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- [ON BRAND] Educational content = comfort food
[ON BRAND] Educational content = comfort food
...+ why genuine expertise and sharing helpful resources is the best kind of influence.
Alexandra Manderstam
July 07, 2025
Hi there! Welcome back to On Brand - your weekly dose of actionable strategies and insights to grow & monetize your personal brand.
Last week, I posted about this massive shift in how we consume content, and wow. So many of you slid into my DMs saying you've felt this too but couldn't put your finger on it.
The conversation was so good that I knew I had to give you actual actionable steps to pivot your content strategy (because awareness without action is just anxiety, right?).
But first, let me be real. My screen time lately has been REVOLTING (I won’t even tell you how many hours a day because I’m that embarrassed.)
I downloaded ScreenZen to put a time limit on my apps and I'm now down to 3 hours a day. My brain feels so much clearer and I’ve been 10x more productive ever since I put a time limit on all social media. Couldn’t recommend enough, totally free and allows you to put a time limit on any apps and websites you want + makes you pause before opening apps.
As I became more intentional about what I was consuming, I noticed I was gravitating toward educational content over lifestyle stuff. So I dug into my analytics: my educational posts consistently outperform lifestyle content by at least 2x.
So what's actually happening? People are craving content that helps them feel in control instead of content that makes them feel behind.
In this newsletter, we're breaking down why this shift is happening, what it means for your strategy, and I'm giving you a 5-day action plan with copy-paste templates.
Let's dive in.
In this issue:
Interesting things from last week
The best things we’ve read, watched and listened to.
Refinery 29 is in her comeback era and we’re ready!
This reminder for all ambitious baddies who want to fulfill their potential byt mayyyybee struggle with procrastination & waiting for the right moment.
Forbes 30 under 30 nominations are open (and yes, you can totally self-nominate!👀)
I absolutely loved this interview with Charlotte Tilbury on the Shameless podcast about how she built an iconic brand. So inspiring and just shows how obsession with your customers is the best success strategy.
CONTENT STRATEGY MADE SIMPLE
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Economic anxiety has rewired how we consume content. When life feels chaotic, people want control, not escapism.
Why educational content = psychological comfort food
Unlike aspirational content, which highlights gaps between your current reality and desired lifestyle, educational content gives you knowledge and tools to improve your circumstances. It's literally comfort food for your brain.
When faced with economic uncertainty, consuming educational content provides:
A sense of productivity without requiring immediate action
Future-oriented hope without financial investment
The feeling you're learning important information
No pressure to actually implement what you learn
The psychology is fascinating. Watching someone's designer haul when you're worried about bills literally triggers your stress response. Your brain processes this as a threat to your social status, activating the same fight-or-flight response as actual danger.
On the flip side, when you see educational content with actionable steps on how to improve your situation, it soothes your brain. Whether you do something about it or not, that’s another conversation.
I'm totally guilty of this. I save tons of educational content and don't always take action. The dopamine hit from saving good information can sometimes be dangerous because I get into a cycle of saving → feeling good about myself → not taking action → saving some more → feeling even better → no real progress.
But even knowing this, educational content still feels so much better to consume than aspirational content that makes me feel worse about my life.
Brands are catching on
I'm seeing this shift firsthand in my own brand partnerships. Brands are leaning their briefs more towards giving me creative freedom, and collaborations that did really well were very educational - showing how I'm using the product in day-to-day scenarios and giving tutorials or curating helpful tips rather than just talking about the product itself.
Other examples I've noticed:
Sephora shifted from lifestyle "get ready with me" content to actual makeup tutorials teaching techniques
CeraVe now partners with dermatologists for skin education instead of lifestyle influencers
Adobe partners with design educators teaching actual Photoshop skills vs lifestyle creators just showcasing pretty designs
Notion works with productivity experts showing real workflows instead of aesthetic workspace tours
Your Action Plan
Transform your content strategy in 5 days
DAY 1: The Content Audit
Your Task: Audit your last 10 posts using this simple framework:
If fewer than 6 posts provided educational value or actionable resources, you might want to refresh your content strategy.
DAY 2: Finding Problems To Solve
Your Task: Identify 3 real problems your audience faces.
Use this script for your Stories: "What's the #1 thing you're struggling with right now in [your niche]? How can I best serve you?”
If you don't have an engaged community yet, you can use these prompts:
Your own journey:
What did you struggle with 6 months ago that you've now figured out?
What questions were you Googling at 2am when you started?
What would have saved you time/money/stress if someone had just told you?
Other creators in your space:
What are people commenting on their posts asking for help with?
What problems do they mention but never fully solve?
What complaints show up repeatedly in comment sections?
The best content ideas come from problems you've personally solved. Your struggles = their content goldmine.
DAY 3: Create Your Educational Post
Address one problem from Day 2 using this proven formula:
The TEACH Framework:
Tease the problem (hook)
Explain why it happens
Actionable solution (3-5 steps)
Call to action for engagement
Hook for your next post from comments
Example: "Stop doing [common mistake]. Here's why it's sabotaging your [goal] and exactly how to fix it in 3 steps..."
DAY 4: Content Transformation
Transform 3 of your typical posts using these swaps:
"My morning routine" → "How I organize my day when everything goes wrong"
"What I ate today" → "3 meals that boost productivity (with recipes)"
"My workspace setup" → "How to create a productive workspace for under $50"
Create one piece of content using the new format and track the difference in engagement.
DAY 5: Build Your Authority Bank
Establish yourself as the go-to expert in ONE specific area.
□ Choose your expertise area (what you know better than 80% of people)
□ Create a content series around this topic (minimum 5 posts)
□ Document your learning journey, including failures
□ Share resources that help people improve their circumstances
□ Speak to your audience like you would speak to your smartest friend
Your Content Templates
Template 1: The Problem-Solver Post
If you're struggling with [specific problem], here's the exact system I use to [achieve result]:
Step 1: [Specific action]
Step 2: [Specific action]
Step 3: [Specific action]
Save this post and try step 1 today. Let me know how it goes!
Template 2: The Behind-the-Scenes Teacher
"Everyone shows the highlight reel. Here's what actually happened when I [failed/struggled]:
What went wrong: [Specific details]
What I learned: [Key insight]
What I'd do differently: [Actionable advice]"
Template 3: The Resource Breakdown
"Stop wasting money on [expensive solution]. Here's how to get the same results for free/cheap:
Free alternative 1: [Tool + how to use it]
Free alternative 2: [Tool + how to use it]
Free alternative 3: [Tool + how to use it]"
The bigger picture
This isn't just about social media trends. We're witnessing how entire generations are rewiring how they use digital media to cope with uncertainty.
The most successful creators of the next decade will be those who:
Provide genuine educational value
Help people improve their circumstances through knowledge
Build authority through expertise, not aesthetics
Create content that soothes anxiety rather than triggers it
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