Behind the Digital Curtain: How to Create Digital Content for Good (Part 1)
Part 1 of 3: The North Star of Digital Content
A Guest Blog Series by Angela Mendoza Flores
Image credits: Romain V | Unsplash
Digital content is everything that you see on the internet - silly cat memes, that webinar you joined last year, the ad on the right corner of the news page, that viral video you shared with the entire chat group, and yup, even that post on X you never saw because it was unfavored by the algorithm. Anything and everything from Coursera classes to brain-numbing social media scrolling at 2AM. As digital marketer Ann Handley cleverly put it, content is “everything the light touches”. She may have said it in jest, but there's a metaphor in there somewhere. At the very least, digital content is everything your smartphone backlight touches.
But what’s the point of creating all this digital stuff? And what is it really like to create content that’s inspiring, eye-opening, and built to last? (And is that even possible?)
I’m Angela, a digital content marketer from the Philippines, and I’ve had the incredible opportunity to support digital content—for good. I work closely with Dr. Tiffany Vora, a scientist, speaker, futurist, three-time Mars analog mission “astronaut”, polar traveler, and a global advocate for innovation, sustainability, and women in STEMM. You might have come across her work on LinkedIn, Instagram, X, YouTube, or her website. If you’ve ever wondered how she keeps up her digital presence—across social media, blogs, and her brand-new Substack newsletter—while also doing all the other amazing things she does, then read on.
Together, we craft narratives, build strategies, and spark conversations that help bring science, technology, and optimism to a global audience. And in this 3-part blog series, I’m pulling back the digital curtain to share how we make the “magic” happen.
Start Your Content Strategy with a North Star
A TED Talk podcast episode I listened to that truly resonates. Marketing or digital content creation in my case, can be used as a force for good.
Digital content can be a powerful force for good, if it's anchored on a clear vision to inform, inspire, and move people to action. And if it's backed by a plan that’s sustainable. Surprises and experiments are welcome, but clarity on your North Star will make the moonshots more likely to land.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be part of a media team that shared uplifting, meaningful stories with the world. There’s no shortage of bad news out there! And I believe there’s no shortage of good news either. If we want to thrive despite all the gloom and doom around us, we need stories that offer hope. When I worked with a media company shortly after graduation, I pitched a concept on creating a “good news” version of the evening newscast. I imagined a show dedicated to stories of everyday heroism, kindness, and triumphs. I was a program analyst for the media company (TL;DR: my job was to watch TV shows and analyze content), but I felt that pitching that concept was the best thing that I did during my entire stay. And yes, happy to share that the pitch was approved and it aired on national television!
That was quite some time ago. So how did my path eventually cross with Tiffany’s?
We met in 2021. At that time, Tiffany (already an incredible keynote speaker) was looking to expand her reach in the digital world. We were just coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, a time that revealed so many cracks in the system—how people connect, how leaders make choices, how we heal, how we get back up on our feet, how we navigate all the information and tech coming at us.
💡 The question was: how can Tiffany increase her impact? How can she be the signal, not the noise, in this tech-enabled digital world?
In a parallel universe (aka in a tropical city halfway across the globe), I was making a shift of my own. Like many parents during the pandemic, I had to make big choices. Research work, my safe haven and happy space where I could nerd all day, was no longer an option during the pandemic, especially while caring for my family—but that moment opened a new door. I began helping people share their stories online. After a decade in various research roles, I returned to what I was originally trained to do in university: communication work, but now in the digital space.
A few friends who believed in my North Star and capabilities connected me to people who needed support sharing their ideas online. I started collaborating with entrepreneurs, coaches, and startups—helping them amplify their message and mission in the virtual world. Fun fact: the first set of blogs that I wrote during the pandemic was a series of -surprise- travel blogs! The idea was to keep the company top of mind once safe travel was allowed. I was eager to keep building that momentum and to work with even more changemakers.
At work in my home office!
In many ways, Tiffany and I were both chasing the same North Star: make the world a better place by sharing stories. Fact–checked. Inclusive. Hopeful. Be the signal, not the noise. Problem was, we just hadn't met yet! She was in California. I was in Metro Manila. But thanks to serendipity, the internet, and two amazing mutual friends, we were introduced.
Our first conversations over emails and video calls focused on aligning our goals, defining the impact we wanted to create, the messages we needed to share, the obstacles we might encounter, and how we could bring it all to the online world.
💡 From the start, we agreed that Tiffany’s digital presence had to inspire optimism and action—no fear-mongering or sensationalist clickbait. Her mission was clear: to help leaders navigate this critical inflection point in history.
And so our journey of creating inspiring, eye-opening, sustainable digital content began.
The “Invisible” Work Behind a Brand
There’s a lot of “invisible” work that goes into each piece of content on Tiffany’s digital platforms. Content creation is a world of content calendars, copyediting, video editing, audience insights, and more.
But if you trace the content chain all the way back, it starts long before the first post goes out. For my work with Tiffany, we began by identifying our goals, reflecting on who we wanted to reach (not just metrics but real, thinking, feeling, complex, wonderful humans), and building a strategy that would keep the work meaningful and sustainable.
So before the very first post was published on Tiffany’s social media, we made sure we had:
A clear purpose: What change do we want to create and why do we want this?
A deep understanding of the audience: Who are we speaking to? What do these people need? What do they care about? What do we want them to feel?
A strategic content map: How do we deliver valuable insights while staying true to Tiffany’s voice and vision?
We still come back to these questions regularly—during monthly strategy meetings, project debriefs, and every new launch.
The Science Communication Challenge: How to Be the Signal, Not the Noise
Behind the scenes action: a snapshot from our monthly alignment where Tiffany and I discuss the content that we will be sharing on her digital platforms.
Science communication is a very difficult, nuanced skill. It’s not “just posting content” and it’s not “oh just mindlessly having fun and sharing on social media” and it certainly can't be reduced to "ensuring immediate ROI." Many traditional content marketing tactics simply don't apply in this specialized field.
We may have flattened the COVID-19 curve, but the challenge of being in an infodemic hasn't disappeared, with misleading and false information still being thrown into the ocean of digital content. This is normalized by click-bait culture, doom-and-gloom echo chambers, and unchecked claims. Science communication can't follow that trend.
💡 Science communication requires attention to detail. Knowing how science works. Knowing the audience. Constantly cross-checking references. To a certain extent, it carries the responsibility of elevating discourse in the online world, while meeting people where they are. It's about thinking deeply and being constantly curious... and acting fast.
Looking back, my curiosity about the humanity behind science, and perhaps just reading widely, has shaped my approach to science communication. Picking up “random titles” and spending weekends (okay, not just weekends—any pocket of free time) reading Michael Pollan and Bill Bryson, and obsessing over Maria Popova’s work have helped me balance scientific literacy with communicating to a global audience. One of the most joyful aspects of my job is sharing book reviews with Tiffany, a delightful bonus that keeps our work sharp and our collaboration heartwarming. Thankfully, I’ve also had several years of training in communication and market research, along with a deep interest in psychology, powerful levers that help me support Tiffany in the best way possible.
💡 She can focus on diving deep into the science while I focus on amplifying her message in the digital space.
So what’s the point of creating digital stuff? Why spend so much time and energy creating digital content and sharing science on social media and blogs and podcasts and newsletters? Because this points to our North Star. We believe in creating a better world. And sharing stories rooted in science and optimism, especially in a world filled with doom and gloom, is how we help light the way. It’s a tough battlefield out there. All the more we need to be the signal, not the noise.
Looking Ahead
The North Star is just the beginning. Now that we've explored our "Why" (the vision and foundation behind Tiffany's digital presence), let's move on to the "How." I'll take you behind the scenes of our workflow: the strategies, tools, and processes that bring Tiffany's digital content from insight to impact. We're just getting started.
About Tiffany
Dr. Tiffany Vora speaks, writes, and advises on how to harness technology to build the best possible future(s). She is an expert in biotech, health, & innovation.
For a full list of topics and collaboration opportunities, visit Tiffany’s Work Together webpage.
Get bio-inspiration and future-focused insights straight to your inbox by subscribing to her newsletter, Be Voracious. And be sure to follow Tiffany on LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube, and X for conversations on building a better future.
Buy Tiffany a Cup of Coffee | Image credits: Irene Kredenets via Unsplash.
Donate = Impact
If this article sparked curiosity, inspired reflection, or made you smile, consider buying Tiffany a cup of coffee!
Your support will:
Spread your positive impact around the world
Empower Tiffany to protect time for impact-focused projects
Support her travel for pro bono events with students & nonprofits
Purchase carbon offsets for her travel
Create a legacy of sustainability with like-minded changemakers!
Join Tiffany on her mission by contributing through her Buy Me a Coffee page.
