Creative Content Is Just Better (11 tips from an artist)
Everyone’s saying the same thing and doing the same stuff. The same advice is being recycled and regurgitated, with little variation. But the solution is simple.
Make more creative content.
(well, simple in theory)
So, how memorable is your content? Does it emotionally impact readers? Do you stand out?
And are you even keeping people’s attention?
If you’re not sure, no worries – you’re in the right place.
Let’s turn up the heat on your creative quality.
Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents Show
What Is Creative Content? (+ why does it matter?)
I’m a musician, artist and blogger who likes to travel. I guess creativity has always been an interest of mine.
So I may be biased, but (in my view) one core thing that separates generic from memorable content is its artistic quality.
Creative content is content that stands out and is memorable for readers. It ranks high for originality, uniqueness and authenticity.
It not only gets attention – but it keeps it.
The ability to quietly stand out in a noisy room is a modern creative skill.
So let’s look at some benefits and examples of elevated content creativity.
Some Sweet Benefits of Creative Content
Hold attention longer
Be more memorable
Stand out and differentiate more
Cultivate more fans and audience engagement
Builds authentic credibility
Creates authority, since you’re not copying anyone or anything
Increases personal satisfaction and content pride
Some Creative Content Examples
Here are some great examples of content creativity at its finest.
The title and concept of this video from Aaron Doughty is a great example of creative dichotomy by connecting two opposing ideas (not caring and raising your vibration).
Wait But Why is an awesome example of simplicity in creativity – especially in their images and purposely dated-looking design. Their titles and their content are full of personality.
Ethan Tran (ethan.uncurated) is an excellent example of artistic and visual storytelling. His hot takes on creativity and art keep me around just as much as his creative visual aesthetics.
Mark Manson is best known for his book, The Subtle Art of Not Giving F*ck. But his blog is a great example of creativity. His title invited curiosity and his content reads more like an essay.
How to Make Your Content More Creative (11 tips)
Having a creative content strategy means you’ll stand out and keep attention for longer.
So these are my favorite formulas and “tricks” to boost the creative quality of stuff.
1. AI Is Cool (but add experience)
Nothing is more creative and unique than your individual experiences.
Even Google’s own ranking guidelines prioritize it.
So if you’re looking to boost your content creativity (and your ranking power), look no further than your own experience.
Here are some ways I like to incorporate experience within content:
Use experience-based language such as “how I…” (vs. “how to…”)
Be conversational and use your unique personality and tone of voice
Leverage UGC (user-generated content)
Create case studies or before/after type of content
Test new strategies and/or products in your niche
Solve your own problems and turn the solutions into content
Use storytelling strategies (more on this below)
2. Get Some Outside Perspective
Outside perspectives are the best way to find objectivity.
The trick is in finding someone who’s honest with you and can offer actual advice or ideas. This will add some nice diversity to the mix.
Creativity can be a team affair.
But if getting outside feedback isn’t possible, the next best solution is to simply step away before publishing.
After finishing your final draft and last edit, do something else and forget about it.
Maybe that takes one afternoon, or maybe a whole day.
But when you come back, you’ll have fresh eyes and a more objective perspective.
Then, give your content one more readthrough and look for opportunities to make it more creative.
3. Think Beyond Words
Words aren’t our only tool for written content – far from it.
The visual elements of a blog or social post are what take creative content writing to the next level.
So the biggest tip I have here is to avoid boring stock images.
Admittedly, many of my earlier posts used them. They are, after all, quite convenient.
But nothing makes your post more forgettable than an overused stock image with no personality.
Luckily, you don’t need to hire a professional photographer (or be one) or buy expensive software.
I make most of my images in Canva, which is beginner-friendly and completely free. I combine this with other free tools like cutout.pro and Adobe Express.
For example, download a stock image, remove the background and combine it with other images and elements to create your own unique design and style (pretty much what I do).
And don’t worry, you definitely don’t need to be an expert or worry about a polished product (depending on your brand image and goals, that is).
4. Be Contrarian(ish)
Trends are useful. But there’s a benefit to looking beyond sometimes.
And being contrarian doesn’t mean you need to go 100% against the grain.
(there is such a thing as too avante-garde)
But creative content is often able to tweak things ever so slightly and look at what’s just beyond the spotlight.
For example, you could:
Take the “unpopular opinion” path and play the devil’s advocate
Critique trends
Challenge generally accepted ideas or wisdom
For example, throughout 2023, there were tons of videos about the benefits of selling on Etsy
But by summer, more videos started to pop up on why selling on Etsy is not a good move
Encourage (healthy) debate and discussion
So the next time you see everyone running in one direction, try looking the other way.
People love to consume fresh takes.
5. Repackage Old As New
Let’s turn meh into mod and blah into absolute bangers.
One way I love to do this is by repackaging old or boring content as something new and exciting.
Because even though old advice is still valid, we tend to get numb to it.
Maybe it’s an attention span issue or the on-demand world we live in, but everyone loves a new strategy.
So you don’t need to think of a new strategy – you just need to think of a new name (with your own spin on things).
For example, I wrote a post on how to manage multiple goals at the same time.
The topic is important – but creating a quick “4-step guide” is sort of snooze fest.
So I turned my 4 steps into a methodology, calling it the “FOSE Method”, which is just an acronym for Focus, Organize, Systematize and Expand.
The strategy isn’t terribly novel. But the name and presentation is.
(you can read that post here if you’re keen to know more)
So the next time you’re looking for a way to add some creative juice to your post, try repackaging the content as a brandable methodology for readers.
6. Use the Magic of Layering
Layering creates uniqueness.
And uniqueness bolsters creativity and standing out.
But what do I mean by layering?
Layering is when you combine two or more seemingly unrelated topics or niches in a new way.
For example, I often use my experience as an artist, musician and traveler to elevate my content on blogging and mindset development.
Instantly, I stand out.
So what are your unique interests and experiences?
How can you mix and match them to boost the creative quality of your stuff?
On a similar note, this method also improves the human connection factor.
Because when you filter in your life and personal experiences, readers can better imagine and relate to the human behind your content (i.e. you).
7. Think More Like An Artist
If you want to make more creative content, start thinking more like an artist.
Sort of obvious, I know. But this is more about mindset.
Because after all (whether you believe it or not), you are a content artist – so I say, own it.
A simple way to better embody this role is to consume more creative content.
This will train your brain and slowly change your belief framework.
For example, here are some awesome people that always inspire me:
Rick Rubin (check out his book called The Creative Act)
Consuming more creative content is a great starting point. But we can stack the deck in other ways too.
For example:
Make your environment more creatively inspired
I like artwork, plants and some lofi music in my background
Go to more creative places and events
Such as museums, art galleries or concerts
Hang around more artistic and creative people
Everyone can benefit from having more artistic friends :]
8. Use Constraints
It's no secret, but using constraints fosters creativity.
When you add a restriction to a project or task, you're forced to think outside of the box for solutions.
This is an awesome hack to unlock creative ideas and make your content more memorable.
So here are some ways I like to use limits to bolster my own content creativity:
Word count or length limits
Phrase or word avoidance
Character limits on titles
Genre or format restrictions
Theme constraints
Resource limitations
The use of random elements
9. Make A Creativity System
Systems, workflows, blueprints…
These things work wonders (as you may know).
But have you ever considered making a creativity system for your content?
Or, do you have any creativity measures put in place for your current content system?
If not, this is a great way to measure the performance of your content creativity.
Here’s one way you could develop a creativity system for your content:
Define key benchmark goals or metrics for measuring content creativity (such as originality, authenticity, personality, use of a personal experience, etc.)
Turn those benchmarks into a checklist of targets to aim for
Strive to meet at least 80% of the checklist within your content creation
10. Use Storytelling + Emotional Hooks
Nothing makes content stand out and perform well more than a great story and emotional hook.
It’s sort of copywriting 101.
So here are some ways I like to boost the storytelling and emotional elements of my content:
Use captivating words
Add surprising perspectives or new twists to old ideas
Share your personal experiences and stories
Use storytelling frameworks (like the hero’s journey)
Give the people what they need (i.e., speak to their pain points, emotionally)
Inspire quick and within the first sentence or few seconds
11. Hire A Creative Content Creator
Outsourcing can sometimes be the best move.
Because we can do anything – we just can’t do everything.
There’s a reason outsourcing your weaknesses is so effective for entrepreneurs and content creators.
Doubling down on your strengths and the 20% of actions that give you 80% of your results (i.e., the Pareto Principle) is just way more efficient.
So if you’re looking to boost the creativity of your stuff, consider hiring out certain tasks.
For example, here are some ways you could outsource your content creativity:
Work with local artists to get highly original image assets
Hire a graphic designer for original visuals
Work with a video pro or filmmaker for trendy (but authentic) short-form content
Connect with a writing pro who can captivate readers with emotion and story
Find a creativity consultant to give you unsolicited feedback and advice
Explore Fiverr or other marketplaces for relevant creative content services
Want More? Okay. Here’s More.
