Don’t create what you think people want to hear, create what you want to say.

Don’t fall into the trap of creating for other people's approval. You’ll be on that hamster wheel forever, searching for instant gratification and validation from others. And truthfully, this isn’t fun. It’s really debilitating, and it gets you into the mindset of creating content for likes and comments, versus creating content that actually comes from the heart. It doesn’t feel good to create from this place, there’s often a feeling of urgency and pressure surrounding this.

Instead, focus on creating content that represents what you think, feel, and stand for. Take everyone else out of the picture for a moment. Ask yourself this question: What within me right now is waiting to emerge?

• What do I feel excited about in my life?

• Is there a lesson or point of insight that has been on my heart lately? If so, how can I make something that represents what I’ve been learning?

Chances are if you feel excited about something if something really struck a chord within you. It will also resonate with your audience.

This is when it’s really important to trust yourself. Trust that what you are attracted to will also strike a chord in others. Trust that if you find something funny or insightful or inspiring, those sentiments will also rise in the people who follow you.

Moral of the story: don’t let others determine what you should be posting. Follow your gut and post only what feels right for you. Keep everyone else out of it.

Talk into the camera like you’re talking to a friend.

The best creators make us feel like friends. They break the barriers of separation. They talk to their audience as though they are longtime friends who have known each other for years. And that’s what makes people feel connected.

When you approach your content this way, it can also lessen the burden of having to be perfectly polished and presentable all the time. Do you feel that you have to dress up for your best friend while you’re on FaceTime? Likely not. So, if you can, approach your content this way, too.

When you loosen up, take off the pressure, and show up to the video as yourself (without trying to sound important or impressive) this creates feelings of comfort and trust between you and your audience.

As a result, your audience will begin to trust you. They might feel more at ease when they watch your content, likely increasing your watch time and viewership (which strengthens the community you are actively trying to build).

If you mess up, keep going. Don’t delete the imperfections.

People have a hard time connecting with those who feel too perfect and put together. Simply because it doesn’t feel real, and it also leaves people wondering what’s wrong with them. Videos that are “too” perfect can make your viewers feel less than or not good enough.

For example, if you’re recording a video for Instagram Stories, and you happen to say something incorrectly or stutter over your words, or perhaps even lose your train of thought… don’t start over, keep going. It’s okay to show that you’re human! In fact, these small mistakes can even be endearing.

Now, of course, there are mistakes that are too large to include (when the mistake becomes a distraction from the main message) so always use your best judgment when editing the final video. A good rule of thumb: keep small mistakes and delete the big ones.

Talk about your struggles, not just the triumphs.

It’s easy to want to share the highlights from your life. In fact, it’s natural! When we feel excited about something, we naturally want to share that excitement with others. When we feel sad about something, it’s normal to want to hide or stuff those emotions away so we don’t have to think about them anymore.

But I challenge you to consider creating a video or Instagram post that reveals a personal weakness, something you’ve struggled with or are currently struggling with right now.

For example, Victoria Paris has often created videos that share what she’s currently struggling with. The beginning of her video starts with, “Something I am struggling with right now is X.”

If this feels too vulnerable, try changing the tense. For example, “Something I used to struggle with was X. But here’s how I overcame that.” Pull from past experiences that were difficult, but show how you were able to overcome them and how it’s positively affected your life today.

Don’t take your content too seriously, this should be fun.

Create content that you find enjoyable, that you find fun. So have fun with it and see where it takes you!