What is "good content"
Now that we know if you suck. (again, totally ok)
How do we go from sucking → growing with good content.
Well growth is simple in theory:
If you post consistent value to dream avatar for long enough, you will grow. Value being emotional validation and solutions, humor or entertainment, motivation or inspiration, captivating story, or actionable info (with 24 hours.)
The problem is this take YEARS of trial and error and most likely, you don’t have time for that.
So to get good at content as fast as possible, you must first understand what is required of you:
Good taste
Understanding of the creative process
Lots and lots of effort
(in this order)
If you can commit to this your going to grow so fast that your head hurts.
So steps 2 and 3 are covered.
But developing good taste takes one thing → lots of research.
COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
“If you change something 3% it is new.”
— Virgil Abloh
Before we get into this section I need to make one thing CRYSTAL CLEAR.
DO NOT COPY VIDOES VERBATIM. YOU WILL NOT GROW AND LOOK STUPID.
Sorry to raise my voice, I’m just quite passionate about mitigating copy-cats.
Copying is so, so boring and it leaves you nothing to be proud of.
BUT..
Taking inspiration from proven viral concepts, identifying their weak points, and improving upon them is THE best way to grow.
(not to mention throwing in a free resource explaining the value better than the original post. We get into free resources below)
So, using this sheet: COMPETITOR ANALYSIS SHEET (MAKE A COPY)
Fill it out with 50 outlier videos within your niche.
Outliers are videos with 5-10x a creators average view count (or 1M+ videos.)
This means that the topic is INSANELY valuable to your ICP and therefore something you want to be associated with and have a strong understanding of.
And through the process of competitor analysis you get better at content faster than anything else.
So when you first build your list, watch each video an note:
The verbal, written, and visual hook.
The value given
The keywords used
The format it’s in
The amount of views
This gives you a solid general understanding of why it did well and what can be taken from it. As you do each one look for patterns among the viral niche content - there will be keywords that are said over and over. (you will include this in your script when we get to audience matching, also explained below.)
Then when you go back to take inspiration from any 1 of the 50 break down…
The topic: What’s the video about? Is it niche or broad? Is it a hot take, controversial, or safe?
The hook: What’s the exact phrasing they use in the first few seconds? Note the verbal hook, visual cues, and any on-screen text.
The pacing: Is the pacing fast or slow? When does it shift? How long does each clip last? What’s the total length?
Standout shots: Are there any interesting or unique shots worth borrowing or remixing? What’s their shooting setup like? location? movement?
The background music: What’s the vibe? When does the music change? Is the sound helping drive the energy?
Captions / Subtitles: Are they using captions? If so, how are they styled (font, color, animation)? Are they word-for-word or summarized? Do they help with pacing or humor?
Speech: How do they speak? tone? language? slang?
Purpose: What’s the deeper purpose behind their content?
Editing: Anything unique about their post-production?
Schedule: How often do they post?
Value delivery: What is the viewer getting out of this video — insight, entertainment, emotion, practical tip? Is that value clear from the start or revealed at the end?
The CTA (Call to Action): Where does it show up? How is it worded? Are they using tools like ManyChat?
Doing this will allow you to create with an understand of what works, you want to use this information to build upon the value and visuals in a way that aligns with your authentic brand. Yes this is going to take some free thinking.
(have a 2:1 consumption:creation ratio)
BUT once you have consumed enough good content you’ll have good taste. (at least in your niche for now.)
Good taste means the ability to create good content.
Good content means it’s getting binge watched.
Binge watching means more “content minutes” people spend with you.
More “content minutes” means more trust in you.
And high trust with your audience makes you feel like a friend.
THAT is a parasocial relationship.
CONTENT MINUTES
This is the time people spend watching your videos. And if you’ve built your authentic brand right, this means that people are getting to know the real you on autopilot. That uncanny feeling of knowing someone you've never met AND trusting their judgment is CRUCIAL when monetizing your brand. This is why the real, vulnerable you needs to speak through your content.