One thing virtually all prolific content creators have in common is that they document everything. They do it for two main reasons. First, it’s the only way to create the volume of content needed to build and keep an audience across multiple platforms. Second, it allows them to create the kind of content that forms strong and lasting bonds with that audience. Here’s how that document everything approach applies to radio personalities.

Roll on everything in the studio. We all have audio loggers that capture high quality audio for everything that goes out on the air. But, we should also have video cameras in the studio to capture video for everything with an audio feed so they capture on and off-air audio. This allows personalities to record their entire shift (on and off air) using a platform like Riverside or Streamyard and immediately turn it all into reels for social media with the touch of a button the second the show ends. Plus, it will create tons of b-roll that can be used in various ways, could capture some potential podcast segments from off-air audio and makes it super easy (and top of mind) for talent to go live to social or YouTube at any point before, during or after the show.

Record audio and video for any extra-curriculars we do outside of the studio. Introing an artist at a concert? Capture content in the greenroom before-hand, the stage intro itself and take a few minutes to capture instant reactions from fans on-site to use on our next show. Emceeing a charity event, taking part in a parade, doing a remote or appearance, we should do the same even when we don’t know how we’re going to use it right away.

Look for opportunities throughout our day to use our phones to capture in the moment content that happens organically as we live our lives. If we overhear someone saying or doing something interesting, we should ask if we can record a few seconds for the show. When we have a situation occur with our friends and family that we know we’re going to talk about on the show, document a little of it to add some sizzle when we tell the story. We can even crowdsource that content creation by getting our co-workers, friends and family in on the act, telling them to do the same whenever they experience something interesting that may be air-worthy (most people are happy to do so if they think it might make it on the radio).

Balancing documenting everything with maintaining a personal life and personal relationships isn’t easy. This can be a real challenge for prolific content creators. We’ve probably all seen or known someone who got this balance wrong. On a trip to Cancun, my wife and I were at the same hotel as an influencer on vacation with her family. We saw them at the pool, the bar, the restaurants, virtually everywhere throughout the resort. She spent 100% of her trip on her phone recording herself and no time, from what we could see, relaxing or hanging out with her family. That’s an unhealthy balance of documentation and living our lives. But, there is a way to establish boundaries for what we will and won’t record that still allows us to capture enough content to ensure that we always have more than we need and yet still allow us to live in the moment.

Documenting everything we can is hands-down the best way to make content creation manageable. Yes, we’ll still need to set aside some time occasionally to create specific content. But, since we’re not relying on that as our only way of creating content it won’t be so time-consuming. Plus, it relieves some of the pressure to plan and schedule those daily content creation windows.

What do you think? Have you used documentation to up your content creation game? Comment below or email me at Andy@RadioStationConsultant.com.

Pic designed by ArtemVarnitsin for Envato Elements.