Podcast Summary: Good Content with Shannon McKinstrie

Episode: You Want Your Content to Fit Your Life, Not Become Your Life
Host: Shannon McKinstrie
Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this reflective, actionable finale for 2025, Shannon McKinstrie encourages listeners to move away from letting social media content creation take over their lives. Instead, she advocates for a more authentic approach: making content creation a natural extension of daily experiences. Through personal insights and practical examples, Shannon dismantles the pressure and overwhelm often associated with staying relevant online, offering listeners a kinder, more sustainable framework for growing their businesses with "good content."

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Content Should Support Your Life, Not Replace It

• Shannon’s Core Message:
  • Many creators today feel drained by content creation because they've lost touch with its roots. Originally, sharing online was about documenting your real life, not about executing high-pressure strategies.
  • “Your content needs to support your life and your lifestyle and not replace it.” (02:16)
• Reflection Exercise:
  • Think back to how you used social media before becoming a business or brand. It was organic—lattes, pets, family, everyday moments.

2. Content Creation Strategies for 2026

• Live First, Create Second:
  • Rather than forcing content ideas, document what’s already happening.
  • “Record what you’re already doing in your life and turn that into content. That’s been content creation since the beginning.” (03:48)
• Applicable to All Types:
  • Whether you're an individual, brand, or team, this approach works. Even products and companies need a personality—humanizing builds more engaging content.

3. Shannon’s “Four H’s” Framework

• Heard:
  • Content that articulates what your audience is thinking but afraid to say, or hasn't found words for yet.
  • “The content I see that really, truly blows people up is that heard content…a hot take, a pep talk.” (06:01)
• Happenings (Behind the Scenes/Journey):
  • People are engaged by real journeys, process, or the “how” behind what you do.
• Humorous and Helpful:
  • Laughter and value both drive high engagement. Providing quick wins, sharing funny insights, or teaching something practical based on your lived experience.

4. Modern Audiences Crave Personality

• The old days of following someone for just their niche are over; now, personality, unique voice, and authenticity draw long-term followers.
• Brands should not sound like faceless corporations, but like relatable people.
  • “The more you can make your content feel personable, the more that you can talk like a person and not a brand, the better you’re going to do in 2026.” (08:19)

5. Viral Content: Real-Life Examples

Shannon scrolls through viral reels to dissect what makes them work (14:38–20:30), offering pragmatic takeaways:

• Humorous Example:
  • “This coffee tastes a lot like everything in this house is getting thrown away today.”
    • Relatable, instantly sharable, and speaks to a lived moment post-holidays.
• Heard Example:
  • “Merry Christmas to everyone except coaches without mental health degrees who are charging money to do trauma work.”
    • A hot take that resonates with many, generating high shares and engagement.
• Helpful Example:
  • “This is my small starter home. I learned to use power tools so I could maximize every inch of space as I became a mom of three kids.”
    • Sharing a journey and practical tips from lived experience.
• Behind-the-Scenes/Helpful Mix:
  • Etiquette coach video giving a “polite habit for children to practice at the end of every meal.”
    • Real, educational, and directly pulled from her current life.

6. Repurposing & Efficiency

• Shannon shares her own workflow, mentioning she creates daily content for several platforms in under an hour using repurposing strategies.
  • “I’m able to create content for several platforms in less than an hour a day…because I repurpose so much.” (24:03)

7. The Takeaway: Make Content Natural, Not Laborious

• Most viral or high-performing content emerges from authentic, lived moments—not from time-consuming, out-of-touch planning.
• “None of these people are creating from scratch.” (27:40)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Content Overwhelm:
  • “When you think about it, you just documented your life… I doubt you overthought it then…not to the point that I was stress dressing or having heart palpitations or anxiety, which a lot of you guys get.” (01:25)
• On Building Relatable Brands:
  • “Even products need a personality. I have a whole episode on that, which I’ll make sure is in the show notes.” (11:28)
• On Using Lived Experience:
  • “Sharing from your lived experience, whether you’re a therapist, a lawyer, money coach, gym owner, baker, social media manager, career coach… Speak from your lived experience.” (21:29)
• On One-Post Potential:
  • “You’re one post away from absolutely killing it in 2026, and I’m here to guide you every step of the way.” (30:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:16] – Content should support, not replace, your life.
• [06:01] – “Heard” content and why it goes viral.
• [08:19] – Personality is more important than niche in 2026.
• [14:38–20:30] – Dissecting viral reels: humorous, heard, helpful, behind-the-scenes.
• [24:03] – Shannon’s systems for rapid, efficient content creation.
• [27:40] – Why great content doesn’t have to mean hours of work.
• [30:07] – Encouragement for the new year: your next breakthrough is just one post away.

Final Thoughts

Shannon wraps the episode with heartfelt optimism, reminding listeners that authentic, personality-driven content trumps forced strategies. Whether you’re an individual creator, brand, or company, making your content a reflection of your real life is the surest way to create “good content” that leads to community, growth, and enjoyment.

Quote to Remember:
“I love you, friend. Happy New Year. Talk to you next year.” (31:22)

For listeners and creators alike, this episode offers clarity, encouragement, and practical frameworks for making social media work for you in the year ahead.