At one point during our weekly meeting, me and the team talked about something that made me realize I like being comfortable. I like predictable things and I like to be prepared for everything. I find it hard to get out of a specific routine.
Now you may be wondering what we were talking about?
Templating content.
Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? Should we do it? And if so, how often should we do it? Where do we draw the line between following a template and sticking to a routine because we are too scared to try something new?
I personally realized I was scared of trying new things. I got used to doing things a certain way and that gave me some sort of comfort and predictability. And when it comes to doing something “crazy”, I freeze.
When it comes to trying out a new format for the newsletter, or doing something with our content strategy that we haven’t done before, I find it so hard to shift my attitude towards that new thing and embrace it.
I don’t know if you find yourself in the same situation. But I want to try and answer a simple question: “Should you template your content?” And I’m not so sure about the right answer to that question, so bear with me as I try to figure it out.
I understand that templating has become a go-to strategy for many businesses and creators. And I get why. From blog posts to social media, templated formats can streamline production, improve brand consistency, and scale efforts quickly.
However, I think templating also has its downsides. When overused, it can stifle creativity, disengage audiences, and miss key contextual nuances.
The pros of templating content
Efficiency and consistency
One of the advantages of templating is the boost it provides in efficiency. Rather than starting from a blank slate each time, you can plug your information into a ready-made structure, saving time and resources.
For instance, if you’re producing weekly blog posts, a template with predefined headers, image placements, and formatting rules eliminates the need to make these decisions repeatedly.
Templates can also cultivate consistency across multiple pieces of content, which may be beneficial in multi-author environments. Brand consistency is crucial for maintaining a cohesive voice and visual identity. Whether content is written by one individual or a team, templates help ensure that style, messaging, and brand standards are maintained across all outputs.
Enhanced brand recognition and user experience
Templates are excellent tools for reinforcing brand identity. By using the same colors, fonts, layouts, and tone, you can build familiarity and trust with your audience.
For example, if a newsletter or a social media post consistently follows a similar format, audiences are more likely to recognize and remember the brand.
Templates also enhance user experience by providing familiar navigation. When audiences encounter a consistent structure across content, they know what to expect and how to navigate it.
A familiar format can encourage deeper engagement, as audiences don’t have to figure out how each new piece of content is structured.
Flexibility and easy adaptation
Templates make it easier to scale up content efforts, especially for companies looking to expand quickly.
When creating large amounts of content for multiple channels (social media, blogs, newsletters), templates offer a flexible structure that can be adapted to fit a range of needs. A well-designed template can simplify production for different platforms, allowing teams to customize it slightly for each new piece without starting from scratch.
Also, templated content can help companies respond rapidly to new trends or demands. By adapting existing templates rather than creating new formats every time, businesses can increase efficiency and maintain a consistent output even under tight deadlines.
The cons of templating content
Potential loss of creativity and uniqueness
While templates can save time, over-reliance on them can lead to content that feels predictable or uninspired.
Templating too rigorously can limit your opportunities to experiment with fresh ideas, resulting in content that feels repetitive. Creativity is often what makes content stand out, and if every piece follows the same pattern, audiences may lose interest.
If the content feels like a “formula,” audiences may disengage, and your brand could miss out on the chance to offer something unique.
Risk of content fatigue and monotony for the audience
Templates can also lead to content fatigue, where audiences grow weary of seeing the same structure repeatedly.
Over time, this predictability can make content feel monotonous, as it removes the element of surprise that keeps audiences engaged. A blog that always follows the same format, for example, can start to feel repetitive, even if the topics are varied.
If audiences feel they’ve “seen it all before” in your content, they’re less likely to engage and more likely to scroll past or unsubscribe. This problem is exacerbated when templates are rigidly followed and lack personalization or customization to keep them fresh.
I have personal experience with this one. A while back, my team and I started experimenting with the structure and headlines of our newsletter. After months of using some sort of “formula”, we changed the game. We started being more personal in our approach, in our way of writing, we changed the headlines, making them more engaging and catchy. And we saw the results almost immediately because our click rate improved a lot.
Was it more challenging to write the newsletter? A bit, yeah. Was it rewarding? Also yes.
Possibility of ignoring contextual needs
Templates often work best for general cases, but not every topic or audience requires the same approach.
For example, a product launch might require a different structure than a casual newsletter update, but a rigid template can prevent you from adjusting accordingly.
When templates are not updated to reflect current trends, language, or visual styles, they can feel outdated. In this way, templated content can become a limitation rather than an asset if not adapted to each unique context.
Finding the right balance
Ultimately, the decision to template content should align with the needs of your brand and audience. Here are a few tips for finding a balanced approach:
Allow for flexibility
Instead of rigid templates, use adaptable frameworks that provide structure but leave room for creative input. Consider templates as “guidelines” rather than fixed rules, allowing for variation based on specific needs.
Regularly update templates
Refreshing your templates regularly can prevent them from becoming stale. Incorporate new trends, visuals, or feedback from your audience to keep your content fresh.
Use templates selectively
Use templated structures for content that truly benefits from it, such as newsletters or instructional articles. For content that needs more creativity or a unique angle, try skipping the template to have enough room to be inventive.
In conclusion
Templating content offers advantages in efficiency, brand consistency, and flexibility, making it a valuable tool for many teams and brands.
However, it’s important to be mindful of the potential downsides (loss of creativity, content fatigue, and a lack of contextual sensitivity) that templated content can introduce.
So is there a right answer to whether you should be using templates or not? Absolutely not. At the end of the day, do what works best for you and your brand, just make sure you don’t get stuck in a “formula”. Start experimenting even if it scares you.