A realistic content marketing plan for solo business owners

If you've ever made a gorgeous, colour-coded content calendar and then ghosted your own Instagram for three weeks straight... hi, hello, same.

The truth is, most content strategies out there were not built for real-life small business owners who are juggling a lot. If you’re parenting, caregiving, managing chronic illness, neurodivergent, or just doing everything yourself, it’s no wonder consistency feels like a myth.

That’s where a realistic content marketing plan comes in. One that makes space for the fact that your time, energy, and executive function may vary week to week, and that’s not a flaw. It’s reality.

This blog will guide you through how to create a content strategy that fits your actual life. One you can stick to, adapt, and build on without burning out or falling off the face of the algorithm.

Why most content plans don’t work for solo business owners

Here’s the deal: a lot of content advice assumes you have a team. Or at least an intern. But when you’re a solo business owner, you’re wearing every hat, from CEO to content creator to customer service to bin day reminder.

Common pitfalls of “traditional” content strategies:

• Too many platforms to manage

• Daily posting expectations

• Complex repurposing systems you don’t have time to maintain

• Content themes that don’t reflect your audience or goals

A realistic content plan is simple, sustainable, and flexible enough to survive a migraine, a school holiday, or a week where you just cannot.

What a realistic content marketing plan looks like

You don’t need to be everywhere. You don’t need to post every day. You just need:

• A manageable rhythm

• A small bank of core content themes

• Repurposing and batching strategies that work for you

• Grace to skip days (and the systems to bounce back easily)

This plan is especially helpful for:

• ADHD entrepreneurs or neurodivergent creatives

• Chronic illness or low-energy business owners

• Parents, carers, and busy humans

• Anyone who wants more ease, less guilt

The 3-part content plan for consistent, low-stress visibility

Here’s how I break it down with my clients (and use it myself):

1. One core weekly theme

Pick one message to focus on each week. This can be a tip, a mindset reframe, a story, or a client example. Build your week’s content around this.

Why it works:

• Keeps you focused

• Reduces decision fatigue

• Makes repurposing easier

Examples:

• "You're inconsistent by circumstance" → Reel, story, newsletter

• "5-minute content plan" → blog, carousel, TikTok

2. Repurpose into bite-size posts

From that one theme, create 2–4 posts:

• A short Reel or TikTok

• A quote graphic or carousels

• A caption with a soft CTA

• A quick email or story version

This means you’re not starting from scratch every day.

3. Daily (or semi-daily) touchpoints

Use low-energy touchpoints to stay visible:

• Stories (behind the scenes, check-ins)

• One-line tweets turned into graphics

• Old posts reposted with a new caption

You can even reuse content monthly or quarterly. No one’s memorising your feed, I promise.

Tips to make content creation easier

Here’s what makes this plan actually doable:

💡 Batch when you can - but not too much
Even batching one post a week ahead helps. Don’t let perfectionism delay posting.

📁 Keep a content stash
Save past posts, voice notes, client messages, and ideas in a folder or Notes app. It’s your emergency post pantry.

🧠 Use your brain’s best times
Write when you feel chatty. Design when you feel visual. Match content creation to your mood if you can.

🔁 Reuse your greatest hits
If it worked once, it’ll work again. Especially with new followers who haven’t seen it.

🪴 Use tools that don’t stress you out
Metricool, Later, or even a Google Doc with weekly columns, go with what you’ll actually open.

Your content plan should serve you, not the algorithm

Your business doesn’t need more content, it needs the right content, delivered in a way that works for you.

A realistic content marketing plan is one you’ll actually follow. One that lets you show up consistently enough to build trust, stay top of mind, and grow, without draining your every last spoon.

Want help creating a content plan that works with your brain and your bandwidth?

Come to Office Hours. It’s my monthly mentoring space where we untangle your strategy, simplify your content, and build something sustainable together.

You’re allowed to do this your way, and I’d love to help you get there.