How to run a one-person content team

Given the power of social media, blogging, and online publishing, it's no surprise companies are being run by single individuals.

Successfully running a one-person content team is no small feat and requires strategic planning and execution. Steps and tools that are essential to put into place to make sure that even if you have a one-person team, you’re running it effectively. Let’s look at how below.

Running A One-Person Content Team

Here’s what you should try out to ensure that your one-person team is effective.

Use Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Having just one person single-handedly manage all content-related tasks is daunting and time-consuming. This is where AI comes in handy.

There are so many tools out there, and you shouldn’t be afraid to wield them to make content generation easier.

Here are some tools to consider: Grammarly for proofreading, ChatGPT or Jasper for writing and generating content ideas, ProWritingAid for editing, and so on.

With the advent of such tools, perfecting content has become much easier. These tools will improve the flow of your writing, saving you valuable time and effort.

Have a Content Calendar in Place

What, when, and where to post are all crucial questions that a one-person content team needs to address. To stay on top of your content schedule, having a content calendar is essential.

A content calendar allows you to plan out your content in advance, ensuring consistency and preventing burnout. With tools like Trello or Asana, you can easily create and manage a content calendar that suits your needs.

Suppose you plan on posting a blog every Monday and promoting it on social media platforms throughout the week. In that case, you can create a content calendar that outlines the topics, posting schedules, and promotional strategies for each week.

Looking at this calendar, you get an idea of what your content landscape looks like and whether you need to make any adjustments.

Content Automation Tools

Automation is the key to running a successful one-person content team.

With automation tools like Hootsuite and Buffer, you can schedule social media posts in advance and spread them out throughout the week or month.

For instance, you can create a month's worth of social media posts all at once and schedule them to be published on specific dates and times. This way, you don't have to worry about forgetting to post or scrambling at the last minute.

Moreover, automation can also be applied to email marketing, where you can set up automated email campaigns and save time manually sending out emails using software like MailChimp or Constant Contact.

Similarly, WordPress has plugins that allow for automatic publishing of blog posts. By setting a specific time and date for your posts to go live, you can ensure consistency and save yourself the hassle of manually publishing each post.

Repurpose Old Content

As a one-person content team, it's essential to make the most out of your existing content. Repurposing old or existing content can save you time and effort while providing valuable information to your audience.

You might be running a traveling blog and have a collection of well-written articles on the best destinations to visit. Using that content, you can create an e-book or even turn it into a video series. This way, you can reach a wider audience without generating completely new content.

Moreover, by repurposing old content, you can go ahead with cross-promotion on different platforms, such as sharing snippets of blog posts on social media or including links to your e-book in a blog post.

But above it all it makes the life of a single content admin much easier by recycling previously created content.

Curate Content

One person can only generate so much content. Therefore, curating content from external sources can be a great way to keep your social media feeds or blog content relevant and engaging.

Through tools like Feedly or Flipboard, you can curate content from various sources based on topics that interest your audience. This not only saves time but also adds diversity to your content mix.

Other than these tools, there's always the option to use platforms like Pinterest or Scoop.it, where content is readily available for you to curate and share with your audience.

Oftentimes, curating content keeps you updated on industry trends and news, making you a valuable source of information for your audience. By subscribing to curated news feeds like Google Alerts, you can stay informed and share the latest updates with your audience.

Through content curation, you also have the opportunity to collaborate with other content creators and build relationships within your industry. At times, this can lead to guest blogging opportunities and collaborations that can benefit your personal brand or company.

Leveraging SEO and Analytics

One individual can't always create attention-grabbing content that drives traffic and engagement. That's where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes into play.

By leveraging SEO principles, you can optimize your blog posts and website content to rank higher on search engines. This not only increases visibility but also helps attract organic traffic to your site.

By incorporating keywords, providing high-quality backlinks, and optimizing meta descriptions, you can ensure that your content is more likely to appear in relevant search results.

But SEO goes beyond just incorporating keywords. By regularly tracking and analyzing website traffic using analytics tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush you can gain insights into which content performs.

This not only helps you understand what type of content resonates with your audience but also what strategies you can implement to improve your content's performance.

This is important for a one-person content team because you'll focus on only those things that give results. This way you ensure that one person can still create the most impact.

Why One-Person Content Team Isn't A Good Idea?

While a one-person content team may seem like an efficient and cost-effective solution, there are some drawbacks to consider.

Firstly, managing all aspects of content creation alone can be overwhelming and lead to burnout. As a one-person team, you must handle everything from idea generation and writing to promotion and analytics.

Moreover, being the sole person responsible for all content also limits the diversity and perspective in your content. With a team, you can access different ideas and viewpoints, resulting in more well-rounded and engaging content.

Also, as a one-person team, you may miss networking and collaboration opportunities with other content creators or industry professionals. Building relationships and collaborating can bring new perspectives and ideas to your work while also helping expand your reach.

Conclusion

One-person content team isn't really a recommended approach as it comes with its own set of challenges and limitations. However, with the right tools and strategies, it can still be a successful option for small businesses or startups on a tight budget.

Through automation, repurposing old content, and leveraging SEO and analytics, one person can effectively manage a content strategy. But remember, it's always beneficial to have a team with diverse perspectives and skills to create top-notch content and drive growth.

So, consider building a team or outsourcing some tasks to alleviate the pressure of being a one-person content team. Tapping into freelancers and content agencies can also be a smart solution for generating high-quality content while managing costs. Ultimately, the key is to find a balance that works best for your business and allows you to produce valuable and engaging content consistently.