332: Is your content a fair "energy exchange"?

Every time someone reads your email, listens to your podcast, watches your Reel or lands on your website... they're giving you something.

Their time, attention and energy.

So here's the question...

Are you leaving them with more than what they came with?

In this episode, I'm exploring a concept that came up while I was a guest on another podcast and it left me thinking "I need to explore this more": your content isn't just an exchange of information... it's an exchange of energy.

I am going to chitty chat about why creating content just to "keep up" can be felt by your audience, how your energy influences the way people experience your brand, and why the best marketing isn't about posting more... it's about creating something that's actually worth someone's time.

Your audience isn't just consuming your content, they are engaging in it.

If you LOVED this episode, make sure you share this on your Instagram stories and tag us @contentqueenmariah.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LEARN THE DETAILS OF A CONTENT STRATEGY WITH MY FREE AUDIO GUIDE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

KEY EPISODE TAKEAWAYS 👇

✨ Why every piece of content is an exchange of energy, not just information

✨ How creating "just to post" impacts the way your audience experiences your brand

✨ Why your energy while creating content matters just as much as the content itself

✨ A simple question to ask before you publish anything online

SHOW RESOURCES 👇

If you like this episode, don't forget to share it to your Instagram stories and tag me⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @contentqueenmariah⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Other than that, enjoy - chat next week 💕

PODCAST TRANSCRIPTION

This is episode 332, and I have a question for you. Is your content and your marketing a fair energy exchange? Welcome to the Content Queen podcast. I'm your host, Mariah, entrepreneur, storyteller, digital nomad, creator of Content Bootcamp, and founder of Content Queen, with over 10 years experience in marketing.

This podcast is here to help you create your perfect or ideal marketing plan by combining storytelling and strategy. So let's get into it. Hello, gang. If you're listening to this live, I just wanted to let you know that bootcamp starts next week, and there's only three spots left. So if you're thinking of joining, this is a perfect time.

I'm testing a WhatsApp group, a one-on-one hot seat situation where you pick your times. I've already had the people that have joined choose some of the dates that they can do. So it's a really good chance for you to get one-on-one time with me to really create that perfect or ideal content marketing strategy for your business.

So if you've been listening for a while and you need some help, [00:01:00] this is a perfect time. I just wanted to share that before we get stuck into today. So something for you to think about. Every time someone consumes your content, they're exchanging their time and energy with you, or your marketing, they go onto your website, all those things, right?

And I'm not just talking your social media content here, so please keep that in mind. So the question is: Are you leaving them with more than what they came with? Are you leaving them with more than what they came with? Because your content, your marketing, it's not just about the information, it is that energy exchange that you are giving, right?

How you are showing up. It is your brand, essentially. So recently I was on a podcast, uh, with Wendy Pitzerys. I'll put the link in the show notes, because it's mainly for practitioners. So if you're a practitioner in Reiki, energy healing, therapist, those sorts of modalities, it might be really interesting for you, and Wendy was a guest on our podcast.[00:02:00] 

So basically, what had happened is we were chitty-chatting and I was, like, in my flow state. It was like 6:30 in the morning or something here because of the time zones and all the things. And like, I just started talking and sharing my thoughts and all the things that come out. And there was no notes, this wasn't planned, but I was really emphasizing and talking about how your content should feel like a fair energy exchange.

And Wendy really, like, she was vibing that, so she made me, like, go back through that and we, we had a really great discussion. So I thought, "This needs a dedicated episode," because I think this is a very interesting concept. So what is a fair energy exchange, or what is an energy exchange when it comes to your content?

Now, of course we can go more spiritual with it and, um, if you are spiritual, you know, you can think about that energy in which you do the thing determines the outcome of the thing, which an amazing client of mine, Lucy Starbuck, would say that all the time with money. But it's the same thing. So every time someone listens to your podcast, reads your [00:03:00] blogs, heads on your website, joins a workshop, um, sees you in action or, uh, finds you on social media, watches a reel, opens your email, they are giving something.

Their time, right? And of course, you are giving something back. But is that a fair exchange? Because if you are, and I'll talk about this, just trying to get as much out there and winging your marketing and just throwing stuff out and seeing what lands, and doing it at the 11th hour, just, like, not giving it the love and energy that it needs, that's kinda gonna come across, right?

So they're not giving their money, and you would like them to because that's how you deliver your service or your product, but they are giving their attention, their time, and their energy. So you have to ask yourself is, "What are they receiving in return?" So what am I giving? And that's what I wanna talk about, and I'm gonna talk about three different points with this.

So the first point that I wanna make is more around, like, creating content to fill space. We don't wanna do this, right? I'd rather [00:04:00] you create less and it's more impactful, than just trying to, like, throw stuff out. Of course, I am a big believer of repurposing. I'm 100%. But a lot of the times we create content because, "Oh, I need to post on social media today," or, "Oh, I've, I've put myself out to do a weekly blog, so I need to get that out."

"Oh, I've gotta email my list, so let's just throw something together and use AI," and all the bits. No hate against AI at all. I do actually do a LinkedIn article that's going out this week on that. But really, it's not always because we want to say something, it's because we think we need to create because that's what I've been told to do, right?

Or the algorithm expects it of me. And really, what it should be is it because you have something to offer. Now, I could say value to offer, but I know the value buzzword can ... 'Cause what does value even mean, right? We don't, like, whatever. It can be entertainment. It could be a laugh. It could be to get [00:05:00] that person to think differently about what you're putting out there.

It is to connect with that person on the other end at the end of the day. And if you're not really doing that because you are disconnected from what you're creating because you go, "Oh my God, it's 5:00 and I usually post at 6:00 PM, so I better get something out there," don't worry. I was going through my camera roll the other day.

I, like, found some different folders from, like, 2019, 2018. It was really funny to, like, reminisce the antics. But I had this, like, one photo of, like, my hand like this And there was three watches on my hand and I was, like, taking a photo with, like, the monstera that mom had bought me for Christmas in my share house in the background and I remember that post because it was about time or something.

Bad lighting, terrible, but I knew I had to get something up, so I was like, "Oh, let's just take that," right? It was after work and I probably, like, had to heat up my dinner or cook dinner or work on my business. I had... I was working on Fiverr, so I had a lot of work coming in from Fiverr, so I was actively doing client work, so I was just like, "Okay, that'll [00:06:00] do."

We... And, and it's not about perfection 'cause perfectionism is, it, it can really stop us from posting. But you gotta find that balance, right? Between creating something that is worth watching and looking at, and then just throwing something out there because I need to do it. Again, I am a big believer of repurposing, so I'm not saying that just because you post something on Instagram, don't post it on somewhere else because that's not putting energy, because you put energy in the original piece of content, right?

So I'm just prefacing that. But of course, you don't want someone to view and scroll and think, "Oh, that was a waste of time." I mean, people do this on TikTok for, like, rage bait, and of course in, in the United States and if you earn money off those social channels, the views equal dollars, so that can happen.

But really, as I said, we wanna create that new perspective, maybe some clarity, some confidence, something practical, a quick win, or something where people just wanna feel a little bit more understood or less alone. The joys of filming a podcast, me putting more energy into this podcast, was filming it, [00:07:00] is when the lights go out in the background.

So what am I gonna do? I'm going to continue on, but we'll fix the lights because it adds quality of the content, right? Anyway, we love that. Um, but that's a perfect example. I, this year, started to record my podcast. Um, I wanted to create some of the snippets for social media, so I wanted to repurpose, but I was giving so much to my podcast, I was like, "I wanna make it better."

What have been the results of that? I have reached 30,000 downloads, and not that it's about downloads, but I'm getting messages about the podcast. I can see it. I, I'm getting leads to my email list. I can see people binging it. That is helping me nurture my audience far beyond my... D- like, just, you know, far beyond social media, but to complement my newsletter.

Perfect example, right? Do I think everyone needs to film their podcast? No. It's your strategy, it's your plan, it's your business. But that's an example of something that I did because I did feel like sometimes I would just record it with my headphones, sitting down, just chitty-chatting, and I [00:08:00] wanted to make it more of a production.

So, it doesn't really take me that much more time, it's just, like, when lights go out, you can't just, like you gotta go plug it back in. But, you know, there's, there's certain things that sometimes can make it more time-consuming, but it's not... I, I think the reward or the outcome is better than me doing audio And then of course, I can use it for other things.

The second point is energy is felt far beyond, beyond it just being read or seen. So that's why, like, we resonate with certain people that we don't, or maybe you've watched something before and you go, "Oh, that person seems a bit off." And then maybe down the track it's worked out that they weren't such a great person.

Um, we are energetic beings, and this is not a spiritual thing. I mean, Albert Einstein talked about energy. It's, it's kind of a scientific thing, right? People remember how things make them feel or how people make them feel. So yes, whilst, [00:09:00] uh, they might be reading, watching, consuming, they can start to understand who you are and who your brand is as a person or thing based on the energy in which you do the thing, right?

Determines the outcome of the thing. So think about any creator that you follow or the ones that you don't like, and maybe other people like them, and that's okay. But if you're not putting your energy into something, people can't get that First impression, second, third impression. They don't really get a feel for you.

And I, I heard this recently about, um, someone who was very different online to they were in person, and that was quite disappointing for people. And it wasn't that they were a bad person in person, they just weren't as energetic online. So it could happen both ways, right? So energy doesn't mean being over the top and not yourself.

It's just how can you be you and still put that energy in so people go, "Oh, I, I really get a feel for what that person is like," and that brand, [00:10:00] because they are a representation of that brand. So it's all about, like, how do you want them to f- make... How do you wanna make them feel? You know, how can they trust you more?

How can they be inspired by you? How could they leave feeling a little lighter or a little heavier? Although we don't wanna make people feel heavier, but maybe, "Oh yeah, that is a problem I'm experiencing." So how can we spark something in people by the way in which we show up, right? For me, I really love when people...

And I have people that are older than me say, "You're like my sister, like my big sister. You give me advice, and you help me with marketing." I want people to feel safe, and I don't wanna make people feel bad. That's just not me. My... Personally, my, like, I guess, purpose in life and intention and desire is to be a role model or help people through a journey.

It happened when I had my surgery. I had a Whipple surgery at 27. I didn't know anyone that had this [00:11:00] surgery. I started creating content online. I have lots of people that still reach out to me and feel seen and feel safe and feel inspired because they've seen me go through that journey. That's the same thing that I try to do in my marketing.

I never want anyone to feel bad about what they're doing. I just wanna help them shift and refocus on where they could go. And I think sometimes there is tough love, but it, it's sisterly love, right? So for me, I want people to feel safe. I want them to feel inspired. I don't want them to feel bad about themselves.

And a lot of people do use that tactic in their marketing, and that's okay. That works for them. But for me personally, that's how I want people to feel. So thinking about that, when someone watches a video of you or reads your email or reads a blog of yours or sees you on a podcast interview or shows up to your workshops online or however you may do it, how do you want people to feel?

How do you want them to see you? And if you are, you know, half-assing it, so to speak- Throwing something up there just for the sake of it. And don't get me [00:12:00] wrong, we all do it every now and then. I have been guilty of doing it in the 11th hour. I'm in a rush and I do wanna get something out. I'm not saying that you can't have those mistakes or, they're not even mistakes, but have those moments.

It's just, it seems like a lot of us are just doing it consistently, and we're not taking ourselves out of it to then put ourselves back into it, right? That, that space. So, instead of saying, you know, "Oh, I wanna share a tip or a lesson," or... It's like, how do I wanna create an experience so that I can invoke an emotion in someone?

And sometimes it's not that deep, and that's okay. And even, like, the stuff I watch on TikTok, some of it's drama, some of it's, it's meant to make me feel angry about something or f- fired up about something. You know, how many times I watch a TikTok whilst, you know, doing something or, you know, on a Sunday and then s- spark a debate because something has made me feel a certain way, even about topics that I'm maybe not even angry at at the time.

So it's the same. It can be a good emotion, an inspired emotion, [00:13:00] but, like, how do you want people to feel being in your space? Your online space, your online identity, your brand's identity, it is sparking some type of emotion in people. And it could be a boring, it could be noth- Like, it can be an emotion that is, like, not what you want them to feel, so it's something worth reflecting on.

And the third thing is, yeah, your, your energy matters as well, as much as the energy that they're giving in which they watch. And you can't be upset with people if they're not buying your product and service if you are not trying hard to create that connection, to create that energy because you're not, you're not giving them a reason to, right?

So this is more about you than your audience because it starts with you, right? But you need to be putting yourselves in the shoes of the audience to embody yourself, right? S- stay with me. So-

Having a think about your own content, like how does it make you feel when you actually create it? Do you feel [00:14:00] bored with it? Do you feel like you just have to get it up for the sake of it? Do you feel inspired and motivated by it? I know not everyone likes being on social media. I get that. But there is something you like, and it's worth finding out.

I actually have a quiz on this. It's finding the right channel for you based on you, and I created this because I found people are like, "Oh, I don't wanna be here. I don't wanna be there." It's like, okay, what do you like to do? Let's start there. And actually, it's so interesting because I went... I did some footage for, um, a beautiful business friend and client.

She's in boot camp, and she does- she helps, uh, skin consults with their skin c- consultation. And one of the things she said in that, and I don't wanna give away her work, was about how can you get people to reflect on what they love, not what they hate, because from what they love, they will then end up telling you what they don't like, right?

And it's sort of the thing that I do with content. We always are like, "Oh, I hate social media, and I hate this, and I hate that." Well, what do you like? And let's start there because when you start [00:15:00] creating from a place of you liking... It's like cooking. I can't cook unless it's with love, and if it's no love, it tastes bad.

So it's the same with your content, same with your marketing. It's the same as how you show up for your business. So that's why I created that quiz. I'll put the link in the show notes. It's completely free. You just answer some questions, and it'll tell you generally what channel. And if it's like, oh, okay, it's video, then, yes, if you are on social media, just try and do more video 'cause it's obviously the channel in which you feel more creatively expressed, right?

It is a creative part of marketing, so trying to find how you like it, and sometimes the best way to do that is to ask yourself how you feel when you're creating it. And yeah, there's things like anxiety, and there's stuff that comes up, and there's blockers that we have, and obviously, that's a lot deeper than what I'm talking about today.

But if every piece of your content feels forced, people will feel that, unfortunately. It's like how we know- Some people are lying. It's how we can tell certain things, like they'll know if you aren't really vibing it, right? So in, if [00:16:00] every post or every piece of content or every part of your marketing is, "I have to," that energy does carry through, unfortunately.

And I think the best content is created when you're connected and resonating with it. And I've, I've felt this in podcasts before, right? And of course, we can't fake it. So yes, it is important to create when you are feeling inspired, but I also know the world doesn't always work like that. So it is just finding those times that maybe you could batch, because sometimes if I'm like on one and I'm in these like really like funny moods, I really like myself in those states, so I try to create podcasts from that state.

Or if I'm feeling really inspired or wise, you know, I can, I can chu- turn those parts of my personality on when I need to and create certain types of content in those spaces, and I could batch things. That's why having a strategy and a plan is so important because you know what you're trying to achieve, so that when you are feeling really creative and you are feeling energetic, you can just go for it 'cause you know what needs to be done.

If you are posting day to day, you're having to turn on an energy [00:17:00] that's just not there, unfortunately. And especially if you're a woman with your menstrual cycle, don't even get me started because that can be really challenging as well. So it's about asking, if someone is spending 30 seconds watching some content, five minutes, 30 minutes, one hour or more, what are they leaving with?

Is it more clarity, more confidence, a new idea, a feeling of being seen, being understood, or are they leaving exactly how they arrived? Or if they're actually leaving more annoyed because they spent time that gave them nothing So before you post or, um, and, and I'm not saying like don't post it if you're not feeling these are all answered, but it's a good question to ask yourself now whilst you're putting stuff out there is, "Does this generally help someone?

Is this something I really believe in? Do I feel confident in it? Does this sound like me? Am I being myself? And would I be happy if someone spent five [00:18:00] minutes consuming this?" And that goes for your website as well. We had a really great guest last week talk about websites. Website is part of it. If you are embarrassed to send people to your website, it needs some love.

And if yes, then go for it. If no, then you need to go, "Okay, weigh this up. Do you need to... I do need to do this, I do need to do that." We don't need to do anything. But it doesn't mean don't post it because you've spent time doing it. Still think you should, but then think about it from the next time you start creating.

I think we've spent a lot of times and a lot of our energy thinking about algorithm, engagement, and reach, and metrics, and vanity metrics. But maybe we need to start thinking about it in terms of energy. Every piece of content, every part of your marketing is an exchange of energy, and someone that is giving their attention to you, the question is, what are you giving back to them?

And it's okay if at the moment you feel like you're not giving a- that [00:19:00] much, and there is seasons where you feel like you can't give enough, and that's also okay. And yes, whilst we measure content on vanity and likes and reach and, and that's valuable, I think it also should be re- measured on how many people leave feeling better or feeling something than before they arrived.

And you will get this feedback like, "Oh my God, it feels like you were speaking to me." And maybe that was three people, and maybe those three people bought from you, and that's all you really need. I've seen people that don't get heaps of engagement on social media and have really successful businesses 'cause the people that they have, they make them feel seen and heard because they give their energy to them.

So I'm gonna leave you with that. It's a little deep, and that's okay, but I think it's a really interesting thing to explore in your own content. Are you ticking the boxes, or are you really feeling like you are giving your all? And as I said, doesn't mean you put all your eggs in the [00:20:00] marketing content basket 'cause you've gotta give your energy in other places, and I understand.

But when you are doing that, is that the best that you can give in that moment? And sometimes you may need to cut back to give more. But be a content queen or king, and remember that developing your strategy and story develops your business. Thank you so much for joining me today, and please don't forget to share this with all your business and entrepreneurial friends.

You can do this by adding it to your Instagram stories, tag me, @contentqueenmariah, or just hit the share button, send them a cheeky link. And if you do love the guests we get, you love the content, you love it being videoed... If you're listening to us Apple, you may not get the video. We do put them on YouTube if you'd like to watch them there.

But if you really generally like this content, please take time to leave a rate and review. It takes a couple of minutes of your time, and it means that we get more guests. Like, I get lots of emails at the moment, so really love to see that. I don't often see all the reviews because some of them are in the United States or different countries, um, Europe, all over Europe, UK.

[00:21:00] Uh, I know we have people in, in the continent of Africa. Um, and I don't often see if you're in a different continent, um, because I can't see. I can only see Australia. There used to be a great app that told us, but now I don't know all of the visibility, but I appreciate you if you have done that. And if there are any topics you want me to talk about in the future, come over to Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, email me, information@contentqueenmariah.com.

Please let me know. I got some really great insights, so I'm excited to plan the next lot of content, and I'll see you next week. Bye.

PodcastMariah MacInnesmarketing, marketing advice, how to be authentic online, business ownerComment