Every blog post, tweet and Instagram caption holds the power to strike gold (or Bitcoin), but let's be honest, in a world inundated with information, the real challenge lies not in striking it rich, but in keeping your audience engaged and entertained, without inducing a collective yawn heard around the world.
Content marketing is the art of crafting a compelling story. It's a delicate balance between providing value and shamelessly self-promoting your products or services. But do not fear it, for with a bit of wit, creativity and perhaps a touch of sorcery, you can master the ancient art of content alchemy.
At its core, content marketing is about building relationships – not just with your customers, but with anyone who stumbles over your digital doorstep. Whether you're sharing expert insights, entertaining anecdotes, (or hilarious cat memes, because of course, the internet runs on cats), the goal is always the same: to capture attention, spark conversation and inspire action.
In a world where attention spans rival that of a goldfish (no offence to our aquatic friends), capturing and holding onto your audience's attention is no small feat.
So how do you stand out in a sea of endless content, each vying for its moment in the spotlight? The answer is content that is unique or unexpected, and ALWAYS with one or more photos and infographics. The well-known adage 'A picture is worth a thousand words' is an absolute truth.
Truly, the best tip I can give you is: Start at the End - in other words, decide what result or outcome you wish your content to convey, write your 'Call to Action' first, then consider the steps that will lead to this point and tell them a story, preferably YOUR story.
Use these ideas as inspiration:
1. Predict future trends. It doesn't matter if you got it wrong 6 months before, no-one will remember.
2. Share insights from an insider's viewpoint. You have skills and knowledge, use them to illustrate your point.
3. Defend a controversial subject that is under fire by everyone else. Be brave and be controversial.
4. Think about the opposite of the point you want to make and twist it into a question.
5. Address a serious topic with a touch of irreverence or humour. It's no sin to have a laugh occasionally.
6. Disclose a significant research finding and its implications on your subject. New government legislation perhaps and how it affects your service?
7. Present an innovative remedy for a widespread issue. This is the 'go-to' topic to solve a pain point for your audience.
8. Delve into invaluable advice. Use ChatGPT to give you a list of steps to get to the result and expand on them, but don't be tempted to get AI to write the whole post for you.
9. Dish out an intriguing piece of hearsay, everybody loves a bit of gossip.
10. Challenge a widely accepted notion, even if you end up agreeing with it.
11. Offer a fresh strategy for accomplishing tasks and illustrate with a colourful infographic.
12. Shed light on a trade secret. Don't hold back, spill the beans.
This is not a definitive list of ideas, but always remember to give them something new and/or with a twist.
From ancient myths to modern-day fables, storytelling has always been humanity's most potent form of communication. It's what sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom - well, that and our ability to binge-watch entire seasons of TV shows in a single sitting. But I digress. The point is, storytelling creates a picture in our minds-eye, taps into our emotions, ignites our imagination and creates a connection.
Of course, no amount of storytelling prowess can save you from the dreaded scourge of boredom – that insidious force that lurks in the shadows, ready to strike at a moment's notice. So how do you keep your content fresh, engaging, and above all, not mind-numbingly dull? The answer my friends, is variety.
Mix things up. Experiment with different formats, from blog posts to videos to podcasts and beyond. Dabble in humour, inject a bit of personality and don't be afraid to take risks - after all, fortune favours the bold (and occasionally the reckless). Above all, listen to your audience, pay attention to what resonates with them, what makes them laugh, and what makes them cry (preferably tears of joy, but hey, any emotion will do) and ask yourself 'How do all those cat videos get such huge numbers of likes!?'.
If content writing isn't your thing, let us unleash our writers for you to solve your pain-points. Contact us at Digital Advantage - digitaladvantage.me
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