Building a Personal Monopoly Through Content Strategy
The online creator space is becoming increasingly competitive! Everyone is posting, publishing, promoting, and trying hard to garner the attention of their target audience. So, how do some people break through the noise while others barely manage to get noticed?
The answer- if you want to make it online, you cannot just show up! You need to show up consistently and carve out what professionals refer to as a Personal Monopoly.
A personal monopoly is that one-of-a-kind blend of your experiences, interests, voice, and perspectives that makes you irreplaceable in your niche. Not the niche you are told to pick because it is profitable, but the kind that picks you, because it is who you are.
And the best way to build is through a smart content strategy.
Own Your Perspective
Most people that you see online are merely echoing each other.
They see a viral tweet and think they will just rewrite that in their tone. While it does get some short-term attention, it will never build staying power for you!
Your actual competitive edge is your lived experiences and how you see the world. If you are a product designer who also plays music, that is your unique trait, and it is what shapes your perspectives as well. You talk about designs like a music improviser and show how the ideas can overlap.
This is not just content- it is category creation!
And when you create your own category, you stop competing.
Be Where Your Audience Is
A lot of creators burn out trying to be on every prominent platform!
Instead, think about which platforms to opt for! Where your ideas can mature and evolve, and where you can go deep. This is where personal monopolies are built, and this is where you can build your tribes as well.
Moreover, your content does not need to be optimized for everyone. It just needs to be honest, useful, and reflective of your way of thinking. When someone sees your content and finds that it resonates with their viewpoint or preferences, this is the very beginning of your monopoly power.
Become a Curator of Ideas
One mistake that many creators make in the early days of their content-making, specifically, is that they think being a creator means they have to constantly make new content.
However, often, what builds a monopoly is not quantity! It is clarity! Repeating your core ideas in new ways, showing up predictably, and connecting dots that others miss.,
Think of the popular creators that you see online. You may notice that their message does not change much. But the way they frame it evolves over time. This works for them because they own mental real estate with their massive followings.
So, identify your key ideas. Write about them again and again. Not because you have run out of ideas, but because you have a viewpoint and unique ideas, and you want to express them.
At times, it may so happen that despite putting out good work, you may not get the traction you need to grow. However, if you are making good content and nobody is seeing it, a little social proof like increased Spotify play counts or follower counts through services that align with platform guidelines could prove to be a step in the right direction.
You may come across services that offer such boosts. While purists may hesitate, we all know the important role that perceptions play in getting discovered. Such services help ensure your content gets attention, while you must ensure your content earns the attention it receives.
Act on the Feedback You Receive
When you share your ideas consistently, the market or your audience gives you data, often in the form of feedback. You start to see which ideas click, which problems people care about, and what their needs and preferences are.
You can refine your content strategy based on that input! You then no longer post at people- you co-create with them. If you want to turn your content into business, this is where it happens- in the real feedback loops you create with your audience.
Final Thoughts
When you create content, think about what valuable ideas or insights you are uniquely positioned to share or express.
You do not need to be the best in the world. You just need to be the only one in your category! And the only way to get there is by putting your voice in the world- with consistency and honesty!
So, start working on your content. Because when you share your mind online, you are not just building an audience, you are building a monopoly no one can copy. And this, dear reader, is the most underrated strategy of all!
Sources
https://mattkhead.com/2023/02/24/tlg-44-start-building-your-personal-monopoly/
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