I know I normally promise short and sweet newsletters but forewarning this one is longer than usual because it’s a real deep dive into my short form strategy (or lack thereof). I hope this exploration is interesting or useful to you. I also share a mentoring and funding opportunity for creators at the end that I came across.
The short form vs long form tension is one I’ve been experiencing for years and still haven’t cracked. Back in 2024 I even made a feature length long video about hiring a TikTok expert to help me with my TikTok strategy. I had a fun time but as soon as that video was done did I keep up the practice? No, of course not! Long form is always my priority so if I’m not doing it for the vlog… well, I’m not doing it.
Okay, it’s not quite as extreme as that but I’ve been finding it really hard to stick to anything when it comes to short form. Social media is always my lowest priority mostly because of money. It costs time and/or money to create stuff and I don’t get any immediate worthwhile financial benefit from it. This is a chicken and egg situation and maybe if I invested more in it up front the fruits of my labour would come later but that’s a risky game to play. Maybe I could have justified it 5 years ago when I was working more and didn’t have a kid but now I have to be so much more careful and strategic with my working hours. Also, the main way short form first creators are making money is through brand partnerships and that’s not really something I care to chase more of right now. The prize for doing well at short form isn’t that enticing to me…
The key to consistency, I’m aware, is in formats. I love a format. I’ve been a format girlie in long form for years - Drunk Advice, The Hormone Diaries, Pleasure Trove, Crafting to Figure Out My Life, Jew-ish Kitchen. I love creating formats and series. I've tried to make three different short form series and I just can't seem to make it work or keep them up. Is anyone else experiencing this? I would love your thoughts and insights (you can hit reply to this email and I will share any interesting insights in the next newsletter!) Here's what I think is happening:
​Little Wins​
I did around 5 episodes of this last year but ran out of steam. I’m not sure why because I really love the idea and message behind it and always got lovely feedback in the comments. It’s just a classic situation of other things being prioritised and once you get out of the habit of making something it makes it much harder to start back up again. My brain can’t even think of any recent little wins even though I’ve probably had some!
​Thinking About Sinks
This one started off as an accidental viral video that was just a joke quickly filmed in a hotel bathroom. I have since made two more episodes of it but to be honest, is there anything more to say? I think the joke is done. Also, it’s hard to find opportunities where I’m in different bathrooms with someone I feel comfortable to be filmed by in my underwear 😅
​Do You Have a Hobby?​
This is my latest short form baby and it’s a concept I really believe in. It’s not particularly original (basically career ladder but make it about what people do for fun instead of work) but I have a grander plan for how Do You Have a Hobby? fits into my work/content ecosystem. I found myself having a creative day with some other creators which is when I filmed the first 4 episodes of this series (3 are currently out). I decided they would be my pilot but now I’m not sure about continuing it. Feedback has been positive and I’ve even had a creator peer TEXT me to say they love the series and it always means a lot when peers see and appreciate what you’re doing. The message behind it is really important to me, celebrating the things we do for fun and not just focusing on work, money and productivity.
HOWEVER, I’ve had to outsource the editing of these because it’s beyond my ability and it’s EXPENSIVE. The videos have performed… okay, in terms of numbers, but not great (could be a slow burn but can I afford the investment?) I’m also not sure how to go about filming more of them. I got very lucky with this creative day to get 4 filmed but that’s more of an anomaly in my life than a regular occurrence. I’m guessing people’s hobbies so I need to film with people I don’t know very well, HOW?! I’m at home working by myself most of the time. This might not be the most logistically easy series for me to make.
But as I mentioned I have a grander plan… If I can pull this off it would be amazing but I just don’t know if I have the capacity (money for editor/time to film) right now… Why do I do this to myself?
As promised here’s an opportunity I came across for creators in entertainment, science, sports, history, politics, tech and finance. Up to £10k production funding plus loads of support, mentorship and masterclasses. It looks like an amazing opportunity. The application deadline is 14th April.
Til next time
Hannah
P.S. I'm currently doing my coaching training and in order to qualify I have to complete a certain number of coaching hours. I have a couple of slots left that I am able to offer at a reduced rate whilst I’m in training. If you’re a content creator or a freelance creative and interested in receiving coaching from me then you can book in a free no obligation discovery call here.
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