Introverts make great content creators, if we can just get out of our own heads long enough to share our thoughts.
Introverted people are often uncomfortable with the idea of content creation because it feels like it will make us the center of attention.
So we avoid it and let the extroverts dominate the conversation — even if we have all the know-how and insight we need to speak with authority.
This is your permission slip to stop shushing yourself. There’s plenty of room in the realm of authority-building content for introverts.
What makes introverts great content creators? Experts who lean into their quiet nature emit an aura of authenticity.
Our gift for deep listening gives us an advantage in crafting messages that resonate with audiences.
We also tend to be deep thinkers, developing the kind of unique insights that can shift entire industries – if the thinker can get comfortable sharing them.
Not everybody can or should try to be a thought leader. But everyone building a career based on their expertise can benefit from developing their authority. One of the most effective ways to do that is by creating content.
Why introverts should create content
“Content” is a ridiculously broad term that could include writing articles for industry magazines, speaking at conferences, blogging, sharing thoughts on social media, or any number of other things.
Introverts sometimes struggle with the idea of putting their ideas “out there” for public view. Digital marketer Vaibhav Lodaya said when he began publishing content, he was afraid of being judged or ridiculed.
“My major obstacle was mindset,” he said. “There are so many people out there who know more than me; why would anyone read my content?”
Don’t sell yourself short. You don’t need to be the world’s foremost authority to know what you’re talking about. As long as you know more than your audience, you have value to share.
Why bother with content at all? Well, if you have your own business (or would like to have one someday), content marketing is likely to be your most stable growth tactic.
First, creating content helps you to reach new people. It’s less expensive than advertising and is often regarded by audiences as being more trustworthy.
Second, it develops your reputation as an authority in your field. When people can see, hear, or read your ideas and insights, they’re reassured that you actually know what you’re talking about.
In an era of fast-talking fake experts, this is a huge advantage.
And if you don’t have your own business? You can still benefit from being a content creator.
Expressing your thoughts and ideas helps to clarify them in your own mind.
Feedback from your audience gives you an opportunity to refine and strengthen them.
And building your reputation and authority can advance your career and open doors to opportunities you didn’t know existed.
Introverts’ thought leadership superpowers
As an introvert myself, I know how intimidating creating content can be – especially if you’re aiming for a position as a thought leader.
But honestly, our quiet nature often gives introverted experts thought leadership superpowers.
Thought leadership is all about swimming against the current. It’s about deeply understanding a topic so that you can propose new ways of looking at it.
There’s all kinds of literature out there teaching extroverts how to be quiet and listen in a conversation to absorb points of view other than their own.
As introverts, we do that naturally. We quietly consume lots of content, opinions, and points of view on a topic. Then we consider all that data in forming our own insights and opinions.
When you express those opinions, you’re likely to do them in way that feels genuine and relatable to your audience.
Carl Jung, who pioneered the introversion-to-extroversion spectrum, said introverts tend to align their actions with internal motivations rather than external influences.
That means introverts create content out of a desire to share, not a desire to convince. You’re motivated by your own ideas, not the current trends.
This internal motivation makes selling feels icky to many shy people. That’s OK. Embrace it. A good content strategy actually reduces your need to sell.
If you embrace who you are and create content that reflects your true voice, that authenticity shines through. Audiences perceive it and view you as more authoritative, more trustworthy — and more deserving of their investment.
The Introvert’s Guide to Authority-Building Content Creation
When Onyekachukwu Blessing first started creating content of her own, she was uncomfortable. She had created content for others and knew it could help her land a job, but her perfectionism had her constantly comparing herself to other creators.
“I battled in my mind until I attended a live session where a speaker said to stop bothering about perfection and leverage the comments – good or bad – for improvement,” she said.
Onyekachukwu had to find the balance between “just start” and “add value.”
“Just start” is common advice, but it’s not very good advice. Churning out content without any kind of strategy behind it will almost always lead to discouraging results.
On the other hand, you can’t get so hung up on making the perfect plan that you never take the first step.
Here’s a guide on how to start instead.
1. Set your content goal.
Onyekachukwu suggests focusing on what you want to get out of creating content. I second that advice.
If you want to build authority to launch a business, you will take a different approach than if you want to build your reputation to land a better job. And if you are creating just to push your own boundaries, that takes a different tactic still.
Ask yourself why you want to create content. Then reverse engineer the path to that goal.
- What kind of ideas do you need to develop to get there?
- Who do you need to reach with those ideas?
- What platform will make it easiest for you to reach those people?
2. Find your position.
You don’t need people to see you as an authority in everything, or even a lot of things.
You can publish content to your heart’s content, but if you want to build your authority and reputation, you need to pick one core topic you can confidently talk about.
Analyze that topic. What’s the conventional wisdom – and how is your view different?
What do people need to know or understand that they just don’t? Lean into your unique views.
Finally, be true to yourself. Don’t take a contrarian position just for engagement’s sake. Know your core values and let them shine through everything you create.
Creating content has helped me be more open to “cold” interactions. I confidently get on calls and help others. This has helped me build a network of true friends and amazing people who I can work with or refer.
VAIBHAV LODAYA
3. Get comfortable expressing yourself.
Get comfortable articulating your ideas before you start publishing them. Journaling can help you gain insight into your ideas and feelings and give you practice expressing them in written form.
Active listening exercises strengthen your spoken communication ability. Recruit a trusted colleague, friend, therapist, or business coach to listen to your ideas and reflect them back to you.
You’ll gain confidence in your speaking ability and identify the gaps where what’s in your head isn’t translating into the message reaching the audience.
4. Give yourself boundaries.
The strongest content focuses on one key idea or takeaway. Just one.
For example, this article was going to be about content creation and networking for introverts. But that would have muddied the message.
Limit yourself to focusing each piece of content you create to a single key concept or takeaway. This makes your content stronger, helps you hone your point of view, and establishes your authority.
It also gives you more content ideas than you thought you had. Instead of one weak article about content creation and networking, now I can write two articles with one focus apiece.
5. Tell stories.
Humans are hardwired to remember and respond to stories. Working storytelling frameworks into your content instantly amplifies its impact.
The stories don’t have to be personal. You can keep your self to yourself.
Tell stories about interactions you’ve witnessed. Draw examples from books, TV, or movies. Just one caveat – if the story is fiction, make sure that’s clear.
6. Experiment with content formats.
“Content” doesn’t have to mean “writing or video.” If you find it difficult to express your ideas verbally, try using visual formats like charts, graphs, and mind maps.
To become known and recognized, you’ll want to share a consistent message on a regular schedule. But you don’t have to choose a consistent format.
Experiment until you find one that works for you.
7. Pitch to podcasts.
Pitching yourself as a podcast guest can be a great way to dip your toe into content.
You know the topic in advance, so you can prepare what you’re going to say.
You’re speaking to a friendly audience, because they agreed to host you. Yet you’re reaching a large number of people outside your own audience.
You can then repurpose clips of that podcast as social media posts. You can also pull bits of the conversation from the transcript and rewrite them as written posts.
8. Ask for feedback – but don’t take it personally.
Ask open-ended questions in social media posts. Poll your followers on what they know or how they feel about a certain topic. Encourage email subscribers to write you back.
This takes courage. And I’m not going to lie, you do risk catching some flak from haters. Do your best to ignore them. Most of the feedback you receive can be used to further refine and deepen your ideas.
Inviting your audience into a conversation is intimidating for introverts. But it positions you as an approachable, likable expert.
And the beauty of doing it through content, rather than a live event, is that you can respond in your own time (or not at all).
Tips for Introverted Content Creators
At some point, you just need to take a deep breath and take the plunge. Vaibhav’s advice: start small.
“Start by writing one comment on one post where you can provide an original thought,” he said. “Then, slowly start increasing the number of posts you comment on. You’ll start seeing that you’re getting good at this. Eventually, you’ll build the confidence to post content of your own as well.”
Start content creation in the comments
If you’re uncomfortable stepping up to share your own ideas, start as Vaibhav says, by expanding on what others have already said.
Megan Bungeroth shared some fantastic tips for how to thoughtfully comment on social media:
Another unappreciated tactic for exercising your content muscle: write book reviews. You can even write them anonymously. It’s great practice in staying on message, expressing your thoughts, and backing up your opinion.
Use asynchronous content channels
Extroverts thrive on spontaneous interactions. Introverts often need time to prepare, or else we find ourselves tongue-tied.
This makes content a perfect vehicle for building your authority.
You can write articles, record videos, and create social media posts in your own time, in a comfortable environment, with little to no outside involvement.
Take the time you need to get your idea across, then schedule it to post.
Manage your introvert energy
Because of its conversational format, creating content, even asynchronously, can drain an introvert’s energy almost as much as interacting with people.
Schedule your content creating time for the period of the day when you are the most focused and creative. Don’t try to do it when your energy is low or you’ll usually be disappointed in the results.
Use lists and notes to plan your content in advance. If you’re recording a video, write a script or at least bullet-point notes. If you’re writing an article, outline it. If you’re writing social posts, write down the key takeaway and how you want to illustrate it.
With a little advance prep work, your content creation time can be spent productively creating, not thinking about what to create.
You don’t need a whole new personality to be a content creator
Content can help you build your business, your network, or your career.
And you can do it without changing a single thing about your shy, quiet personality.
You have great ideas. You have knowledge that can help people. The stuff in your head can move us all forward.
But not if it stays locked in there. Take a chance and try sharing it through content. The more you share, the easier it gets. And before you know it, people are recognizing you as the expert you are.
Let me help you wrap your arms around content creation. Reach out for a strategy session to find your ideal audience and topics.