The BEST platform for content isn’t what you think. Blogging, YouTube or podcasts?

Absolutely nothing will increase your authority and gain you more attention in the marketplace, than posting regular content to a platform.

Nothing can beat the perceived value and credibility of someone who repeatedly and consistently publishes ideas, gives away helpful information and provides content for free.

Above all else, content is a platform to test your ideas. The more I have blogged, videoed and podcasted my ideas, thoughts, processes and stories, the clearer I’ve become on my purpose, mission and values.

The strength of my niche in sales training for funnel builders, is deepened by content creation. I didn’t magically stumble across combining sales training and funnel builders, it started as just helping all kinds of digital creative businesses. Including WordPress agencies, graphic designers and copywriters.

But over time as I focused on what I enjoyed, what I was good and what people paid attention to (or paid me for), it became clear that sales training for funnel builders was my sweet spot.

I wish I could tell you a faster route to generating massive levels of authority, attention and clarity within your own business. But I can’t teach what I haven’t done. And in my case, the way that I became so clear on my business, was through creating a lot of content.

There is of course a fast track way – spending a lot of money. But past experiences have show us that no amount of money can replace history. I was recently at the mastermind where one of the big takeaways was “you can’t fast track history”.

What this means is publishing a lot of content over a long period of time will always serve you and your business well. You can’t pay to fast track it. And even if you do have the money to fast track authority and attention in the marketplace, you probably still won’t be as clear on your niche for a variety of reasons.

If I gave you a niche today, it wouldn’t work. Partly because it might not be something that you resonate with. But also because creating a niche from nothing inspires fear.

I’ve covered off the reasons why you shouldn’t be afraid to have a niche, but the reality is part of you probably still will be afraid to commit to such a small segment of the market. However, writing and publishing and creating content gives you feedback and slowly helps you commit to a niche.

In my second book, Universe Fuel, I talk about how universe fuel is built with momentum and returns more than is put in. Eventually, the single blog post that you publish per week, or the single YouTube video you share, will attract more attention and grow your authority than your entire previous channel combined.

I now attract more traffic to one blog post in a week than my entire blog attracted in its first years. I have essentially automated attention and authority in the marketplace.

Platforms

“But which platform should I focus on Mike?” This is a great example of how messy, convoluted and oversaturated the market is. First, everyone will tell you that you should be doing videos.

I seem to be telling you that blog posts might be the way to go. Then someone else will tell you that you absolutely must do a podcast. I’m gonna let you in on a secret, it doesn’t matter which platform you use.

I love Gary V. and it’s all well and good saying “be on all platforms all the time. You never know which one is going to take off” but while that might work to scale from 7 figures a year to 8 figures a year, it’s not a sensible way to invest your already limited time and resources.

A bit like how I say “there is no profit in a niche, just in your dedication to a niche”, it’s the same with content platforms. There isn’t one platform that will outperform another if you dedicate yourself to it.

Whatever platform you choose, like most pursuits, 90% of people will give up within the first 6 months. Of the 10% left, 90% will give up in the first year or two.

This is why I take platform recommendations with a pinch of salt. I’ve seen time and time again people evangelise about the power of podcasting and YouTube and blogging, only to see they’ve been doing it for less than one year.

It’s like when your friend becomes a vegan or starts going to the gym, all of a sudden they talk about it non-stop but they’ve only been doing it 45 minutes. There is no fast track to success and anyone who has been on any platform for a long time will tell you how much hard work it is.

Google isn’t dead, YouTube isn’t dead, blogging isn’t dead, podcasting isn’t dead. We’re just getting started with these platforms. It’s just easier to say something is dead when you don’t have the grit to stick with something for over 3 years to see it grow.

When I interviewed Sarah Turner from The Unmumsy Mum, she told me that she gets loads of people (women mainly) asking her about becoming a blogger and an author.

Sarah has over 300k Instagram subscribers, tens of thousands of readers of her blog, multiple best selling books and remains top of book charts for parenting and family.

People want that lifestyle and that success, and Sarah tells them “it’s easy. Just don’t make any money for 5 years and don’t get paid for it. And write every day.” When people hear the truth about the book, blog and social, and how much hard work it is, they say “it’s easy for Sarah, she caught the Mummy Blog fad before it got too big.” Which is bullshit.

Sarah posted and wrote and published for years before she achieved mainstream success. It’s got absolutely zero to do with the platform or timing. It’s all to do with grit and sticking it out.

All platforms have advantages and disadvantages. All platforms make life easier in one respect and harder in another. For example, YouTube is the second largest search engine on the internet, with roughly ⅓ of internet traffic going through it.

Video makes for amazing content and can be much faster to create and start a following. However, it’s not your audience and if YouTube decides to change their terms (like they have done again and again and again), you could be left up a creek without a paddle.

On the other hand, keeping your content on your site is a smart play. It’s on your turf and if you need to change hosts or even platforms, no worries, just switch it over and no one knows any different.

I think blogging is easier because you can do it anywhere. It’s quiet and you can play around with your copy easier. However, it’s also a ball-ache to write all the time and can create massive publishing phobia.

It’s also harder to build a following because you have to drive traffic, promote and write a lot of content.

In terms of sticking to a platform and choosing one, you’re going to fall in and out of love with whatever you choose. So don’t think you’ve made the wrong choice just because it starts to feel like hard work or things don’t seem easy or simple all the time.

There is something to be said for video and using that video to turn into audio and then written content (through content re-purposing). But in my experience I’ve found that you should choose a platform you want to stick to and work on every day (yes, every day).

Don’t think of your content when you start out, as a honeypot to attract traffic. Yes, your videos or blog or podcast will eventually attract traffic and new subscribers and audience. However, to start with we need to treat it like an archive for all your ideas and answers.

Chances are, you’re asked the same 10 questions over and over, in person or via email. Or, you see the same questions in forums and groups online. Rather than typing out the same answer again and again, creating content is a great way to answer a question and appear like you know what you’re talking about.

People are seen as experts when they have content that answers common questions. Treat your content like an archive and the traffic and new subscribers will come in time.

Where do you focus next?

Want to know what to focus on next? We’ve got a Funnel Business Assessment below that will tell you exactly what to focus on next.

Mike Killen

Mike is the world's #1 sales coach for marketing funnel builders. He helps funnel builders sell marketing funnels to their customers. He is the author of From Single To Scale; How single-person, small and micro-businesses can scale their business to profit. You can find him on Twitter @mike_killen.