16: What If Instagram Only Took 15 Minutes a Day? with Gemma Watts
If Instagram feels like a part-time job, this episode is your two weeks’ notice.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if it’s taking you 55 minutes and 53 seconds to post one carousel, you are not alone. (I have the Toggl tracker to prove it.)
But what if I told you it didn’t have to be like this?
What if Instagram… didn’t suck the joy out of your day?
What if content creation felt more like texting a friend and less like performing a monologue for the algorithm?
In this episode, I sat down with Gemma Watts of This Social Cottage, cozy content queen and actual magician, to talk about her signature 15-minute-a-day Instagram strategy.
Yes, you read that right. Fifteen minutes. Keep reading if you’re skeptical!
Rapid-Fire Squirrel Brain Questions
Here’s what we learned about Gemma in her cozy-but-chaotic round of squirrel brain questions:
If she could gather “nuts” like a squirrel: Mugs. Mostly empty coffee mugs abandoned in random corners of her house.
If her brain had a pop-up ad: Time by a lake. With a book. And her kids. Doing absolutely nothing. Her inner ad is basically a screensaver from a Nancy Meyers movie.
If her life came with a warning label it would say: Look up. Because one day you realize you’re living the exact life you prayed for, and you’re still checking your inbox instead of enjoying it.
What she would win an Olympic gold medal for: Stacking the dishwasher “wrong.”
Something she thought she’d have figured out by now: Motherhood. She waited years for it and still finds herself constantly learning, evolving, and questioning what kind of mom she is.
Her walkout song: “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.
The 15-Minute Social Media Strategy
Okay, let’s talk about the thing we’re all silently screaming: How is content creation supposed to take less time when it already feels like a part-time job you never applied for?
Gemma swears by a strategy that takes 15–30 minutes a day. Let’s break it down.
1. Stop overcomplicating It.
Social media isn’t hard. You’re just making it hard because you’re overthinking everything. Your post doesn’t need to be a Canva masterpiece with a thesis statement. Treat it like you’re WhatsApping a friend: say the thing, post the thing, get off the app.
2. The Four-Part Content Brain Dump.
Once a week, Gemma sits down and brain dumps content ideas across four categories:
Stories (real-life examples from you or your clients)
Skills (what you actually do and how you help)
Symptoms (the problems your people are feeling before they even know the real issue)
Shifting Objections (the little stories or beliefs keeping them from buying)
3. Use the Notes app like it’s your job.
If someone messaged you and said, “I’m overwhelmed by my website. Where do I even start?” you’d instantly have an answer, right? You’d rattle off a reply without a second thought. That’s your post. That’s the content. Your casual answers are way more powerful than you think.
4. Pre-batch the visuals.
Whether you’re a B-roll girlie or a still-image queen, get into the habit of filming or snapping photos once or twice a month. That way when it’s time to pair your content with something visual, you’re not spiraling in your camera roll for 45 minutes trying to find one (1) acceptable clip.
5. Let captions be basic.
You don’t need to write a novel under every post. Most people read captions for 30 seconds, max. If it’s clear, helpful, and funnels people toward your offer, you’re winning.
Also, she has a free caption-writing GPT she built herself. Grab it here!
The Only Planning System You Need
Let’s talk logistics. You’ve got your cozy 30-minute Friday brainstorm. You’ve got your four categories (stories, skills, symptoms, and shifting objections). But now what? How do you actually turn that brain dump into an actual content plan and not just a sticky note graveyard?
Gemma’s method is so ADHD-and-busy-mom-friendly it almost feels illegal.
First, she maps her ideas in Notion. (If you’re a Google Docs girly, that works too. It’s about the structure, not the software.) She picks the number of posts she wants to create (usually 4 to 5) and assigns each one to a category.
For example:
Skill: What to do when your bookings are slow and your website feels crusty
Story: How Gemma updated her own site after joining Site Series Sprint™
Symptom: “People are viewing my site but not converting — why?”
Objection: “I don’t have time to update my site right now”
From there, it’s match-making time. She pairs each idea with a prompt, like “When you’re stuck with X, here’s what to do.”
Then she aligns that content with her marketing goals. Where is she sending people? To a course? A freebie? Her DMs? That direction becomes the caption.
The rest of the magic is in batching.
Once the ideas are solid, she plans out what type of post each one will be — carousel, video, story, etc. — and then checks if she already has visuals to pair with it. If not, she gets dressed one day and batches a bunch of one-minute clips or cute shots in 10–20 minutes. That’s it.
And here’s the kicker: your content gets better when you write first and create second. Because when your message is clear, it’s way easier to make your visuals align.
And if you're more of a long-form writer than a reels person (like me!) start with your emails and repurpose them into posts.
How to Not Hate Social Media
So many of us think we hate social media, but according to Gemma…
You don’t hate social media. You hate that no one sees your stuff.
And listen, that’s valid. Nothing like pouring your whole soul into a post and getting three likes, one from your mom and two from spam accounts selling crypto.
But here’s the good news: we can fix that. And it starts with this:
Simplify. Your. Damn. Content.
Gemma sees it constantly — amazing, brilliant business owners posting content that’s overstuffed, overdesigned, and overwhelming. You’re trying to teach a whole course in one post. It’s giving double-stuffed Oreo, but not in a fun way.
Think about it: people are scrolling on the toilet. In the carpool line. While waiting for their Chipotle bowl.
They need quick wins. Not academic lectures.
Your job: Write like you’re texting a friend.
(That was not a metaphor. That is literally Gemma’s content strategy. Imagine your bestie says, “Help! My website is trash! Where do I start?” — your Instagram post should be the answer.)
So how do you know if your content is overstuffed? Gemma says: zoom out. Ask yourself, “Is this trying to cover too many things at once?” If the answer is yes, go smaller.
Don’t post about “how to write your website copy.” That’s a whole dang course. Instead, try:
Why your homepage headline matters
3 examples of a great headline
What to write if you have no clue where to start
By the way, if you're worried about "hooks being spammy," let’s clear that up too:
A hook is not clickbait. A hook is just a sentence that makes you want to read the next sentence.
Starting From Zero: Gemma’s 3-Step Plan
If you’re starting from scratch — brand new Instagram account, zero followers, zero content, zero clue — what do you do first?
Gemma’s got you.
Here’s her exact 3-step strategy for starting from zero without losing your mind:
1. Just post. Like, literally just post.
Don’t overthink your “hello world” moment. There’s no need for a welcome post with a filtered selfie and a “thanks for being here.” Nope. We’re jumping straight into value. Pick a story, a tip, a vibe — and hit publish. You can backtrack later. For now, action > perfection.
2. Commit to consistency—for real this time.
Not “I posted 3 times and nobody followed me so I gave up” consistency. We’re talking actual consistency: 60 to 90 days of 4–5 posts per week. That’s when the data starts telling you what’s working. That’s when the lurkers start DMing. That’s when the magic happens.
3. Use the 4-part framework to plan like a pro.
Structure your content around:
Stories
Symptoms
Skills
Shifting objections
Not only does this give you endless post ideas — it also prevents the classic “I have nothing to say” panic spiral. Open your Notes app, your chats, your emails — whatever. Ask yourself: What would I say to a client today? What’s a story that might help them feel seen? What’s a question they’re probably too embarrassed to ask out loud?
Boom. That’s your next post.
Point of the Story
You don’t need to post daily Canva masterpieces. You just need a system that works with your brain (and 15 minutes a day).
Gemma Links
Follow Gemma on Instagram
Check out her website
Follow her on Substack
Get Gemma’s prompts in your inbox
Get her FREE Caption Creator
Get her 15-Minute Growth Guide
Gemma’s walkout song
BTL Links
Use code "MILLIONAIRE" for $100 off my website copywriting course, Site Series Sprint.
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This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz.