Mastering content creation with the "quantity now, quality later" approach

Steve Jobs famously said, "quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles."

That makes sense coming from a guy responsible for a massive company's financial well-being and the millions of shareholders who back their endeavors.

But for most digital entrepreneurs looking to build an audience without the weight of a multi-billion dollar corporation, I think there's a much more realistic approach: the "quantity now, quality later" content strategy.

I've used this method for a while now with great results in content creation, but I still get pushback when I talk to folks about it. Many people hesitate to try this because they're afraid of producing low-quality content, are caught up in perfectionism, or are constantly comparing themselves to others.

Overcoming perfectionism in content creation

The truth is you need both quantity and quality to grow an audience. But for those just starting out, the "quantity now, quality later" method tends to ease people's minds and lets them just get started.

I get why people are nervous about it, though. They're worried about putting out bad content, or they feel like everything needs to be polished before they hit publish. Some are comparing themselves to creators who've been at it for years and feeling like their stuff doesn't measure up. Others are just overwhelmed by the idea of producing content consistently, or they don't trust themselves to experiment with different formats.

But here's what people come to realize: this approach actually takes the pressure off. It lets you work in a fast, iterative way. You get to test out multiple forms of content and messaging, then see what resonates. It's much less stressful for you and ends up being more valuable for your audience.

Everyone starts off bad

Even the most successful people with massive audiences had to start somewhere. We all suck initially, but the more you publish, the faster you learn, the better your results.

Set realistic expectations when trying this method. Give yourself permission to explore, make mistakes, and learn from them.

If you focus on progress instead of perfection, your incremental improvements will add up over time. You'll eventually find your voice, and your audience (and content) will be better for it.

Experimentation is key to achieving your content creation goals

Every piece of content you publish is an experiment when using this method. Whether it's a tweet or a blog post, you should constantly experiment with various content types to see what works.

Once your content gains traction, you'll know where to focus. And even if it falls flat, there's still an opportunity to learn from it. Don't be afraid to try new things: you could be one experiment away from a breakthrough.

Data will help you stay on the right track

To quote Sherlock Holmes, "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data."

When you put out a lot of content, you'll inevitably end up with a lot of data about its performance. There are countless tools to help you stay organized, so I won't go through them all, but here are my two daily drivers:

Typefully: a Twitter tool that helps you write, schedule, and analyze your tweets.
Fathom: a Google Analytics alternative that doesn't compromise visitor privacy for data.

You'll know if and how your content performs with your audience by measuring engagement, time spent, social shares, etc.

Reuse and recycle your best ideas

After experimenting with different content ideas and analyzing what resonates, you'll likely have a solid "content library" of your best-performing pieces. Don't overlook the potential of repurposing and remixing this content.

Some people worry that their audience will notice and lose interest, but the truth is most people won't even remember seeing your content the first time around. If you think your audience remembers all of your content, you're wildly overestimating the average person's attention span.

Every time you wonder if you should post recycled or reused content, remember this tweet from Justin Welsh.

If you're publishing content daily, remember:

- 75% of your followers didn't see it
- 80% of your followers won't remember
- 100% of your new followers never saw it

Repurpose often.

Nobody remembers your content like you remember your content.

— Justin Welsh (@thejustinwelsh) March 21, 2023

This is the most realistic approach for most of us

Steve Jobs' quote on quality over quantity made sense for Apple. But the reality for most digital entrepreneurs is different.

The "quantity now, quality later" method removes pressure, lets you experiment, and gives you room to learn and improve. The temptation to focus only on quality is strong, but you also need quantity and (maybe most importantly) consistency to build an audience that sticks around.

Experiment, publish more, and learn as you go. That's the whole thing.