How to Create Content in 2025 and Beyond

1. Use AI Thoughtfully

Have a unique point of view, story or insight

AI is an amazing tool, but it should support your creativity—not replace it. The best content still comes from unique perspectives, personal stories, and expert insights. Instead of asking AI to churn out an entire article, think of it as a way to help with structure, brainstorming, or refining your ideas.

A great approach is to conduct interviews, pull in real-world examples, and then use AI to enhance the flow or organization of your content. This way, you're still in control of the narrative, ensuring everything feels authentic and engaging. AI is at its best when it acts as an assistant, not the author.

Write an outline and then section by section

For some reason, when writing long-form content in AI, it will always cut off text if you ask it to do it all at once. The best workaround for that is to work on a great outline and then go section by section, injecting your POV and stories into each area. This way you get the length you want, but also the quality.

2. Create Interactive Content

Static content is fine, but if you really want to boost engagement, interactive content is where it's at. Imagine turning a regular article into a fun quiz, a simple game, or an interactive infographic—suddenly, people aren’t just reading your content; they’re participating in it. AI tools make this easier than ever, helping you generate ideas or even build these experiences without needing advanced coding skills. Adding interactivity makes your content more shareable and memorable, which is a win-win for both engagement and audience retention.

3. Use Custom Visuals

Forget about generic stock images—custom visuals can elevate your content in a big way. AI tools like Midjourney and DALL-E can generate unique artwork, but you can take it a step further by using platforms like Sora or Pika.art for animated GIFs and short videos. These dynamic visuals grab attention, tell a story, and make your content stand out in crowded feeds. The goal is to create something visually appealing that complements your message rather than just filling space with a random image. When done right, custom visuals can make your content instantly more compelling.

4. Focus on Video

Let’s be real—video is dominating. While written content still has its place, video is often more engaging, personal, and effective at building connections with an audience. You don’t need a full production team to get started, either. AI-powered tools can help with editing, subtitles, and even script generation, making video creation more accessible than ever. Whether it’s short-form clips for social media or long-form storytelling, video content can set you apart in a way that text alone simply can’t. Plus, platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts reward video content with better reach, making it a smart move for growth.

I use Riverside for our podcast and you can click one button to get rid of pauses, drag and drop captions with the current word highlight and even enhance audio to sound like a guest had a microphone when they were actually just using AirPods.

Video has never been easier to create and edit with AI.

5. Zero-Click Content

Instead of always trying to drive traffic off-platform, embrace the idea of content that lives where your audience already is. LinkedIn, for example, favors posts that keep users engaged on the platform rather than sending them elsewhere. This means writing content that’s complete, valuable, and engaging without requiring a click-through. The same applies to Twitter (X), Instagram, and TikTok—native content performs better. The key is to provide so much value in-platform that people naturally start seeing you as an authority. Over time, this builds trust and audience loyalty, making them more likely to follow you wherever you go.

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