ProcrastiN8 Rules for Creating Gr8 Content

​So you want to make money from the comforts of your own home and you read somewhere that maybe you should start a blog or YouTube channel or Podcast...

Yet you’re intimidated by the amount of work involved in doing so.



See, too many other blogs out there tell you to do this and do that.

They tell you content creation is a lot of hard work. Like it’s gonna be a whole other full time job.

SPOILER: It’s not.

Look, I’m lazy af and I hate work. I’m not gonna do something that requires busting my ass to get done.

Fortunately, content creation is actually one of the easiest ways to make money online.




If you want to make content, but are too lazy to do it, here are some tips to make it as easy as possible

You can apply these tips to writing a blog, making a video, or even recording a podcast.

By no means am I an expert marketer or anything. I’m just a lazy dude, but this is what works for me.

Without further ado let’s dive right into it. Lket's learn the lazy way to write and produce content...











1. Don’t be original



Yup, I said it. Don’t be original. Don’t do it.

Luckily for you, as a lazy content creator, originality is overrated .The secret is most top content is actually based on  someone else’s work and isn’t original at all.

I mean heck, even in literature, great works like Lord of the Rings were based on fable stories that pre-dated it. We’ve reached the point in human history where nothing is truly original and we’re just kind of...tweaking things, at this point.

That’s all you’re going to do when you write content -- tweak content that’s already written, not make anything brand new.

All these other marketing websites out there will tell you “be original” and “make something unique”. But they’re WRONG.

They don’t understand that people want to read what is popular or helpful, not what is necessarily original.

Being original unfortunately doesn’t always lead to capturing attention (and very rarely does, quite frankly).

Look there’s need to reinvent the wheel... or come up with an original idea for content, for that matter when it’s more effective to sort of “steal” from others. What's working is working. Take content that’s already working and make it your own.

Content is already out there that is gaining attention, the thing you want as a marketer and content creator. Instead of trying to find something else to attract the eyes and ears of viewers, listeners, and/or readers, just re-make the same thing that’s already a success.

Search Google trends for trending articles or find popular articles (liked/upvoted) on Facebook or Reddit. Then put it into your own blog, video or podcast. It’s as simple as that.







But don't make it look like you're a complete copycat, either

Now, to be clear, I’m not saying you should copy everything verbatim. That just won’t do your website any justice.


Reason being is that Google actually punishes websites that copy content word for word. You have to re-word it a bit and trick the algorithm into thinking that your content is quote on quote “original” (although it’s really not because all you’re doing is copying other people’s content...with tact)

So in pulling off a little c&p, don’t just paste it into your blog (or video/podcast script) and call it a day.

This includes using a bot to scrape content and re-order iit or even asking permission to a website owner to re-post content. Google now analyzes your content to see how much of it is copied from another source.


Don’t copy directly, but copy...strategically

Don't be the kid that copies homework word for word and gets both ya'll caught!

Make it original “enough” and copy with a bit of lazy tactics.

The easiest way to re-write the article and avoid any punishment from Google is simple:



Pretend you’re telling a friend about the article.

This will accomplish two things

1. It will put the article/script in your natural (speaking) voice, complete with your own dialect and word choice
2. It will make it sound conversational and encourage people to comment or talk about it

You can record on your phone and upload it to a site like Scribie, where you can get a FREE automated transcript or even use voice to text on Google Docs.

Note that this is AI and may not be completely accurate, so you’ll want to double check everything for correct grammar.

You can also use the good ole handy dandy Thesaurus and replace some words and cut out some sentences then change the structure.


You’re not really being original at all, you’re just dissecting and rearranging things at that point. Easy.

You can also backlink to top tier sites, which actually boosts your rankings. Linking to high quality popular sites does mad good for your website rank.



















2. Don’t put it in your own words




While you want to re-word the content in your own voice (without being too original of course), you actually don’t want to use too much of your own verbiage either. 

What you do want to use a lot of though is SEO, Search Engine Optimization.

SEO is basically “shit people are searching for” and you want to make sure you’re using those key phrases in your content, especially written content because that’s what the search engines like Google analyze.

This means a lot of the content you quote on quote “write” is really just catering to what people want to find on the Interwebs.

Use SEO and use SEO a lot. That’s literally what gets people to find you and consume your content.

You put shit, the exact words and phrases, that people are searching for in your content. That’s it. That’s what SEO is in a nutshell.


You’re using words that are already typed out for you. Easy. Lazy. Awesome.





And keep it SIMPLE. Really Simple.

As a general rule of thumb when creating SEO rich content, you’ll want to keep your language simple.

Quite frankly, using fancy schmancy elaborate vocabulary isn’t the best for SEO. 

Use simple words and common language because it’s often more in line with what people are actually searching for (no one searches “methods to prevail when you are a lethargic human being” but they will search “how to be successful when you’re lazy”)

Search for the phrases that people are typing into search engines and put them in your article.

Keyword Tool is useful in searching Amazon, eBay, Google Trends, PlayStore, Instagram, and Twitter all in one place.

Likewise, look at trending hash tags (within your niche) on Twitter and Instagram

Don’t just add key phrases in your article just to fill up space, with no context. That really isn’t effective (and not to mention a boring ass read)

As a matter of fact, Google again comes in and hits you with the punishment hammer if your website is just a list of keyword phrases. The algorithm searches for content that “just so happens” to cover those keywords.

So instead of making a grocery list of SEO friendly terms, make the keywords “flow” seamlessly within your content. Insert key words and phrases in sentences where they would fit and try to fit it into as many places as possible.

You again need to cleverly trick the algorithm and make it think you have quality content that people are searching for.



















3. Don’t say anything at all



They say a photo is worth a thousand words. Yep, that sounds good to me. That means less writing is involved in the content creation process and more finding juicy memes.

If you can say a lot with a photo, then do it. It’s much easier than trying to write more.

Use images, gifs, videos, and block quotes in your content (or in the case of video/podcast use clips or music).

Not only does this look aesthetically appealing to the eye(No one likes to look at a giant block of text), it also can help communicate the message you’re trying to convey without rambling on and on in a lengthy paragraph.

It saves time and effort and looks good. Nice. That’s the ProcrastiN8r way - minimizing effort and maximizing results.



WATCH OUT for copyright!

Now unlike copying the written content, you can’t just change it a bit in Photoshop or Premiere  then call it yours. No. It’s not like re-writing articles. 

You have to either make original images or use ones that are  licensed under Creative Commons and basically let you use for free, without paying royalties, as long as you give the author credit.


Copyright-free sites:

I recommend sites like FreePik and NeedPix for free images.

Kevin Macleod is my man when it comes to Creative Commons music at incompetech

You can browse by genre, tempo, and even “feels”. It’s very easy to find the type of sound you’re looking for.

Soniss offers a FREE (25 GB+) library of sound effects every year after the Game Developers Conference. I use those free sound effects in my podcast ALL. THE. TIME. They’re great quality too.


You can also just search “creative commons”.

Be careful not to confuse “royalty free” with “creative commons”

Royalty free doesn’t necessarily mean “100% free. It just means you’re not paying a “subscription price” each month or year to continue to use the content, but there’s *usually* an upfront fee involved to gain permission to use it.

Creative Commons lets you pst it *as long as* you give attribution to the original artist.

Giving attribution to someone does NOT automatically grant you permission to use a graphic or audio freely; that applies ONLY if it is Creative Commons.



As a rule of thumb....

DO NOT use copyright material. Ever.

This includes but is not limited to photos, videos, and music. 

Posting someone else’s content as your own is very, very illegal. You risk de-monetizing your content, getting it shut down, or worse, facing a lawsuit that could cost you up the wazoo in legal fees and penalties.

If you didn’t make it, or you didn't get permission, don’t post it.





But can you post memes?

There’s sort of a grey area when it comes to memes. Technically the copyright owner has all the rights and you’re NOT allowed to post any memes unless you get permission.

Though, there is some debate as to whether or not posting a meme constitutes as “fair use”.

Know Your Meme has had to taken down some posts due to receiving a few cease and desist letters from the copyright owner

In 2013, the owners of the cats featured in Nyan Cat and Keyboard Cat won a suit against Warner Bros. for using the images of their cats in a video game.

While using memes are sort of iffy in terms of copyright, they definitely are NOT 100% protected and you should be aware of this when choosing to post a meme.

I would back link the source from MemeCenter or 9Gag or whatever site you find your memes on, that way it’s “on them” in terms of any copyright issues.

But either way, the image source may be broken. (assuming you use the original meme’s link and don’t re-upload it to your own website yourself)

Be cautious in choosing your memes and always, always, ALWAYS cite your sources and keep whatever watermark you can.

NEVER REMOVE A WATERMARK!




Of course, citing your sources doesn’t mean you are allowed to use it (unless it’s under the Creative Commons license as mentioned, but the standard copyright does NOT grant you permission to just wheely neely post anything you want)

You can also simply ask the owner of the site permission to use the graphic. Describe what your blog will be about and how it will be used within the context of the blog.

I’m a bit of a procrastin8r and usually write my content last minute though and don’t have time to reach out, and I imagine you’re in the same boat in your own content creation.

So I follow the rule of “do it first then apologize after” instead of “ask for permission and get turned down”

I site the image and back link to article in which I originally found it. I then e-mail them and say:


“Hey, I used your image on this page [insert link to original article] on my blog [insert my own blog link]. I put a link to your site, crediting you for the image. Let me know if that’s cool, otherwise I’ll just take it down.”


If they tell me to take it down, I take it down. If not, then I keep it up.

I always keep the backlink active just to be safe.


Graphs and charts are usually okay to re-post as long as you cite the source, but again, it’s best to check with the owner/original publisher.

The safest way to avoid any copyright infringement is to just not post anything copyright all. Post your own shit. Pretty straightforward.

Heck, you can draw stickmen if you’re not much of an artist to “get the point across” or make your own silly skits in a video or podcast.

Sometimes this is actually easier to just make something rather than “finding the perfect meme” because rather than combing the Interwebs for the perfect match (to your blog/video/podcast), you create the perfect match for yourself.


















4. Don’t write a lot


Quality  over quantity. More words in a blog or video script or podcast does NOT mean better content.

Make it concise and get to the damn point. Don’t beat around the bush and make more effort for yourself.


There’s no need to dance and do acrobats when you’re just trying to put a Hot Pocket in the microwave.


Say what you want to say. No more, no less.

There was a study that found that the optimal word length is 2000+ per article, as that is the minimum number of words the top rankings on Google tend to have



But I wouldn’t focus so much on numbers as much as the VALUE you can provide.

Give your audience  enough to feel satisfied but at the same time...

Make people want more!

Don’t leave them so hungry for more that they feel like their appetite wasn’t even satisfied a little but.

But don’t feed them so much that they over-eat.

Give them “just enough” and like a good chef, make it taste good!


The content you write (in a blog or script) should have IMPACT.

An easy way to do this is to make your content ACTIONABLE. Give your audience something to do and change their lives for the better (or become better at a talent or skill relevant to your niche)




The second most important thing your content should have next to quality is consistency.

It doesn’t matter if you post on late night  weekends or mid afternoons on Wednesdays. Whenever you decide you are going to post, post,  but keep it consistent and never deviate from that time.

You can’t really build an audience unless you are consistent. And again it doesn't really have to be a lot.

Just consistent.

When should people expect to get new content from you?

You pick the time, whenever you want dude. You’re your own boss. But do make sure you always do it on that time that *you* choose.


Create consistent quality content, not a whole bunch of it.

It doesn’t need to be a lot of content or even be the first site to “break the news”. While breaking a story or being among the first to report it may help boost your SEO temporarily, in terms of building a loyal fan base that keeps coming back to read, watch, or listen to your content, it does pop diddly squat. It doesn’t do shit.

It’s better to procrastinate and wait for your “Content Posting Day” before telling the “news breaking” story so you can remain consistent for your audience.

In his interview on the ProcrastiN8r Podcast on lvl 60, Sam Prisetly described how a video of him playing table tennis for an entire year and tracking his progress (physically) went viral.

But that video paled in comparison to the sales that came from his loyal fan base and newsletter subscribers that followed his consistent quality content.

In other words, going viral is overrated and consistency trumps virality all day every day.





















5. Don’t Edit



We tend to have this terrible habit of trying to edit while writing. This is a lot more work intensive and stress inducing then just focusing strictly on the writing part


Just write stuff, even if it’s shitty. Just. Write. It. Out.

Get your thoughts out on paper. Record your words on the mic. 

Make the content first. THEN edit it.

Edit later.


The problem is we’ve been trained to work hard and edit WHILE writing and this holds us back from actually getting shit done and quite frankly, makes it a lot harder than it needs to be.


I mean how many times have you tried to write something and you’re like:

“oh wait, that doesn’t sound right” or...

“hold on, it’d probably be better if I said something else”

That’s the editor in your mind!

Tell him to shut the fuck up.


You’re not editing. You’re writing.

A lot of time the thing blocking you in your so called “writer’s block”is really just the internal editor. It’s not writer’s block at all. It’s editor’s block. The editor is doing all the blocking!





Procrastinate the editing for later, man. Right now, it’s time to relax and just get your thoughts out there.

It’ll feel less stressful too, compared to the crazy multi-task mental gymnastics you’ve been trying to pull off for who knows how many years.

Procrastinate with Purpose and choose not to edit right now. Just let your thoughts flow through ink (or keyboard for that matter)

Before writing, you may want to meditate or take a nap, maybe smoke if you got ‘em just to ease your mind

Remember, writing is about putting your thoughts to words. It’s NOT about finding the right words.

That’s what the editor does. Heck, you don’t even ever have to edit yourself once you’re finished writing. I mean your content should be edited, but you can find someone else from Fiverr or something to do the sweaty work for you
























6. Don’t put much effort in writing anything except the headline



And in case you needed another reason not to worry too much about finding the right words, most people don’t read the entire article or watch the entire video.

Yeah, as a matter of fact, if you’re reading these words right here, you’re in the (awesome and sexy) minority.

The fact is, most of your audience  isn’t going to read, watch, or listen to most of what you write or produce.

They may skim a few paragraphs at best.

But the most important thing is that your headline absolutely NAILS IT!

This is the part of your content that everybody sees. At least people who manage to stumble upon your content in the first place, see.

You could have the most compelling written article, the most epic video, the most amazing podcast ever.

But none of that matters if you have a boring ass title.




You have to get people to CLICK.

Make the headline/ title and maybe the first paragraph  (or first 10 seconds if you’re making a video or podcast) the most interesting and well-written, or at the very least, most emotionally captivating.

Your first goal is to create something that grabs attention.

You can dive into the nitty gritty details later down the line, but you must first get their attention. Attention is the first step toward getting people  consume your content, the first step toward making a sale.

A lot of sites use Clickbait to achieve this. Clickbait is a tittle deisgned to well, get people to click for the sake of gaining traffic and attracting advertisers, but usually doens't have any substance to the content.

People are becoming more aware of what makes a title “click bait” and the days of just getting someone to click for the sake of clicking are coming to an end. 

People aren’t easily fooled by clickbait much any more (but sometimes they can’t control their curiosity and intrigue).

I wouldn’t say to avoid writing click bait entirely, though, because it can work if done right. 

Only make “click-baity” titles if you can follow through and provide the promise that the title makes within the content itself.

Don’t disappoint your audience. Never make a title you can’t follow through with.
























7. Don’t worry too much about the content




Now once you’ve captured and lured them in, you’re going to want to get them to stay (and hopefully subscribe for more content).

But this isn't necessarily done through content. It's done through presentation. If your content is not that great, at least make it look great.

And if the content itself is great, then it will get people to actually read it. The fact is people aren't going to even look at poorly presented content.

Don't bore people with your presentation.

Writing lists is a great way to at least get people scrolling through your article or watching several clips of your video.

Even then, they aren’t reading the article or watching the video or listening to the podcast in its entirety. They’re simply looking for bullet points.

Now if you follow the rule of “Don’t write a lot”, you make consuming the information much easier. 


People will skim it

So make your content skimmable.


But knowing that the people that do tune into you don’t tune in all that much, you should be less worried about the content itself and more concerned about the presentation

Focus on the design instead of the content itself. Ideally, the design should support the content and vice versa.

Use design (or production in terms of video/audio) to enhance (and perhaps even supplement) your quality writing (or lack thereof)




Add bold font or increase the size to highlight important points.

• Use bullet points and write short paragraphs

And implement lots and lots of…







White space.

And of coruse, as already covered, add photos or video.


In terms of video and podcasting you can add reverb effects to create an echo, and createa “camera shake” for impact. Use quick cut zooms ofr humor (like the Office) or slow zoom/pans for dramatic effect.

You can play around with the editing to create a different message.


Check out this Doctor Who “Horror” Trailer for a good example on how editing can change the entire mood of a video.





It’s not what you say, but how you say it.

She didn’t sleep on her couch.

That sentence has very different meanings depending on which word is enunciated.

Which is another thing -- you can use italics for expression

In terms of audio and video, you can use a pause or inflection in your voice.

You see, it’s not so much the content itself but how the content is presented to the audience.

Present it in a way that connects to your audience. Are they looking for something serious or a bit more silly?

Do you want them to feel a certain emotion?

Choose tactful edits that make your message to your audience stronger.

It’s much easier than trying to explain things in elaborate detail and looks professional af.



















8. Don’t create something you wouldn’t actually read, watch, or listen to yourself




Seriously. This.

Remove yourself from the equation, take a hard honest look at yourself and ask:

Is this something I’d actually read, watch, or listen to?

Is it?

And you may say “Of course it is. I made it. It’s mine.”

But you need to be sincere in this analysis and ask “What if I didn’t make it myself? Would I still want this content?”

If the answer is “No” then how can you expect anyone else to want to?

You can’t.

Make content you would actually enjoy.

That’s a principle that has helped me, but I can’t say this is effective for everyone.

I don’t record a podcast unless it’s something I’d listen to. I don’t write a blog unless it’s something I’d read.

Now of course, don’t let this self criticism hold you back.

I’ll admit, sometimes I’m my own biggest critic, but at the end of the day, the whole purpose of this blog, the whole purpose of the ProcrastiN8r Podcast was to make content that I would enjoy (even if I wasn’t the owner/host) and find like minded people with similar goals and interests.

See, if you can  create content that you yourself would love, then you’ll find people that not only love it too, but are a lot like you and you are easily able to relate to them.

This really kills two birds wit one stone, because not only are you creating content that you love, but you’re also building your audience and finding the type of people you want to talk to.

And once you start making money form it...

Now that is what we call living a lazy lifestyle!





Content Creation is really just taking the things you’re already looking up and talking about, then putting it in front of an audience and monetizing it. 

Don’t let anyone convince you that it’s “hard work”. They’re probably just trying to keep competition out.

The tips I offered here are very contrary to the mainstream, but nonetheless effective for the lazy man.

Take it easy,

N8




P.S. Next week, we’ll take a look at the top (ProcrastiN8) type of topics to cover, so you’ll never run out of ideas.

Be sure to subscribe to the newsletter so you don’t miss it!


Image Source:

Various images by Freepik