Why Every Creator Needs a Format
Stop writing for you—start writing for them.
Here’s the hard truth: No one will care about your content if it’s all about you.
For years, I struggled to write anything anyone wanted to read. I had ideas, stories, and lessons galore but something felt off. That “something”? Me. My writing was too focused on me. It wasn’t that my stories weren’t valuable, but I didn’t know how to translate those internal experiences into external value for others.
Then I found the key: a format.
Let’s dive into what this newsletter will cover today:
Why formats are essential for engagement and clarity
How to use formats to connect your personal stories to your audience’s needs
A simple framework to create audience-focused, outcome-driven content
If you’ve ever wondered why some content grabs attention while yours doesn’t, keep reading.
What Is a Format, and Why Does It Matter?
A format is a clear, repeatable structure that makes your content engaging, easy to consume, and audience-focused. Without it, even the best ideas can feel scattered or self-indulgent. With it, your content becomes a guide, showing readers or listeners exactly what’s in it for them.
Take my work on the television series The Voice, for example. It wouldn’t be engaging if it was just singers rehearsing and auditioning. The format adds stakes: Why will this opportunity and context lead to a different result than all the auditions they’ve had before? What does the audition mean to the contestant? What’s at stake if they succeed? How might their life change?
Similarly, your audience needs a reason to care about your content. They want to know:
What’s in it for me?
How does this apply to my experience?
How will this help or entertain me?
Why should I trust this person to deliver?
Common Formats That Work
Here are three popular content formats and their potential outcomes:
Educate
Examples: “How-to” guides, checklists, step-by-step processes
Outcome: Empower your audience with actionable insights
Entertain
Examples: Relatable anecdotes, humor, storytelling
Outcome: Create connection, community, or a fresh perspective
Inform
Examples: Newsletters, thought leadership, analysis
Outcome: Build trust, establish expertise, and guide decisions
By aligning your content with one of these formats, you communicate to your audience that you value their time and attention more than you need validation.
3 Things to Build Content That Converts
1. Define Your Format
Before you write a word, decide on your content’s purpose: educate, entertain, or inform. This clarity will guide your tone, structure, and call to action.
2. Align Your Format With Your Audience
Your audience’s goals should shape your format. If they’re looking for tips, offer a checklist. If they need encouragement, tell a story.
3. Deliver Clear Outcomes
Every piece of content should answer: What will my audience take away from this? Be explicit about how your insights will make their lives better.
Here’s what you learned today:
Why a format makes your content engaging and valuable
The key formats that help you educate, entertain, or inform
How to use outcomes to connect with your audience
Ready to apply this? Start with your next piece of content. Choose a format, define your outcomes, and watch your engagement grow. Check those metrics and see what is resonating most with your audience. It’s okay to experiment a little.
PS: If you found this useful and gave it a try, send me your creations. Also, consider sharing it with a friend who’s struggling to create engaging content. They’ll thank you—and so will I.