There’s no reason to feel uncomfortable at work for anyone who has chosen a career in content creation, marketing, or similar fields. While crafting and executing creative strategies might push you outside your comfort zone mentally, your physical workspace should be a haven of comfort, enabling you to perform at your best. Here’s how my workspace currently looks, but of course, what’s comfortable is a personal choice. Defining a Comfortable Office Space As a creator and content strategist, I define a comfortable office space as an environment that empowers me to get things done efficiently a ..read more

Why do you need headphones for a podcast? Well, they aren’t required, but there are some advantages. Let me walk you through them here. 1. Audio monitoring: Headphones allow you to monitor your audio in real time. This helps ensure that the guest’s sound quality is consistent and lets you catch any issues, like background noise or audio glitches, as they happen. 2. Improved focus: Wearing headphones can help you tune out distractions and focus on your podcast. This is especially important if you’re recording in a space with background noise or other potential interruptions. Be aware that your ..read more

Everyone can write. Maybe so, but can everyone write a call to action that actually works and drives action? And what are the things to consider? How to write a call to action came back to the top of my mind when I was reminded about the higher performance of first-person call to action. Let’s dive into how to write a call to action that works and is personal to the buyer. What is the purpose of a call to action? First of all, the purpose of a call to action is to get people to do something. And the way we accomplish that is by making it about them. It’s not about us – the writer, the marketin ..read more

You can add a YouTube watermark to all of your YouTube videos automatically. I did add one to my YouTube channel and am pleased to how it all turned out. In this article, I walk you through how I did this. What is a YouTube watermark? Traditionally, watermarks have been used on pictures and videos to display the owner of those media assets. In theory, the watermarks would then make it easier to find copyright thieves that download or screen shot videos and images and use them elsewhere. And YouTube watermarks would stay on the video if somebody grabs them by screen recording the video. But the ..read more

Vertical video is available on more and more platforms, and even when a platform isn’t an official vertical-video platform – like Instagram or TikTok are – a vertical video still can work. But how do you record a vertical video on a Mac? (The exact same tips even work on PCs.) I discuss that in this article, including: What is vertical video? Why vertical video is a thing Is video that is vertical better? How to create video that is vertical? What is vertical video? Video that is vertical shows in a higher, not wider, dimension – like horizontal video. Here’s an example: The horizontal vide ..read more

I remember the good ole days when we had time to think about content, write it, let it sit and then at some point get it approved and publish it. Those days are long gone and many now expect content to appear out of thin air, get distributed and drive results. (Okay, I’m being dramatic here, but you get the point.) But because of that “rush” as content marketers, we’re always looking for ways to create high-quality content more efficiently. Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or , having a streamlined content workflow can help us stay on top of our game and deliver value to our audi ..read more

The writer-editor relationship can make or break the content production process. For those of us that actually have editors that is. And while some create and publish content without editors, having somebody who reviews, edits and makes suggestions can really set up content to perform. But, those editors have to be good a several things, something I discussed with Patricia Chui on episode 660 of “The Business Storytelling Show.” Editors do a lot more than fix typos Some people think editors just correct grammar and spelling mistakes. But a good editor does much more. Patricia says editors are ..read more

I’ve been in plenty of situations where people argue for content changes based on their personal preferences, and that’s where a style guide comes in for brands. They take out the personal preference arguments and let teams focus on the collaborative discussions that can actually move content performance forward. Read next: Content consistency and brand voice matter. All the different content types – blog posts, emails, etc. – should align with your brand’s voice and style. This is where a style guide comes in – it’s a crucial tool for ensuring consistency and clarity in your marketing content ..read more

The definition of communication is evolving in business. So, let’s find out what that means to you! David Toushek, the founder of Everything Communications, is leading a revolution in how companies (including communications experts) think about and approach communications. The future of business communication looks different from the past. A complete paradigm shift is upon us in the way we approach this most essential building block of business. Join us on episode 661 of “The Business Storytelling Show” to hear our 24-minute discussion about the topic. Some of the questions we’ll discuss inclu ..read more

Certainly, the answer to what everyday things bring professional happiness depends on each person and their interests, responsibilities and values. For me, these five things bring me professional happiness – in alphabetical order. Balance In content, it can be easy enough to go, go, go and I like that too, but there has to be balance. Know what can fit into a day and should fit into a day and what cannot.  Collaboration Good content happens when teams collaborate, get creative and produce stuff that stands out. Good collaboration definitely is in my Top 5 everyday things to be happy. Rea ..read more