Creating Content By Documenting

We’ve come full circle. In the early days of social media, people shared everyday moments: what they were eating, who they were with, what they were thinking. They created their content by documenting the things they did. Then the platforms grew up, the filters got shinier, and “content creation” turned into a polished performance.

However, today, trust in overly curated content is declining and burnout among creators is rising. So, we’re witnessing the return of a powerful, overlooked strategy: document, don’t create. At the heart of this revival is a mindset shift, namely, to stop trying to manufacture moments, and start sharing what’s already happening. This is the essence of creating content by documenting, and it’s making a major comeback on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube Shorts, and beyond.

On that note, let’s explore how this strategy works in 2025, why it outperforms overproduced content in many cases, and how you can use it to grow your audience, brand, or business.

Where Did This Idea Come From?

Originally, the phrase “document, don’t create” was popularized by entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk around 2016, although the idea had long existed in the blogging world. At the time, blogs were often digital journals. Basically, people shared what they were doing and thinking, not necessarily to teach or impress, but to express themselves.

However, as social media matured, expectations changed. Platforms rewarded flashy visuals, optimized captions, and content that aligned with trends, and, suddenly, documenting your life wasn’t enough. Instead, you had to stage it. By 2020, content creation had become its own industry—with job titles, agencies, and marketing campaigns all based on high-volume, high-performance production. However, it wasn’t sustainable, and people eventually became burned out, audiences got skeptical., and the algorithm shifted again.

In 2025, creating content by documenting is not just acceptable—it’s preferred.

Why Creating Content by Documenting Resonates Now

1. People crave relatability over perfection.
Social media has moved into its “real era.” Users are tired of glossy edits, misleading captions, and perfect lives. Instead, they’re looking for creators who feel like peers, not idols. Documenting daily work, real emotions, and in-progress ideas builds that connection. Creators who talk openly about things like imposter syndrome, messy workflows, or what didn’t work are seeing huge engagement boosts—especially on Instagram Stories and LinkedIn posts.

2. It Humanizes Brands and Experts
For business owners and consultants, documenting the behind-the-scenes process—for example, onboarding a client, learning a new tool, or prepping for a keynote—adds depth and dimension to your persona. It’s not just what you say you can do. Instead, it’s what you show in action.

3. It’s Algorithm-Friendly
Modern algorithms prioritize consistency and engagement. Documenting makes it easier to post often without needing weeks of planning. In short, you’re turning daily activity into shareable content. So, you have less stress and more output.

Creating Content by Documenting Your Everyday Experience

Instead of trying to create “original” content, look around at what you’re already doing.

• Answering client emails
• Fixing a product bug
• Reading an industry article
• Trying a new feature on Instagram
• Explaining a process to a teammate

Every one of these moments can become a post, Reel, carousel, or short-form video.

For example, let’s say you’re a freelance designer. You don’t need a perfectly crafted tutorial, so just screen-record your design review and share a voiceover of what you were thinking. That’s not staged—that’s valuable. Documenting adds visibility to your work without adding more work.

Creating Content by Documenting – A Mindset Shift, Not a Shortcut

This strategy isn’t about being lazy or avoiding creativity. It’s about reframing creativity.

So, instead of thinking, “What can I create that will impress people?” ask “What am I doing right now that would be useful or interesting to someone else?”

Here are some examples of content that feels natural, not forced.

• “I made this mistake today—here’s what I learned from it.”
• “Here’s a decision I was unsure about and how I worked through it.”
• “A client asked this question, and I think more people should hear the answer.”

These aren’t brainstormed in a vacuum, but come directly from your day.

Use Instagram’s Native Tools to Document Efficiently

Instagram’s built-in features are ideal for low-friction documenting. Here’s how to use them strategically.

Stories: Share the Micro Moments
Stories are perfect for capturing quick thoughts, behind-the-scenes setups, work-in-progress snapshots, or morning reflections. They’re informal by design. Use them to:

• Talk through your goals for the day
• Show a quick hack you discovered
• Share a screen recording of something helpful

Stories thrive on immediacy, so don’t worry about perfect lighting or being eloquent.

Reels: Show the Action
Reels don’t need to be choreographed or trendy. Instead, use them to show processes.

• How you edit your podcast
• A time-lapse of your workspace setup
• A 60-second recap of what you learned this week

Creating content by documenting via Reels works because you’re showing real work in real time—and that’s deeply satisfying for viewers.

Carousels: Structure Your Thoughts

If you’ve had a conversation, learned a lesson, or clarified an idea, turn it into a simple carousel. For example:

• “5 Lessons I Learned Running My First Webinar”
• “Behind the Scenes of a Product Launch”
• “This Week’s Wins and Losses (And What They Taught Me)”

Carousels let you add value without needing flashy visuals.

Creating Content by Documenting Your Process, Start to Finish

People are drawn to progression, and they want to see how something comes together, not just the finished product. For example, let’s say you’re launching an online course. Instead of waiting until the big reveal, document each stage.

• Brainstorming topics
• Sketching your outline
• Testing your tech setup
• Recording your intro
• Dealing with procrastination

This does two things.

1. It makes people invested in the final result.
2. It gives you 10+ pieces of content without creating anything extra.

Turning Your Learning Curve Into Content

One of the easiest ways to adopt this strategy is by sharing what you’re learning. You don’t have to be the expert. Rather, you just need to document what you’re discovering.

• “Trying out ChatGPT plugins today. Here’s what I found useful.”
• “New to email marketing. Just learned why subject lines matter more than I thought.”
• “Reading ‘Made to Stick’—this insight blew my mind.”

This kind of “learning out loud” content positions you as thoughtful and curious. And since most people are afraid to admit they don’t know something, your transparency is refreshing.

Creating Content by Documenting Customer and Community Moments

Another powerful approach is to let your community be the content. For example, if you run a business or have an active audience, highlight their questions, testimonials, and use cases. In other words, you could do something like the following.

• Share a client’s before-and-after story
• Post a DM with a thoughtful question (with permission)
• Show how someone used your product in the real world

These stories are compelling and credible. You’re not telling people your product is good. Instead, you’re documenting how others are using it.

Building Systems Around Documentation

To make this approach sustainable, you’ll need lightweight systems to capture and store content. Here’s how to start.

1. Create a “Content From Life” folder.
Use your Notes app, Notion, Google Keep, or Trello. Each day, jot down the following.

• What you worked on
• Any problem you solved
• A question someone asked
• Something you Googled
• An insight you had

These raw materials are gold, so you can turn them into posts later when you have time.

2. Record more than you need.
Don’t try to post everything immediately. Instead, take short video clips or screenshots throughout your day—walking to a meeting, sketching ideas, sending feedback. These are the “b-roll” of your professional life. Later, review and select what’s worth sharing.

3. Schedule lightly.
You don’t need a heavy publishing schedule. Posting three to five times per week is more than enough, especially if each post adds genuine value through insight, transparency, or storytelling.

Creating Content by Documenting as a Personal Brand Builder

If you’re trying to build a personal brand, this strategy helps in four key ways.

1. Clarity – You begin to understand what matters to you by reflecting on your work and choices.
2. Consistency – You’re posting regularly, not because you forced yourself to, but because you notice more.
3. Connection – You come across as accessible, not preachy.
4. Proof of Work – You’re not telling people you’re good. Instead, you’re showing the receipts.

Whether you’re a consultant, coach, or service provider, this approach helps people trust you faster.

Creating Content by Documenting for Agencies and Teams

Agencies and startups can use this method to build trust and attract clients without high production budgets. Document internal decisions, cross-functional meetings, and post-mortems. Talk about things such as the following.

• “Why we changed this client’s ad strategy”
• “What we learned from a project that failed”
• “How our intern helped us rethink a core process”

People love learning from companies that are thinking out loud. In addition, when you document collaboratively, it also gives your team a chance to shine. As a result, recruitment gets easier and brand storytelling becomes more human.

Creating Content by Documenting to Avoid “Expert Burnout”

If you’ve been a creator or educator for a long time, you might hit a wall, feeling like you’ve said everything already. That’s where documenting helps you fall in love with your work again. For example, instead of repeating the same “how to” content, you shift to something like the following.

• “What this principle looks like in my life today”
• “How my views have changed on this topic”
• “What I used to believe vs. what I believe now”

These narratives are just as valuable, and they let you evolve in public.

Great Creators Already Do This

There are many possibilities for what you can do. Let’s look at some examples.

• Dave is an entrepreneur who shares his experiments with productivity, note-taking, and running his business, on Instagram and YouTube. He rarely “teaches” in the traditional sense. Instead, he just walks through his systems and decisions.
• Adrian is a scholar who consistently documents what he’s researching, exploring, learning, and discovering. His audience follows not just because of expertise—but because of curiosity and clarity.
• Charlotte is a designer who shares her daily thoughts, sketches, and frameworks, not from theory, but from running a business. Much of her content is pulled straight from conversations and consulting.
• Ian works as a luthier, and always has a camera set up in his shop. Sometimes he provides commentary as he works, and sometimes he adds it later.

Naturally, there are many, many more possibilities, so think about what parts of your regular activities would be of interest to others.

You Are Already Creating Your Content

In a noisy, algorithm-driven world, authenticity is your competitive advantage. You don’t need more inspiration. Instead, you need more documentation. Every day, you make choices, solve problems, read things, talk to people, and learn from mistakes. Those aren’t distractions from your content—they are the content.

Creating content by documenting turns the mundane into meaningful. And the people who master that art will be the ones with not just big audiences—but deeply connected ones. So the next time you think, “What should I post today?” ask instead, “What did I already do today that’s worth sharing?”

And then, just hit “record.”

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