Is Consistency Really That Important In Content Creation?

I’ve been struggling hard around the topic of content creation. As someone who comes from an agency copywriting background, I’ve spent the majority of the last ten years harping on clients about consistency in their content. Countless hours of my life have been lost in content calendars, carefully examining publish dates. But now that I’m on my own, I’ve been thinking more about content and the role it plays in truly bringing people together—a main focus of my business.

I certainly don’t think we need any more top ten lists or “21-steps to everything you could ever imagine,” though I understand the draw of this type of content. It’s easily scannable, quick to digest and makes us feel like we’re bettering ourselves. In reality, most lists are the content equivalent of a fast food meal: hollow and lacking any meaningful substance. I also understand the irony of this coming from a woman who writes for USA Today’s 10Best website, but stick with me here.

In thinking about my “strategy” for Gap to Great, I’ve hit a bit of a sticking point. I’ve decided I don’t want to write blog posts that outline the top reasons to take a gap year, or other similarly bland and formulaic article topics. On the flip side, good content, content that makes the reader feel something, believe in something, hate something, is infinitely more time consuming and difficult to generate. It would be one thing if all content I’m meant to produce stemmed from a blog, but today, it’s not just what’s written on the screen. It’s also what’s shared on Instagram, tweeted on Twitter, streamed on Periscope, recorded on Snapchat, the list goes on and on.

I’m not complaining, as it’s less a willingness to play in the game, and more a case of figuring out how to do it all. It’s a lot to pay attention to, and I’ve been wondering, does it really matter if you’re not posting a picture to your feed every day? Is it really out of sight, out of mind? And if the answer is yes, does it matter as much for someone like me with a very specific niche, as it does for say, Coca-Cola? My inkling would be no, but I’m open to arguments from the other side.