Content Creation for Developers

Hi there, it's Adrian here and I hope you're doing great. Today I'll be talking about technical content creation for developers. And how you might be wondering, content creation? Nah, I'm not an influencer, but I'll need you to trust me here. Becoming a technical content creator was the best decision I've ever made, especially for my career. And by the end of this talk, I'll try to get you to understand that content creation is not only about showing off your skills, but also about sharing your knowledge, becoming an expert in your field, and maybe even landing a dream job, all while having a great time doing it.

And putting yourself out there is not simple. People who do, are often judged for deviating from the norm. But one thing I can tell you for sure, if you do manage to step out of your comfort zone, your future self will thank you for all the experiences, skills, and opportunities that you now possess. And let me give you some background so you know where the tips in this talk are coming from. I'm the voice behind JavaScript Mastery, where I share my journey and teach aspiring developers to code through practical and project-based approach. I am one of 73 developers out of more than 100 million developers worldwide that has been awarded a GitHub Star, a recognition directly by GitHub for recognizing our open source work and teaching other developers. We currently have more than 1.3 million followers across all platforms, YouTube being the biggest one, followed by Instagram, our newsletter, LinkedIn, and X. We work with some of the largest dev companies out there, like Docker, Cloudinary, Apprite, Streams, Sanity, Payload, and more. And all of that was made possible because I started sharing my journey online.

And throughout my talk, I'll share things I wish I'd known when I was getting started. So let's dive right into it. Content creation is all about sharing engaging and helpful information. But why is this so important? Well, think about it. We're looking at our screens 24-7, whether we're developing apps on our Macs, checking out our social media on iPhones or iPads, or just watching Netflix on TV. We are searching for something to pique our interest. So why not be on the other side? Why not create instead of consume? See, creating online content isn't solely for entertainment purposes. You're also sharing your ideas, skills, and experiences. It's like having your own little corner of the internet to show what you're passionate about. And when we, developers, create content, we typically do it in form of writing technical articles, making tutorial videos, or sharing open source projects. We shout, hey, look at me. I'm great at this coding stuff. And you know what happens? People start paying attention. Suddenly, other developers say, wow, this person really knows their stuff. And hiring managers, oh boy, they get excited, thinking, hey, we want this coding expert on our team, just because they saw your posts online. It's like having a giant neon sign above your head that says, hire me, I'm something else.

But it's not just about getting a job. Technical content creation also helps us become leaders in our field. People will start looking up to you when you constantly share your knowledge and ideas. They will come to you for advice. They will want to learn from you. And before you know it, people will start calling you a rockstar, unicorn, ninja, or whatever other crazy term there is, for exceptional developers nowadays.

Now, here's a mandatory disclaimer. You can't just pretend to be an expert if you're not one. There are already enough self-proclaimed gurus online. Be truly knowledgeable and passionate about the things you share. And if you're not an expert yet, later in the talk, I'll tell you how to start immediately and use that to your advantage to build your skills further. That's how I started. And remember, it was the best decision I've made in my career.

Besides a job, a salary, and a status that comes with it, putting yourself out there has even more benefits, like personal branding through establishing a strong online presence and showcasing your expertise. Think of your favorite online personality. They have a unique voice, right? That's their work and content doing the heavy lifting. Believe it or not, there are personalities even in the engineering space. From Elon Musk of Tesla and Tim Berners-Lee of the Internet, I guess, to Linus, the creator of Linux, they all have their unique voices. Your content can help you stand out, show off your skills, and connect with like-minded developers.

Another benefit of content creation is thought leadership. By positioning yourself as an authority in a specific field or technology, we can position ourselves as thought leaders by sharing forward-thinking ideas or deep dives into specific technologies. It's about being the person others turn to for insights on the latest tech trends or complex problem solving. You might even become an in-demand consultant in your field while doing this.

Let's also talk about community building for a sec, through connecting and collaborating with other devs and sharing knowledge. You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you hang out with your friends? Well, creating content is like building your own little community. When you share your projects, ask for feedback, or chat with other developers, you build connections with people who share your interests. Some of these connections might even help you in the future, whether connecting you to a hiring manager or joining you to build a SaaS startup. The possibilities are endless.

But by default, sharing content online will provide countless career opportunities, opening doors to speaking engagements, freelance and full-time jobs, and even consultant gigs. Companies love hiring developers when they actually show what they can do instead of just talking about what they can do. When you share your work, you're sort of forcing yourself to create really good stuff that's worth showing to everyone. And being active in the community and building a strong personal brand can make a huge difference. I often hire developers that showcase their projects because it shows me they are actually doing stuff.

But maybe the biggest benefit of starting your technical content journey is skill development. Improving your coding knowledge, social skills, presentation skills, interpersonal communication, and more. Because by putting your code into words, whether it's writing a tutorial, explaining a concept in an article, or even just talking about your project on Twitter, you're not only teaching others, but you're also teaching yourself. Because to teach others, you need a deep understanding of the subject. And this is exactly how I began my journey too. While I was still learning, I realized that teaching others was the best way to solidify my understanding.

On another note, many of us tend to be introverted, which means we're more comfortable working on our own rather than interacting with others. But when you start creating content like articles or sharing your projects online, it pushes you to step out of that comfort zone. And that's a good thing, because it helps you grow not just as a developer, but as a person too. Think about it. When you're putting yourself out there, you're practicing important skills, like communication and sharing knowledge in a way that others can understand.

On another note, many of us tend to be introverted, which means we're more comfortable working on our own rather than interacting with others. But when you start creating content like articles or sharing your projects online, it pushes you to step out of that comfort zone. And that's a good thing, because it helps you grow not just as a developer, but as a person too.

Think about it. When you're putting yourself out there, you're practicing important skills, like communication and sharing knowledge in a way that others can understand. Over time, you become better at explaining things, talking to people and even leading discussions in your field. So by stepping out of your shell and sharing what you know, you're not just becoming a better developer and someday a better leading developer, but you're also becoming a more confident and skilled individual.

So everything I've talked so far explains why I think it's important to start creating technical content online. But now, let's switch over to how. How can you get started doing this? And how can you get all the great benefits that I mentioned?

First of all, know your audience. Understand their needs, interests, and pain points. Tailor your tone, language, and topics to match their interests. But what if you don't have an audience yet? Well, create content for your previous self. Ask yourself, what content would you like to have had access to a week, month, or a year ago? And create it. That'll help you choose the right topics. Selecting relevant topics will keep your content valuable and interesting to your audience, establishing you as a trusted authority in your niche.

Now even if your content is the best out there, it's not worth anything if no one clicks on it. So craft catchy headlines. I'm not talking about clickbaits, but having a compelling headline is critical because it determines whether someone clicks on your content or not. Typical stuff like lists of top X numbers, use of strong action verbs, numbers, and intriguing phrases that provoke curiosity or promise benefits always works.

So now that you have the topic and the people have clicked on it, make it engaging. Use storytelling, anecdotes, and examples to captivate your audience. I'm not talking about children's stories. Rather, incorporating personal stories, case studies, or even hypothetical scenarios that illustrate your points. This makes the content more relatable and memorable. But above all, provide value by offering actionable insights, practical tips, or thought-provoking ideas. Each piece of content should offer something valuable, be it knowledge, a solution, open source codebase, or entertainment.

Think about what will make your content stand out. Make sure that every article ends with a takeaway or call to action, giving readers a sense of how to apply the information. Because providing value helps build trust and authority and encourages repeat visits and increases the chances of your content being recommended to others.

So always ask, what will the reader gain from this? And once you've got them there, keep it simple and readable by using clear and concise language and break the content into digestible chunks. No one likes to read a block of text like this, so break it into manageable subheadings, bullet points, numbered lists, bold keywords, highlight any important information, and improve the scannability of your content. Remember, content that's easy to read and understand retains readers longer and makes the information more accessible.

Adding directly to that, also incorporate visuals. That will help you enhance the content with images, graphics, or even videos. Because visuals are not just decorations, but essential elements of storytelling. They can explain complex information quickly and appealingly. It can increase retention of information, make complex data understandable, and make content more shareable. You can use tools like Canva, Dally, or Midjourney.

And finally, share your content across your social platforms. Engage with your audience and encourage interaction. You can also incorporate some SEO best practices to improve organic reach. Doesn't hurt. And tailor the message for each platform. So on Twitter, it's typically a bit shorter. On LinkedIn, a bit more longer. Instagram typically has images, YouTube, videos. You know that stuff. But just by sharing your content across your socials and engaging with people that comment on it should give you some initial traction to your technical content creation journey.

So we've talked about some tips to help you become a more professional content creator. When you're just starting out, don't put too much pressure on yourself to be flawless. Just get your content out there. Quality and consistency are the key. So make sure that your content is good, but also make sure that it is consistent.

And there are various ways not to be too harsh on yourself. And one of them is to simply write about something you've learned every day and share it as a Twitter thread or a LinkedIn post. It's totally okay to post even if it's something as basic as maybe centering a div in CSS. Because remember, somebody has yet to center their first div. The key is to learn and to get better at doing so.

Here on the screen, I've prepared a couple of general templates that you can use with a personal touch. Like sharing a quick tip or maybe even sharing your thoughts on a coding book or a video that you've read or seen. You can do something similar on LinkedIn too. Sharing a cool project you've done, technologies that it uses, features it has, maybe even with a quick video demo. And I would recommend also including some obstacles you've encountered while building it and how did you overcome them. Those are a few very easy and actionable ways to get started.

Another way is to start by writing articles or blogs. Whenever you learn something new or come across an interesting concept, pen it down and turn it into words to share with others. It doesn't have to be a traditional or lengthy article. Just pour your thoughts onto the page and share it with the world. And if you have a good microphone, like even a very cheap one, or maybe using your phone as a mic will be enough, consider making small vlogs where you share what you've learned. You can share them on LinkedIn or maybe even start sharing something on YouTube.

One thing I want to say is that you can share content no matter whether you're starting a company or even better, if you are an already experienced developer working in a company, because then you have even more actionable insights that you've experienced on your day to day in your job. And of course, if you're not tied by the NDA, you can maybe share about your experiences. Trust me, many would like to learn from you. As I said, there's many things you can share and there are many ways to share it. But the key is to start somewhere and keep going. Remember, don't get too caught up in likes and comments in the beginning. Focus on the process of learning and improving. Always be real and honest in what you write or record, put your feelings into words, and tell great stories while still being professional. Also, try to avoid sounding like ChadJPT. Nobody likes to read that. Stay accountable, stay curious, and keep doing your thing. Trust me, it'll pay off. And if you actually do take my advice and start sharing your journey, tag me on socials and I'll follow along. If you have any questions, you can reach me on LinkedIn, Twitter, email, or literally everywhere else. Thank you for sticking until the end of this talk, and have a wonderful day.