The conversation I’m constantly having with founders at the moment is about content creation. While they’re supposed to be founders, they feel like they have to be content creators too. Because everyone else is doing it.
They also believe that more content = more results. They’re churning out Instagram Reels daily, batching LinkedIn posts like it’s an Olympic sport, and sitting on hours of raw podcast footage they’ll “get round to editing.”
And what is this content leading to? Crickets. No leads. No real audience growth. No business impact.
That’s because most founders confuse content creation with content strategy.
Strategy First, Always
Content creation is what people see, but content strategy is what makes it work. The problem is, most people find the strategy part boring. Or they don’t understand it. Or they find it boring because they don’t understand it.
Without strategy, your content is like shouting in a crowded room. Strategy turns the volume down and speaks directly to the people you want to reach – with the message they actually need to hear, at the time they’re most likely to care.
Here’s what content strategy includes that content creation alone never does:
- Understanding your audience’s real pain points, not just demographics.
- Mapping your content to the buying journey, not just an editorial calendar.
- Choosing platforms based on ROI, not FOMO.
- Creating messaging pillars aligned with your business goals, not trends.
And yes, that means sometimes not posting every day. Because that post you’re stressing about might be actively distracting from what you actually want to say.
“Strategy is about making choices, not doing more.” — Michael Porter
Founders Are (Unintentionally) Sabotaging Their Content
Unfortunately, thanks to the content that’s out there (totally ironic, right?!), founders really believe that more = better. That if they’re not constantly putting content out, they’ll be forgotten.
And those who are “consistently” showing up will “eventually” be rewarded.
But what does consistently mean and how long is eventually??
At the end of the day, going viral is largely luck, so you cannot base a strategy on luck. The reality of what happens when you try to post content every day is:
- You start mimicking what you see online instead of saying anything original.
- You hire a VA or agency to “repurpose content” that had no strategy to begin with.
- You feel resentful because you’re doing so much and seeing so little.
- You burn out, post out of obligation, and slowly start to hate marketing.
Sound familiar?
Most of my Strategy Day clients start with the same complaint: “I’m doing all the things and it’s still not working.”
And 9 times out of 10, it’s not a content volume problem. It’s a content focus problem.
What Strategy-First Content Actually Looks Like
I’m going to give you some real-life examples from my strategy clients. They don’t have bad ideas, and they often know what their business needs. But without any strategy, they don’t get the results that they want.
With a little bit of nuance, we turn content creation into clients.
Here are a few examples before and after some strategy was applied:
“We need to post a quote on consistency, because it’s Monday”
→ Let’s address Monday blues and burnout with a short post that then links to our free Notion planner.
“We need to repurpose a podcast clip across as many channels as possible. One that sounds cool and will get attention.”
→ Let’s find a 45-second clip that speaks directly to the objections that our audience have around hiring help.
“We need to share a testimonial because we haven’t in a while.”
→ Let’s use a client story that reinforces our key differentiator ahead of the next product launch.
Do you see the difference? The strategy means that every piece of content has a job.
How To Actually Create An Effective Content Strategy
So, I’ve banged on enough about how important strategy is now, but I guess the question is, how do you create an effective content strategy?
Well, a truly effective content marketing strategy is going to be very tailored to you. So, there is no generic solution, because it all depends on your goals, your audience and your business.
BUT, there are some things that are consistent in every strategy that you can apply to yours:
1. Know Your Buyer Journey
Not everyone reading your content is ready to buy, and that’s fine. But your content should meet them where they are. Most people don’t actually know their full buyer’s journey, so map out what you think it looks like:
- What do they search when they’re just becoming aware of their problem?
- What hesitations do they have when they’re considering solutions?
- What makes them choose you over someone else?
2. Pick Clear Content Jobs
Every post, video or podcast should have one job. Is it meant to attract new people? Educate and build authority? Convert someone on the fence? You don’t need to say everything in every piece – you just need to say the right thing at the right time.
3. Build Around Your Offers
Too many founders create “random acts of content.” Instead, reverse-engineer your content around what you’re actually selling. Launching a new workshop? Your content should address the specific problems that offer solves.
4. Choose Pillars You Can Actually Maintain
You don’t need to be on every platform. But you do need consistency and depth. Choose 2–3 core content pillars (e.g. mindset, marketing, behind-the-scenes) and go deep. Repetition builds recognition – and trust.
5. Audit & Adjust
Look at what’s working. Ask people what content made them trust you. Don’t obsess over likes – obsess over what converts. This is where 90% of creators fall short: they post, but they never pause to learn.
How to Shift From “More” to “Smarter”
If you’ve been creating a sh*t ton of content and not getting a sh*t ton of results, you really need to rethink your strategy.
And why not start now? Here are 4 things you can do immediately if you feel that you’re not currently getting results you’re happy with:
- Audit what you’re already doing.
What’s actually bringing in leads? What’s getting saves, not just likes? What content feels easy – and what feels forced? - Reconnect content to your sales process.
Does your content answer the questions your prospects are already asking you? Does it build trust before they get on a call? - Stop posting on every platform “just because.”
Pick 1–2 channels where your audience actually converts. Get consistent there with purpose, not panic. - Create less, distribute more.
You don’t need 30 new ideas every month. You need 3–5 great ones, shared in the right ways, in the right places.
Final Thought: You’re Not Lazy. You’re Just Unstrategic.
If you’re exhausted by content, it’s not because you’re not cut out for it. It’s because no one taught you how to make it work for your business.
That’s the power of content strategy.It lets your content do the work, so you don’t have to hustle as hard.