The 80/20 Rule of Content Creation

What Is the 80/20 Rule in Content Creation?

The 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto Principle) states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. In content creation, this means a small percentage of your content drives the majority of your engagement, traffic, and conversions.

Understanding this principle helps content creators, marketers, and business owners focus on high-impact activities while avoiding time-wasting efforts that don’t contribute to their goals.

How to Apply the 80/20 Rule to Content Creation

1. Identify High-Performing Content

Not all content delivers equal results. Some blog posts, videos, and social media updates generate significantly more engagement and traffic than others. Here’s how to find what works:

• Check analytics (Google Analytics, social media insights, etc.) to see which content gets the most traffic and engagement.
• Identify patterns – What topics, formats, or platforms perform best?
• Double down on winners – Focus more on creating similar high-performing content.

2. Prioritize Evergreen and High-ROI Content

Evergreen content (content that remains relevant over time) is a prime example of the 80/20 rule in action. Instead of constantly chasing trends, prioritize content that continues to bring value.

Examples:

• SEO-optimized blog posts that rank in search engines and drive traffic long-term.
• Email sequences that nurture leads and generate conversions automatically.
• Repurposable content like frameworks, templates, and guides that can be reshared.

3. Cut Out Low-Value Activities

Many content creators waste time on tasks that don’t significantly impact their growth. Avoid these:

• Posting on every social platform instead of focusing on one or two that work best.
• Creating content that doesn’t align with audience needs.
• Spending too much time on design or perfectionism instead of publishing consistently.

4. Leverage Content Repurposing

Rather than creating new content from scratch every time, maximize your best-performing pieces by repurposing them into different formats:

• Turn a blog post into a Twitter thread, LinkedIn post, or YouTube video.
• Convert webinar content into a blog post or lead magnet.
• Repurpose customer testimonials into social media graphics.

This ensures one strong piece of content fuels multiple channels, saving time and effort while maximizing impact.

5. Automate and Delegate Where Possible

To focus on what truly moves the needle, streamline your workflow:

• Use automation tools like Buffer, Zapier, or ConvertKit to handle repetitive tasks.
• Outsource content editing, design, or research to free up time for strategic work.
• Batch-create content in advance to stay ahead without daily stress.

6. Focus on Distribution Over Creation

Many content creators spend 80% of their time creating and only 20% distributing. Flip the ratio. High-performing creators spend more time ensuring their content reaches the right audience.

• Share content multiple times on different platforms.
• Leverage email lists, communities, and collaborations for distribution.
• Use paid ads strategically to boost the visibility of high-performing content.

7. Track, Measure, and Optimize

Regularly analyze what’s working and refine your strategy. Set KPIs (key performance indicators) like:

• Traffic (Which pieces bring the most visitors?)
• Engagement (Which posts get the most shares and comments?)
• Conversions (Which content drives sign-ups, sales, or leads?)

Drop what doesn’t work and double down on what does.

The 80/20 rule in content creation is all about focusing on what moves the needle. Instead of spreading yourself too thin, identify high-impact content, cut low-value tasks, repurpose strategically, and optimize over time.

By applying this principle, you’ll achieve better results with less effort, allowing you to grow your audience and business efficiently.