help you avoid decision fatigue and help you be more efficient with your batching.
- Identify ways you will repurpose your content: Don’t wait until you’re done to figure out how you will repurpose your content. Think through some ways as you’re developing your content.
- One thing at a time: Focus on completing one set of tasks before moving onto the next. This means doing all of our outlining of content before jumping to graphic design tasks.
- Use a time-tracking app: Use a time-tracking app to help you keep track of how long it takes you to complete a task. It may feel a little disheartening at first, but over time, you will improve your process and workflow.
- Create and refine your workflow: It’s important to create a checklist for yourself so that you know what the next step is in your process and you spend less time figuring out what to do next.
What’s your #1 you like to follow when batching content? Share it in the comments below!
