Why You NEED To Take Content Creation Seriously

I don’t want you to think of yourself as just a business owner or a service provider, instead start thinking of yourself as a creator, because that's the type of content that drives engagement (likes, follows, shares, comments) in today’s social media. Brands big and small are embracing unpolished, creator style content to connect and engage with their audiences. Whether you’re a social media manager, a solo entrepreneur, or aspiring UGC creator, I’m sharing actionable strategies to help you think like a marketer, stand out online, and create content that resonates. I'm also sharing a few ideas for getting noticed by your favorite brands and explain how UGC can open up revenue streams and life-changing opportunities. 

In this episode we’ll be covering:

• From polished to unpolished content, what really works best for creators right now on social media because the type of content you post matters most.
• Advice for getting started with user generated content (UGC) no matter what type of business or profession you are in.
• Tailoring a post concept to your niche (without copying or plagiarizing content) to stand out among other creators.
• Tips for small businesses, entrepreneurs, and solo creators to create lifestyle brand content.
• How to get noticed by your favorite brands with UGC, with brand shoutouts and relatable reels.
• The importance of content specificity, using identity-driven hooks, and clear messaging for engagement.

Featured content in this episode:

• Tacobell: How many drinks we need after this week
• Fishwife: Quick lunch break at work
• Kaylaskitchandfix x PotteryBarn: Chocolate Bunny Cafe
• ShannonMcKinstrie: What I would post for you this week

Recommended episodes:

• Episode 72: Creator Style Content is for Everyone, Even You
• Episode 85: Start Thinking Like a Marketer So People See Themselves in Your Content
• Episode 97: We All Love Familiarity, Here’s How to Create that Familiar Feeling in Your Content 
• Episode 100: Use Identity Driven Content to Connect and Engage with Your Audience
• Episode 107: Where To Find Content Ideas So You’re Always Ready To Post

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Transcript

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:00]:
I am your host, Shannon McKinstrie. Welcome to Good Content, the podcast where I remove the never ending content creation, guesswork and overwhelm so that you can actually enjoy being on social media again and growing your business with what has always worked. Good Content. All right, so this is kind of fun. I just got a message on one of my posts that I just shared this morning. Every week, just so you know, typically on Mondays, I will do some sort of either a carousel or a reel with hooks for the week, meaning this is what to post Monday, this is what to post Tuesday, et cetera, et cetera. And people love it because it's like, oh my gosh, thank you for taking it off my plate.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:41]:
I basically schedule your week of content for you. This can be used on TikTok, it can be used on Facebook. It's not just for Instagram, right? And I include captions and all that stuff. So someone actually wrote and was like, oh, I would love some tips for ugc. If you're new to the term ugc, it just means user generated content. And it's kind of funny because, right, I started out as a social media manager in 2013, right? I was managing Facebook and LinkedIn at my 9 to 5. But again, it was not part of my job description. This was just like, hey, can someone man the pages? Cause it was new, right? It wasn't like social media managers, social media teams were not a thing like they are now, which is amazing.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:01:17]:
But the term social media manager, it's very different now, right? A lot of people thought social media manager meant you do everything, you do their Pinterest, their LinkedIn, dah, dah, dah. Just one platform is a full time job, okay? And we're not gonna get into all that. But also pay your social media managers fairly. This is not an easy job. It is actually far from easy. And people think it's easy and it's not at all. And it does take a different set of skills, right? If you're not a social media manager, this, this episode is for you guys, the ones who are not necessarily. But it's gonna be good for social media managers as well and people who work in social.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:01:48]:
But let's say you own a hardware store, let's say you're a Pilates instructor, whatever. Like if you're a private chef or you're a nonprofit, lock in, okay? Because while I hate to say it, it's true. You have to either outsource to a social media manager, a UGC creator, a content creator, whoever, whomever make someone on your team who's really good at it and pay them extra for it. And this is what I mean. Like this is nothing we can take lightly anymore. And this is why you can't just throw your social media to someone who's Gen Z just because they're Gen Z. You know what I mean? That was what people were doing and telling me when I was, oh, we found someone cheaper. Oh, my daughter can do it because she.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:02:26]:
That doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. It requires a set of skills. Now is the younger generation probably better at coming up with captions and trends? Sure. But again, it still is marketing. Right? And it requires those skills. So if you're like, Shannon, I can't afford to outsource. I just need your podcast to tell me what to post.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:02:43]:
I got you. Right? And that's what that post I did today is all about. So make sure you go check it out. And I do it every week. And in the Reels app, if you want more support, the hooks are even more filled in for you. You get one on one support for me in the coaching calls and in the community space. And little I'm not good at selling. I always like to joke about that, but there you go.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:01]:
So whether you are that or you're like, you know what, Shannon, I actually am really good at content creation. I don't want to be a social media manager. I want to create content for brands. I've done that too. I do all sorts of stuff that I don't even have on my website. Right. I've done UGC content. I've had a healthcare company hire me and I create the videos for them, I create the carousels for them and I send them and they pay me just a one time fee, right? I think it was like $2,000.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:24]:
So that's an option too. So if you're just good at content, you're like, I actually just kind of like sharing my life. You can be a ugc. So whether you're doing that or again, you're the hardware store owner, you're the salon owner, whatever it is, this is the type of content we all need to be creating. Doesn't matter if you're a lifestyle brand or if you're Taco Bell. And speaking of Taco Bell, if you look at Taco Bell's content right now, I'm just going to pull it up because I just want to show you guys. Because one thing I got feedback from social media marketing world last year. Someone was like, oh.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:48]:
But it was all Creator content. I'm like, no, it wasn't. I was showing content from dentist offices. I was showing content from finance gurus, right? But it looks like it was created by a creator. And that's what I mean. This is why this episode is so important. Because whether you are actually the person creating it, you're the social media manager, you're the UGC person, or you are the plumber, the hairstylist, the, the doctor, the lawyer, the candle maker, whatever, all of our content is starting not the same. Not meaning the same as in boring.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:16]:
But they all mirror lifestyle, they all mirror taste, they all mirror identity. And if you can sell that messaging, you're done. Right? So here we go. Just so that you can understand what I'm talking about. All right, so this is actually hilarious. Taco Bell, right? It's literally a picture. It looks like a Snapchat. It literally looks like a screenshot of someone's Snapchat.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:38]:
17,000 likes, obviously. Let's talk about, right, how many drinks we need after this week. And it's such a bunch of Baja blasts. That's a perfect example of what UGC content looks like. So what I'm trying to say is, no matter what you do, your content needs to look like it was created by a content creator. And that doesn't mean polished. I want you guys to unpolish your content. Look at this.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:56]:
This is Taco Bell. And it looks like someone's Snapchat from a friend. Another example I saved for you guys that I was like, this is a perfect example. I don't know if you guys have heard of tinned fish. It's like all the rage, right? Like sardines. And it's a tuna fish company. Essentially, it's a sardine company. And they've gone completely viral.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:11]:
They're crushing it. I think they were on Shark Tank and they just did a post. It's literally people's cup holder, okay? And it says, lunch break at work. Anyone want to join? This is what I mean by we have gone back to basics. It looks like an Instagram post from 2013, but without the heavy filters. That's the big difference. We don't do the filters. It literally is the canned fish in one cup of the cup holder and then the other is the.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:36]:
That really popular Get Graza, whatever olive oil in the other. Hilarious. People are sharing it. People are commenting. We're overthinking it. It's proof. Even the big freaking brands, the food brands, the now I will say side note, obviously, interior brand, right? Like Those gorgeous. Arhaus, Pottery Barn, they're still sticking to just like, you know, they're not being like all cheeky and silly.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:57]:
And actually, now that I'm looking at it, if I was Pottery Barn, I would switch more to because guess what's getting more engagement on theirs? The content they're collaborating with with influencers. Right. I'll put that there so you can see what I mean. So what I mean by all this is this is why we switched years ago, two years ago is from how to content to how I content to three ways to. To three ways I. That has. Is what happened about back in 2023.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:06:24]:
I was clocking it and it is full throttle. Even Taco Bell, the big brands, Touchland's doing it. They're all doing it. So when I say ugc, it's almost like most of our content looks like it needs to be, which all of mine is. I created myself. So it's not fancy, it's unpolished. And that's why it works, because it's not AI. It's not fancy.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:06:43]:
So here's what I want you to get started. Whether you are the UGC creator, the social media manager, you are in charge of a corporation, or if you are one man, one woman shop, you're the golf creator, you're the travel creator, right? I want you to stop thinking, oh, I'm a travel advisor, you're a travel creator now, period. You're not just a piano teacher, you're a piano, you're a music creator. I don't know, something like that, right? I want you to think of yourself and start practicing. And again, I teach all of this here. When you see a successful reel, a successful carousel, how can you mimic it? You're not copying it word for word. You're not using their photos or imagery. You are using the concept and tailoring to your niche.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:24]:
So how to get started? And actually, let's let me take it this way because let's say you are the plumber or you're the UGC creator or you're the. Let's think of a law office, okay? You want to get attention online, you want to start growing your brand, you are going to mention brands you love. That's a great place to start if you're struggling. So you're the plumber. Come with me to pick up my. The three supplies I can't live without as a plumber in New York City.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:55]:
Right? Give Them something to attach to. You're gonna go into Lowe's and you're gonna shout those brands out. You never freaking know. They might actually ask you for your reel, which I've been asked by. I'm actually wearing a manychat because they might be eventually using some of the reels I've created about manychat for their ads. Because that's where this world of content creation is heading. We want real humans. We want you.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:17]:
Right? Or let's say you're trying to get started in UGC content. What are some brands you already love that you would love to create content for? So this goes two ways. One, the person who just wants to get more attention on their reel. You're a small plumber. You're a small law office in the boonies of Idaho. I don't know, you want to get attention. You create a reel or carousel. Being like, here, the whatever.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:40]:
I can't live without the websites, the legal terms, the contracts. And as you scroll as they show the reel, you're mentioning brands, websites. And then you can tag them in the caption, they share it. You get more eyes on your content. I know if a small little freelancer is like, I need views like, mention canva, mention flodesk, mention whatever. Like, mention the things that we already know because I don't know who you are. And we are scrolling for familiarity. Okay, so POVs are great.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:09:08]:
POV you just discovered there's a website that da, da, da, da, da, da. And you never know, they might reach out and be like, hey, can we pay you $2,000 for your reel? Hey, we're going to share it to our stories. We'll tag you. Hey, and look, that's what Pottery Barn just did. I just shared it right in the show notes. The Pottery Barn reels that are getting the most attention right now are the ones where they're collaborating with lifestyle creators. So if you're trying to be a creator, there you go. Pick those brands you already love, shout them out.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:09:34]:
Yeah, you're not getting paid yet. You will promise you that. And then if you're not worried about getting paid, but you just want more attention and you want your content to speak to your people. Shout out brands they know and love and. Or identities that they are can attach to you. Right. Type B, empty nester, cancer survivor, military spouse, those sorts of things. Right? All right, so another tip I wanted to share.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:09:53]:
And again, you don't need permission from these brands, right? You're at Aldi and you want to show your favorite lunches you make because you're a nutritionist. Again, you never know. And that's how brands get take notice of your content and then maybe you're creating content for them or maybe they're sharing it. So now your little baby business gets more attention. So what I want you to start doing is thinking like a creator, which means understanding what grabs attention, understanding that we all are scrolling for familiarity and things that we can trust and know and feel seen. Right? So again, you're not just a travel agent anymore, you're not just a lawyer anymore, you're not just a UGC content creator anymore. You're not just a. Gosh, there's, there's literally baristas at Starbucks that are making monetizing, right? Cause they're just sharing how they make the drinks you guys like or like little hacks, whatever.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:10:42]:
So remember, you're not just this anymore. And you're not just a lifestyle creator. You're not just a whatever it is. You are somebody who makes content real. You are someone who makes the tips, actions, story real. So whether you're just showing your routine or taking us through your day, make sure you are mentioning other brands. It's just, you gotta start taking content seriously and thinking like these creators that are making so much money because again, what a beautiful thing that we can make. We can help fund our passions.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:11:07]:
We can help give back to communities that we care about. We can give to charities we care about. Like, one of my clients literally wrote me a message that brought me to tears because she was like, shannon, I now can hire a housekeeper so I can have more time with my kids. I'm. I was able to take them on a week long vacation somewhere that they never could have gone before. All because I helped her sell her digital product. She's made her 2025 income in the first four months of 2026 because of the reels and carousels that I've helped her that have gone viral. All because she started thinking like a creator.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:11:36]:
Okay, this is why I'm being kind of serious in this episode. I love to be dorky and whatever and nerd out and. But I'm like, I'm in like silly, but I'm dead serious, y'. All. So here we go. This is a perfect example. And I shared it in the Reels Lab this week. Oh wait, it's actually on my carousel from Monday too.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:11:51]:
Or from today too, because it's so good. I was like, I can't cannot gatekeep this reel. Millions of views. I don't know what toddler Parent needs to hear this but mighty machines on YouTube is a low simulation 90s show that provides real life explanation of machines. Perfect for relaxing Sunday. When I tell you that is the recipe of a viral piece of content specific identity call out of toddler parents. 90s we recognize ourselves in that because, you know, a lot of the people that grew up in the 90s have toddlers right now or whatever. Or they send it to their friends who are having toddlers.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:12:25]:
It mentions the outcome low simulation. We already know what that means for their brains and then it puts them in the situation of the perfect Sunday, right? So there you have it. You got to start talking to your people. So the biggest point I wanted to make, and this is how I want to end it, is I have so many people say, well, what should I be posting as a blank? I'm like same. Not everyone's content is going to look the same or say the same thing. But it looks like ugc. It looks like someone who knows what they're doing. It has messaging and specificity and call outs and identities and tastes built in so that people pay attention.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:12:58]:
It's why my book I'm so excited about, because the whole thing is like, you don't have to be a marketer, but you need to think like one. That's why you're listening to this podcast. That's what I teach you. That was a lot to throw at you today, so I'll stop here. But I will next week share a ton of hooks for you guys to take and run with. But just know today's post that I shared, or by the time you're listening to it, it was yesterday's post. Use it, test it, tweak it, let me know what you think. I'm always in the comments to help you guys out.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:13:20]:
I love you so much and just kick butt this week and I'm so proud of you.