13 Content Creation Fears (and How To Overcome Them)

Creating content can be daunting for those new to the process.

Feeling fear when stepping into the unknown is natural, but don’t let it hold you back.

In this article, I’ll discuss 13 common content creation fears and provide tips on overcoming them.

Let’s get started.

1) I Don’t Know What Content To Create

If you asked many other marketing professionals and me, we would agree that the age of posting any content you want, no matter how interesting, is over.

Unless you are Mr. Beast, with the budget and creativity to come up with content ideas that are so insane that you can’t help to consume, we need to make content that people are searching for.

This all boils down to using keyword research to identify the search intent.

Use a keyword research tool like Ahrefs to find topics that have good search volume and are easy to rank for.

Enter that keyword into Google or YouTube and scan the top results to identify what searchers want to consume.

The problem is that we need to get over this roadblock and create.

When you’re in this mindset, it becomes easy to create new content because you know that there’s something that your audience wants to hear.

When it comes to content creation, there are a lot of fears that can hold us back.

We might be afraid of not being good enough, not having anything new to say, or being unable to keep up with the competition.

But the truth is, all of these are unfounded.

Someone always wants to hear what you say, and there’s always a way to make your content stand out.

Feel free to join my newsletter and receive a FREE 30-page quick-start guide on removing common roadblocks to content creation.

2) What if People Don’t Like My Content?

It’s natural to worry that your audience may not receive your content well. After all, you’ve put a lot of time and effort into creating it.

However, if you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one.

If you try to please everyone, you’ll please no one.Click to Tweet

First, ensure that you’re creating relevant content for your target audience. If you’re writing for a specific niche, consider what information they would find valuable.

This way, you’ll have a higher chance of getting your audience to resonate with you. Or, as the young people would say, vibing.

Also, be sure to fact-check your work before publishing it.

Errors can be a significant turn-off, and you should know that the internet is full of sensitive little strawberries, so it’s best not to give a reason for anyone to find fault in your content.

Finally, don’t be afraid to promote your content through social media or other channels.

If you believe in what you’ve created, others will too.

Have conviction and learn to defend your stance.

Eventually, you will realize that just putting out your truth is correct and that it’s alright if others don’t like it.

Because there will always be others that do.

3) I’m Scared of Getting Doxxed

It’s a valid fear in today’s age of online harassment.

Doxxing is when someone publishes your personal information online without your consent. It can be done for revenge, to intimidate or humiliate you, or simply because the person enjoys causing harm.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself from being doxxed:

1. First, be careful about what information you share online. Don’t post anything that could be used to identify you, such as your home address or phone number.
2. Second, use strong passwords and don’t reuse them across multiple accounts.
3. Third, keep an eye on what’s being said about you online and act quickly if you see anything that could be used against you.

If you do get doxxed, don’t panic.

Personal information gets leaked out by companies that seemingly have impenetrable security systems all the time.

While I’m not here to tell you it’s okay, it should not deter you from being online.

Just know that if you want to create a successful career online, this is a real risk you will have to accept.

4) Fear of Getting Trolled

If you’re a content creator, chances are you might eventually experience some trolling.

It can be disheartening whether it’s an unkind comment on one of your posts or a mean-spirited message in your DMs threatening to destroy your whole family.

And if you’re not used to it, it can be terrifying.

Trolling is a big problem on the internet, and it’s something that every public person may have to deal with. But there is one surefire way to overcome the fear and keep creating great content.

The secret is to ignore them. Yes, it’s as simple as that.

Trolls feed off attention and reaction. So don’t give it to them.Click to Tweet

Without it, they just wither away. Just block them and move on. You’ll be surprised how well that works.

In the wise words of Mike Tyson, “Social media made you all too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it”.

Trolls are simply keyboard warriors smashing away at their keyboards and phones to put others down to feel better about themselves.

But you know what? They also fear confrontation, and the only thing that strengthens them is the internet’s anonymous nature.

There are many things to worry about on social media, but this shouldn’t be one.

5) I’m Not a Good Writer

This is a common worry, especially for those not used to writing for an audience.

However, there are ways to overcome the fear and become a better writer.

1. Read regularly. The more you read, the better your writing will become. Reading also helps you develop an ear for proper grammar and syntax.
2. Write regularly. The more you write, the better your writing will become. Writing also helps you develop fluency and clarity in your writing style.
3. Get feedback from others. Ask friends or family members to read your writing and give you constructive feedback. This will help you improve your writing skills over time.

And if writing doesn’t work out for you, you can try many other content mediums.

Such as starting a YouTube channel or starting a Podcast.

6) I’m Scared of Appearing in Videos

Fear of appearing in videos can be a big hurdle to creating content, especially when the demand for video content is increasing.

It would be a pity to miss out on that.

Many fear they’ll appear too awkward or not know what to say. But not everybody can make videos effortlessly, like MKBHD or Peter Mckinnon, so don’t feel so bad.

Remember that most of the content creators you follow undergo the same process.

They were awkward and made many mistakes in the past, but they built up the confidence to be on camera over time.

Dreading of appearing in videos is totally understandable, heck I had it, too, and still do.

Start by making small changes like turning on your camera when participating in video meetings or recording yourself practicing different topics before going live with them.

You may also find it helpful to write down key points for each video, so you don’t feel overwhelmed when speaking on camera.

Or you could even just write a complete script word for word and use a teleprompter to make the process easier.

You could even try live-streaming.

Which I did on Twitch a few years back while playing a bunch of my favorite games like PUBG, Apex Legends, and Overwatch.

By no means did I get famous, but I did manage to pull in about 10-15 concurrent viewers each time.

This forced me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable as I had to interact with my audience the whole time.

I realized that most people aren’t afraid of filming videos of themselves. They are just scared others will see them.

But trust me, with enough practice and dedication, you’ll soon be alright being seen and heard online.

7) What if I Don’t Get Likes, Comments, and Shares?

When creating content, we often feel scared about the outcome.

We worry that no one will like, comment, or share our work and feel a sense of dread when we hit the “publish” button.

This can be paralyzing and may stop us from creating great content.

But what if you don’t get likes, comments, or shares? Does this mean your content is bad?

Absolutely not!

These are subjective and often fluctuate based on the current trends in social media.

These can also be bought; you’ll be surprised how many big influencers and brands do it.

So don’t be too harsh on yourself.

Try focusing on using your creativity to create something unique, valuable, and inspiring rather than worrying about these vanity metrics.

Additionally, focus on the quality of feedback you get – it’s more important than chasing after likes or shares.

With a bit of effort, you can produce engaging and creative content without stressing over numbers.

Vanity metrics mean nothing in the grand scheme of things if you can’t make money.Click to Tweet

8) It’s Too Time-Consuming

Creating content can be intimidating and time-consuming, especially when you’re just starting.

You might ask if it’s worth your effort and if anyone will even read the post or watch the video you worked so hard on.

Or that there are better things to do with your limited time.

But let me ask you this. 

Can you think of any other business that has little to no start-up costs and presents the opportunity to generate passive income for you over time?

A content business has the best risk-to-reward ratio out of any business model.Click to Tweet

I could be wrong, but I can’t think of anything else.

Besides, if you work full-time, you already have skills and experience in a particular industry.

You already have something valuable to offer others on the internet in the form of content creation.

So instead of wasting time and money on pointless things, why not invest in yourself?

I am not saying don’t have fun or be a hermit.

But reallocate some resources to build a content business that works for you in the background of your life.

You could always get an editor to take some of the workload off.

9) What if I Waste Money? 

One of the most common fears is wasting money on projects that don’t produce a return.

As aspiring entrepreneurs, it can be demoralizing to put time and resources into something only to have it fail or not generate any results.

I hear you.

That’s why it’s essential to understand how to maximize your investments and turn them into successful projects.

But as mentioned in the section above, can you honestly think of any other scalable business that doesn’t involve insane startup costs?

Setting up a YouTube channel costs you nothing, and most of us have phones that can produce highly decent video content.

If you decide to start a blog, the essential costs include domain and website hosting, which cost at most $20 a month.

Don’t be that person who would scrape pennies off the floor on things that add value to their life but wouldn’t hesitate to drop insane money on stuff that doesn’t, just for a dopamine hit.

Just like with any business, there is no such thing as guaranteed returns. But you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

So learn to accept delayed gratification and invest your money in endeavors that will give you a positive return later.

10) I’m Not Creative Enough

We all want to make great content, but it can sometimes seem like an impossible challenge.

You are not alone if you’re overwhelmed by creating content that stands out from the crowd.

Many people feel like they need more creativity or technical know-how to create compelling yet engaging content pieces.

However, I encourage you to think of content creation as more of a science than art.

Hear me out.

In this digital age, we create and publish content to platforms governed by algorithms that have no concept of “creativity.”

Before you even think about the creative aspect, you need to figure out how to play within the rules and get your content discovered.

Whether in a niche predicated on artistic impression or a business, learn to educate and solve others’ problems.

Focus on finding out what your audience wants to consume through keyword research and create content according to their needs, not yours.

Also, don’t be afraid to share your experiences and the lessons you have learned.

So if you’re telling yourself, “I’m not creative enough to make content,” take comfort in knowing this is a common struggle.

It’s not always you but the platforms your content lives on.

You don’t need superhuman creativity to be successful, but you do need to create content consistently.

11) It’s Too Hard To Stand Out

Generating creative ideas that stand out in the vast sea of online content is challenging, to say the least.

Finding unique ways to communicate your message is hard when every other creator seems to be saying the same thing.

But what if you could figure out what topics are easy to rank for and increases your chances of standing out?

That’s where keyword research tools like Ahrefs Free Keyword Generator come into play.

You can identify what others are searching for and make content accordingly without racking your brains every day trying to go viral.

But that’s not all.

You must create valuable content that satisfies the searcher’s intent by answering their questions.

So don’t let worries about being too ordinary or cliché keep you from putting work into creating great content.

With some thoughtfulness and initiative, you can produce content that stands out and make them remember you.

12) I’m Not Tech-Savvy Enough

Aspiring content creators may worry that they need more technical skills to make an impact.

For many, learning complicated programs and understanding the technology behind successful content creation can be intimidating.

But the truth is that creating quality content doesn’t require high tech-savviness.

Plenty of simple tools and strategies are available to help you get started.

Do you remember the time back when making a website had to be custom coded by a web developer?

I don’t because, for the longest time, apps like Squarespace and WIX have been around to simplify the process.

Even a slightly more complicated platform like WordPress has various page builders to help with that.

This doesn’t just apply to making a website. There are tools for any aspect of content creation now in the market to remove the need for extreme tech savviness.

However, I don’t have to tell you that you are expected to possess some level of technical know-how when it comes to anything digital.

You are probably concerned if there is a need to know how to code to be successful.

The answer is no.

13) But I’m Not an Expert 

Many people think they need extensive knowledge or experience before creating content, but this is only sometimes the case.

While having subject matter expertise is beneficial, creating quality content is unnecessary.

Even so-called “Experts” don’t know everything.

Even so-called “Experts” don’t know everything.Click to Tweet

There will always be others who could learn something only you can offer, so don’t feel bad about not being an expert.

Because, in retrospect, nobody is.

Alternatively, you can document your journey by sharing your personal experiences and processes, which provides your audience with a completely different, raw, authentic perspective.

Overcome Content Creation Fears (FAQs)

To Sum Up

Content creation fears can be daunting, but overcoming them is possible with the right tools and mindset.

You can create content that resonates with your target audience through careful research, preparation, and practice.

Even if it doesn’t work out, what’s the worst that could happen?

So don’t be afraid to experiment and take risks. You never know what great ideas you might come up with.

Refrain from striving for perfection before beginning.

Instead, start with small steps and take this as a side hustle first.

Enjoy the process and remove all these common obstacles to start your journey.

Also, I have compiled a list of over 100 content creator tips to get you on track.

Alright, that’s a wrap!

Don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family too!