Everywhere you look online, you’re seeing content. All websites, blogs, social media posts, images, videos, and podcasts are content that someone took the time time to create.
It often feels like a constant bombardment and it can be overwhelming and confusing for a consumer.
So if the internet is seemingly oversaturated why does anyone create content?
Because it works.
You Can (and Should!) Stand Out
Even though there is no shortage of “stuff” to see and interact with online, good content is actually pretty rare.
Most of it is created purely to sell, to make a quick buck.
Don’t get me wrong– I’m trying to build a prosperous business and my content is a part of that. But my content also does more than sell.
It provides value to my audience. It gives a lot — well before it asks.
If you give to your audience, they will be more likely to reciprocate in the form of a sale.
You Inspire the Sale
Good content engages your audience and inspires them to do business with you.
Your product or service may offer a unique value proposition on its own. However, the best way to differentiate your business in a crowded market is to show up as yourself.
People do business with people.
There are probably billions of writers that can produce quality online content for their clients. Does that deter me?
Absolutely not.
At the risk of sounding a bit pompous, my clients work with me because they like me as a person.
They like my consultative, communicative and down-to-earth style. It’s funny — I see those same qualities in my best clients.
Your personality will attract your ideal audience — and your ideal customer.
Good Content Forges & Fosters Relationships
Networking in person is a great way to quickly forge personal relationships with prospective customers.
But focusing solely on that channel is limiting when we literally have the entire world at our fingertips.
We can connect with and help people all over the globe with some button clicks and keystrokes. That’s powerful!
Your message, if genuine and consistently broadcast, will create friendships with people that you’ve never met.
Those friends will come to trust you and may ultimately look to you to provide higher levels of service in the future.
Who are you more likely to buy from? A stranger — or someone you feel a connection with?
I know which one I would choose. And that’s why I urge you to take your content seriously.
You’re helping others — and it will come back to you tenfold.
What Good Content Does
As you see, good content builds relationships and fosters trust. It accomplishes this by doing several things:
- informing/showcasing expertise
- entertaining
- inspiring
Let’s take a closer look at each of these.
Informing/Showcasing Expertise
People are constantly seeking knowledge.
They need questions answered or they need to learn a skill. They want to stay current, continually developing themselves for personal or professional enrichment.
You can provide the information that they seek in your content.
If you deliver the goods here, you will position yourself as an expert in your field. You will be seen as a credible and trusted source.
Your audience may become your customers because they want to learn more — from YOU.
Entertaining
While there are many things that divide people these days, pretty much everyone likes to smile and laugh.
If you give your audience a good chuckle or at least leave them feeling amused, they’re likely to keep coming back.
Showing a sense of humor also makes you relatable.
Yes, your informative content positions you as an expert. But your lightheartedness makes you an accessible expert.
There are lots of smart people out there, but if they show zero personality, they’re going to have a tough time connecting with others.
Maintain an appropriate level of professionalism in your content and business dealings, but have some fun, too!
Truth bomb: I struggle with this one. When I write, I have to consciously remind myself to trade the professor hat for the party hat. If I get to be too much of a stick in the mud, tell me– please!
Inspiring
Life can beat people down sometimes. They may feel stuck and think that where they are is where they’re destined to be.
Your content can make them believe otherwise.
Your content can give them hope, show them the way and motivate them to break through the barricades holding them back.
If your content can get someone feeling excited or renewed — you’ve hit it out of the park!
People crave that feeling. Feeling inspired is an adrenaline rush that promotes action and progress.
You can be the reason people make a needed change or have a better life.
If you do that, they will remember you — and tell others.
Final Thoughts
Today, we’ve covered the importance of creating content — and the basic elements of what makes it good.
Figuring out the best way to utilize these elements is a discussion for another day (coming soon!).
I will say that it depends on your target audience.
So start thinking about what they need and want from you.
The absolute bottom line to this is that if you can authentically connect with your audience, you’ve got a good shot at turning them into customers.
Let’s inspire them to do business with you!
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6 Comments
nice article. i know i have the respect of my readers that i know what i’m talking about. the problem i see is that my readers (mostly smart/financially savvy adults over the age of 40, are some of the people i could inspire and help the least. the ones who need it probably won’t see the content. i’m ok with that as i don’t need the money from it right now but it’s a curious situation.
i hope your business is working out well for you.
Thanks, Freddy. That is a curious situation. I know you don’t need the cash. But perhaps it’s worth trying to meet those that need the help where they are because you have solutions to offer? Just a thought. I do believe, however, that if the folks who need the help really don’t want it, then it makes little sense to push the issue.
Business is going well. 2019 is going to be amazing! Thanks again! 🙂
This was a great piece to read at the start of a new year. Those dark moments creep up on me a lot, those “why would anyone care what I have to say” moments. Thanks for inspiring. Also, a good reminder to let personality show in content. Right now I think I might be too focussed on just pumping out facts and numbers, which might get a few reads, but might not get many loyal readers.
Thanks so much! Those moments of doubt are totally normal. While I think making content personal is important, you always need to keep your audience in mind. What is your target market seeking? Are you catering to more advanced investors who may just want to get to the meat of the matter? Or, are you looking to get newer investors in the game, where they might need more instruction, layperson terminology, anecdotes? A balancing act for sure!
This is Brilliant Laura. Thankyou.
This question is asked by many people.
Some, the naysayers, will ask you ‘why would anyone bother to listen to YOU’ (i.e. there are so many people doing/saying/making that thing you want to do out there already, doing a terrific job of it, and who already have their audience who are unlikely to move)
The two biggest, most positive responses I hear around this are:
1. you are a unique individual. No one has had your unique experience and no one will say the same thing in the exact way that you will say it, with your perspective and your unique experiences expressed in the content (Marie Forleo is a great advocate of this), and
2. the world is crying out for authenticity – authentic stories told through authentic voices. (Cathy Heller repeatedly advocates this as she tries to encourage people to quit their day job)
There is at least one person out there who cant find content that they can connect with – content that is delivered through your unique, authentic voice.
And sometimes just by being you in what content (and energy) you put out there, you might solve a problem that was different to what you intended when you hit publish.
Yes – your post on how to bake the perfect apple pie or how to create the best on line content hit the mark in the way you intended.
But what you didn’t realise is that your voice got someone out of bed when they had no motivation left. or it got someone to go and enrol in that course. or it got someone to finally leave their day job.
so yes to more content, and yes to more wonderful people deciding to start creating that content.
Brilliant post Laura. Thanks for inspiring my blogging for the weekend!
Shaun — thank you so much for the kind words! I totally agree- we’re all destined to connect with those we can help the most. When what we write comes into someone’s life at the exact right moment, it’s pretty magical. I hope you had an amazing weekend of blogging!