I Wasted Thousands on the Wrong Content Strategy


Hi Reader,

Early last year, I hired a video coach.

He’d a big viral account over on Insta.

Thousands of followers and millions of views.

I signed up for a three-month contract that cost $6k.

Not cheap, but he helped me with a short-form content strategy for a few months.

He taught me about great hooks, how to script the first 3 seconds of a video and retention curves.

I followed his advice, and some of my videos went viral.

The coach knew his stuff, and he delivered on his big promise but…

The whole thing was a BIG mistake on my part.

Sure, I improved my video production and camera skills…

But do you know what spending thousands on short-form and going viral with this type of content did for my business?

Nada.

Zilch.

You see, organic short-form content attracts people with short attention spans.

They’re far less likely to consume long-form content, let alone buy something that requires work, like consulting and coaching, etc.

Not only that but I started to hate the reels and shorts I was creating.

My face rammed into a 9:16 aspect ratio, desperately clamoring for views with a great first line or some insane visual hook.

Not good.

Even today, opening up Instagram stresses me out.

I’ve got short-form-PTSD.

When you know how a sausage is made–in this case, shorts–the thought of eating one is nauseating.

I still like creating video, but I only record long-form content for my YouTube channel.

Occasionally, my editor will chop up a few as shorts, but I don’t spend much time thinking about them.

I find long-form is easier and more relaxing to create.

Long-form content is like planting a tree.

It takes effort upfront, but it grows steadily.

I can create one asset and repurpose it several times in an hour or two a week.

This type of content has a longer shelf life.

And it does more for business.

I don’t mind if my channel grows slower because going viral isn’t my goal.

I’d rather hang out on LinkedIn or chat with clients and creators via email and Zoom.

A few days ago, I held a workshop with a few creators. I covered my exact process for repurposing content.

Here’s what Steve said about the workshop:

This workshop will help me get up to speed with the current writing trends. As a bonus, Bryan shared his personal writing workflow and content strategy, which inspired me to leverage technology to my advantage.

I don’t know about you, but that feedback is more rewarding than Mike_07444 leaving 🔥 on a reel.

I’m working with 10 creators who want to add $10k to their businesses. If that’s you, reply “CLIENT” to this email.

Write on,
Bryan Collins

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