Content Creation for Startups: It is Possible

For young startup companies, especially those just out of stealth, it can be difficult to be relevant, seen, or heard. You can have a great product that’s being used by industry heavyweights and acclaimed by analysts and industry professionals. But for some reason, you can’t seem to break through with reporters or established media outlets. This story or familiar than PR professionals would like to admit, and the truth is, it’s hard to break through. 

There are a couple of different routes you can go. 

You can hire someone with established media connections. Akin to a Warren Buffet quote, time in the market is better than timing the market–the same goes with PR. Established professionals will have cultivated solid relationships with journalists and media personalities. The downside? These professionals don’t work for free (deservedly so) and smaller, start-up companies don’t have the budget to match their required retainers and commitments. Furthermore, getting a conversation with an established reporter doesn’t mean they will write something, or even include you. You still need to have a compelling story, product, or idea. 

The next route: create your own publication. Well, not literally. But you could! 

As a small startup, you must focus on social media content creation! If legacy and established media won’t cover you, and introduce you to their audience, build your own. We are living in the golden era of content creation. Between social media platforms, podcasts, alternative media, and high-quality, low-cost production equipment, all you need is some time, a commitment, and some interesting things to talk about. Here’s a quick blueprint on how to get started:

1. Define your goals and audience

Creating content just to create content will get you some followers, however, it won’t carry the value you might hope. Before anything, you need to establish your company goals and audience. For instance, a SaaS company may want enterprise customers, a clothing store may want retail customers, or a venture capital firm may want to attract Limited Partners. Whatever it is, understanding your organizational goals will better inform your content strategy. Once you’ve established that, it becomes clear who your audience is.

2. Choose your platform

Creating a social media account is easy, it only takes a couple of minutes. Creating an effective, engaging account is anything but, which is why I recommend startups focus on one, or two, platforms at a time. It’s possible to maintain the big six–LinkedIn, Twitter (now X), Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube–but it is a heavy lift. If you’ve figured out your audience, you can focus on either LinkedIn/Twitter or the more retail-focused group of Instagram/TikTok/Facebook. Starting a YouTube page is dependent on your commitment to making videos. 

3. Figure out what you want to talk about

Let’s say your company is creating a merchandising platform to help recycle used clothing. At this point, you probably have a good idea of who your customers are and what they are interested in, which is recycling, the environment, and good stewardship of climate. By focusing your core messaging around those topics, you’ll build credibility as a company but also as a thought leader. 

Side note: I hate the term “thought leader.” It’s been so watered down. More on that in another blog.

Sure, you can highlight your staff culture, make “funny” graphics that humanize your team, quip on the latest trend, but ultimately, stick to talking about what you’re good at. By doing so, you’ll attract and build the community that wants to hear from you.

4. Start creating

Just do it. Here is where to get started:

Blogging: There are many platforms, like Substack, Medium, and even LinkedIn, that have built-in publishing tools to capture your thoughts and ideas. Just blogs, however, aren’t, and should not be, your only medium to deliver your ideas and thoughts. 

Video: With the help of some tools I’ll include below, recording yourself can be an incredibly powerful asset. Not only will it provide fodder for a YouTube account (and shorts), but it can slice down into social-sized clips that work well on every social media platform. So long as you put a little effort upfront into organizing your thoughts, there’s a litany of things you can do with a microphone and your computer camera. You can create direct-to-camera videos (ideally no more than :30 seconds optimized for social platforms), interview colleagues, or even use the “remix” functions on TikTok and Instagram.

Podcasts: We are entering the golden era of podcasting. With the emergence of so many platforms that make it incredibly easy to create your own, there are so many shows looking for guests. However, you’ll need to temper your expectations. The more well-known podcasts won’t likely hear your pitch but that’s OK. With so many upstart podcasts, seek out newer shows that are looking for guests within your industry. And since we’re focused on creating content, and not necessarily the audience of the podcast, the show’s notoriety is a “nice to have” but not a “must.” Getting on the podcast circuit not only builds your resume but provides a wealth of video content to edit from.

CapCut: I stumbled on to CapCut after doing quick research on why many of the Instagram reels I was watching seemed heavily edited. It was one of their “pro” features that use AI to cut out filler words, but I digress. CapCut is a free, easy-to-use platform that helps you quickly edit and place bumpers around your video. With more time, you can master advanced features like green screen effects and transitions to make your videos more engaging. 

Canva: I signed up for Canva a couple of years ago and wasn’t quite sure what all the hype was about. However, in the last couple of years, they have stepped up their game. You can either edit one of their templates or use them as inspiration to create your own social media graphic. As it goes with other platforms, it may be difficult to navigate at first, but the more time you put in, the easier it will be and the more efficient you will become. 

The end game of creating content is to build an audience and bypass the gatekeepers–legacy media–to amplify your brand. This takes time and commitment, and more time. However, it’s worth it and like everything else, the compounding effect of sharing good content will get you noticed. So long as you’re willing to commit the time and the relatively limited resources, you won’t regret taking action.