How you do one thing is how you do everything, right?
What is batching? Imagine spending an hour creating 20 graphics, or imagine spending a weekend writing 12 articles. That’s batching. It’s when you dedicate a block of time to doing the same kind of tasks over and over.
Let’s keep it real, consistency is hard AF when you’re not disciplined. We should all strive to be on top of our responsibilities as entrepreneurs however, the reality is that life happens and things come up, and before you know it, the last post on IG was 4 months ago.
Before you throw in the towel and partake in a “woe is me” pity party, let’s get one thing straight…you always have a chance to course-correct.
If you let the whole summer go without engaging your audience, then let’s put the brakes on that right now.
Batching is, hands down, one of the most effective ways to stay consistent. When you have a clear strategy, then you know ahead of time what needs to be done.
When you’re on top of your hustle, you have an editorial calendar which is key for batching your content.
When you batch, we’re not just talking about social media. Your content strategy is all-inclusive so we’re talking about email newsletters, podcast episodes, Youtube channel videos, articles for your blog, etc.
Even if you can write daily, batching your content gives you enough space so that if something comes up, you’ve got back up, just in case you need to go out of town or, worse, you get sick.
Many of us are in the solopreneur business, which means we are solely responsible for most, if not all, tasks. There’s nothing wrong with having to do it all yourself. We all have to start somewhere.
When you’re initially getting into the batching flow, don’t overwhelm yourself.
If you need to take small steps, then batch for the week. Work your way up to batching several months in advance. This might sound like a lot of work, and it is, but with the right planning, you can make it happen without getting overwhelmed.
Let’s get into left-brain mode and focus on numbers, which factor in whether you post daily or just on weekdays.
In one week, there are 5 or 7 days. If your frequency is 2x daily, then we’re looking at 10-14 pieces of content to batch for the week.
In one month, there are 20-30 days. If your frequency is 3x daily, then we’re looking at 60-90 pieces of content to batch for the month.
See how those numbers climb!
Daily posting is often reserved for social media unless you’re a dedicated blogger who runs an active website.
When you’re starting, several times a week is more than enough to get started. Particularly when it comes to content such as email newsletters, podcasts, and Youtube videos – once a week is more of the norm, not to mention manageable.
So when we look at a weekly frequency, in 3 months there are 12 weeks. If you can come up with 12 topics, you can batch your content for 12 full weeks. Trust me when I say this will not only free up your time but also give you bonus points regarding brand credibility.
I created the Holistic Brand Strategy Planner to cover 3 months for this reason.
In 12 weeks, you can build your reputation, show consistency, and give yourself the space to work on other areas of your business, without worrying if your brand has the presence it needs.
Ask yourself – what kind of editorial calendar do you have?
An editorial calendar helps streamline your content strategy so that what you share is aligned with your brand voice and supports your business goals.
A quick way to lay out the foundation for your editorial calendar is to assign a theme for each month. This helps keep you organized and it gives you a structure for what to write about each month.
If this is your first time, batch for the day. Work your way up to a week and then when you’re ready to turn it up a notch, batch for 12 weeks.
This routine will also give you the confidence to turbo charge other areas of your brand + business.