Before we get into it, let’s level-set. You do not have to regularly create content. It’s a tall order, and it’s not for everyone (or every company). It can help you grow, but it’s not mandatory. And it’s a choice that requires lots of consideration.

So let’s say you’re at a traction-stage startup, and you’re working toward a major launch in a couple of months. There’s a great chance your time will be better spent on more valuable tasks.

All that said, if you DO commit to content creation (or you’re already married to the content game), please take the oath below, for your sake and your sanity.

Say it with us:

“I will not make bad content.

I will not make thinly veiled ads for my company.

I will not jump on trends that have nothing to do with my brand.

I will not push out filler to appease an arbitrary cadence or calendar.

I will not use AI slop in the place of original, interesting ideas.”

Because the worst thing you can do is commit real time and money to content creation, then fall straight into the trappings of bad content.

Remember, you aren’t competing with other founders or startups here. You’re competing with MrBeast, hilarious stand-up comedians, mind-melting guitar prodigies, nostalgic sports highlights reels, political rage-bait, thought-provoking articles from professional writers, insanely attractive people, and a million other things people can’t stop looking at.

So the bar for worthy content isn’t “good for a founder.” It’s “good enough to stop someone in their tracks.”

This might not be mind-blowing information, but if you look at the vast majority of content coming from businesses and founders, it’s completely unremarkable and not worth the trouble. So let’s promise not do that.

Budgeting Your Time & Effort

As Yoda once said, “Do or do not. There is no try.”

In that spirit, content creation is something you’ll need to commit real hours and intentions to. No half-assing. Whole-assing only.

In our opinion, you should start by committing 10+ hours a week (that number includes time spent by editors or contributors) for a test period of six months.

So whether you earmark one day of the workweek solely for content, or a solid hour + each day, you need to set time aside for it.

A breakdown of what those hours might look like:

40% Creating: Writing scripts, filming videos, recording a podcast, writing long-form blogs or newsletters, etc. The actual making of content.

30% Editing and Polishing: Tightening copy, cutting videos, editing photos, designing thumbnails, or working with an editor.

20% Distribution: Posting, repurposing to other channels (only after you have one down pat), formatting, scheduling, engaging.

10% Analysis and Experimentation: Reviewing what’s working, tweaking your approach, feeding your head with good examples that help you steal like an artist.

Knowing this is a serious investment, don’t keep going ad infinitum if you aren’t seeing measurable gains.

If after six months, you aren’t seeing signs of traction (no steady growth in views, no big uptick in followers, and no measurable lift in KPIs like leads, sign-ups, or sales), then it’s worth pausing and reconsidering. Content is an investment, but if it’s not compounding into results, it’s a distraction.

Watch-Out #1: Effort ≠ Performance

About a month ago, my dear friend, coworker, and collaborator at Demand Curve, Kevin DePopas, dropped a certified banger on LinkedIn that went “viral” by all measures.

It wasn’t a polished, produced video or a post that was months in the making. It was a lo-fi funny photo, paired with a caption that parodied the overwrought AI-inspired posts flooding LinkedIn. He said it maybe took 30 minutes to make.

The result was tons of engagement (826 comments!?) and a visible spike in Growth Newsletter sign-ups the day he posted it (July 26) and the days following, presumably from viewers being brought into the fold via his post.

Now compare that with this video he produced around the same time. It had a solid script, professional editing, well-designed graphics, hours of labor, and an actual budget. It got 27 measly likes, ultimately a “flop” considering the significant effort.

This is one major paradox of content creation; More effort doesn’t equal more impact.

Distribution is governed by unpredictable algorithms, human psychology, and good ol’ fashioned luck. A post you fire off from the back of an Uber at midnight might outperform your professionally produced quarterly campaign. You won’t know until you know.

So if you find you’re pouring money into a low-engagement video content series, say $1,500 for an editor, $1,000 for design work, $1,000 on equipment or studio time, and a handful of valuable team hours, it’s worth comparing that with what $5,000 in Meta ads could get you.

At Facebook’s current cost per click (CPC) rates ($0.89 or so), that same $5,000 could drive more than 5,600 visits to your website. That’s likely way more valuable than 50 likes, a couple new followers, and maybe a few website visits.

If the ROI isn’t there on your organic content production, you’re probably better off treating it as an experiment and putting those dollars into paid reach instead.

We’re not saying you shouldn’t invest in polished, produced content, but it’s an experiment that requires validation to justify a continued effort and budget. Which brings us to our next point…

Watch-Out #2: Don’t Go Deep Before You Go Wide

Until you know what actually resonates, do not continually repeat or double-down on anything.

Think about this like baking a batch of cakes. If you were a baker trying out a new recipe, you wouldn’t bake ten cakes at once using this one unproven recipe.

A smart baker would experiment with one cake at a time. And only once they were happy with the results would they make a big batch.

So don’t be precious until you have actual traction. Try different tones, formats, and hooks until something sticks.

Once you see an uptick (whether that's engagement, shares, conversions, etc.) lean into it. Hard. Ride the S-curve, and repeat what works again and again until you see diminishing returns. It might seem lazy, but it’s actually good discipline.

Once you have a certain format, tone, hook, etc. that’s working for you, make 80% of your content follow this exact approach, while saving 20% of your content for continued experimentation.

Many successful creators thrive by delivering the same proven style again and again. Look at these videos from creator Kane Kalloway on YouTube. Similar thumbnails, similar video length, similar video formats.

Another important note in this same spirit: make sure you gain traction on ONE platform before you try to show up everywhere.

That being said, when you’re in the “experiment” stage, make sure you’re trying different platforms, too. Don’t insist on creating YouTube content if it’s not gaining traction. Your videos might be stronger as Reels or TikToks. Again, you won’t know until you try.

The Takeaway

This is by no means an exhaustive guide on how to make great content (but for deep, tactical guidance on content marketing, our Growth Program 2.0 can help).

This is merely a way to help you decide whether a focused content creation effort is worth it for you, and to show you a couple high-level tips to keep you out of the tricky content quagmire if/when you do take the plunge.

If you’re going to commit, commit fully. And don’t be too precious with your approach or channel until you’ve got something that’s clearly working for you.

So experiment, double down, and repeat, until you're finally making content to your heart's content.

​Gil Templeton​
Demand Curve Staff Writer