There is no silver bullet for creating fresh and compelling content, as many businesses have discovered. For instance, our Facebook and Twitter accounts are consistently jammed with content very few of us read. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, there is little value in producing content that isn’t linked directly to a tight marketing strategy. So, what can you do to ensure you’re delivering content people want to read?
Start by being different
It’s not easy, but if you can think outside the square, rather than taking a follow-the-leader approach, you’ll be ahead of the pack. Google “How to choose a financial planner”, and you’ll be swamped with hits. Moreover, there’s little unique about any of that the content. You need to stand out from this crowd.
There are several ways you can attempt to be unique:
1. Purely unique content: Bringing to light a topic that no one is writing about is the mystical holy grail of content marketing – and journalism for that matter!
2. Add a unique spin to a topic: You may be able to reveal some new research about retirement planning, wealth management or estate management, or you may present a contrarian view.
3. Write outside the square: Samantha Jayne, Australia’s relationship guru and founder of Blue Label Life, is an expert at writing about a topic outside her sphere and relating it back to her industry, as you’ll discover if you read her piece about the Mick Fanning shark attack and what it teaches us about the pangs of love.
You’re looking for what will engage and resonate with your audience, and encourage them read your content above all the noise. The key is to be original. Don’t just copy your competitors.
Be an expert
In the case of a financial planner, being an expert means creating content on topics you can prove you’re good at through demonstrable experience. While good content will never be a sales pitch, writing about areas within your range of expertise is a sure-fire way to educate and engage with clients and prospects.
Write it well
When it comes to quality writing, you don’t have to be the next Shakespeare or Seinfeld. That said, if creating content isn’t a strong suit, don’t be afraid to turn to an expert who can deliver quality, innovative copy. I personally believe strong writing skills make your content more readable and engaging. Good writing will bring the flair that can make a run-of-the-mill article sing.
If you do engage with a freelance writer, it’s essential to bring them into your business. I have been working for Angus Raine at real-estate firm Raine & Horne for a decade now. Raine recognised the way to get the best content was to invite me to work in-house with his team as often as possible.
By working in-house, a writer or videographer can understand what’s unique or different about you and your business – your point of difference. The outsource model fails when the freelancer has scant knowledge of the business. The lack of engagement leads to generic content that is often off message. So my advice is to maximise writers’ skills by working with them to deliver unique angles or storylines that can take your content to the next level.
Look, these are just three basic principles. With the summer holidays fast approaching and the day-to-day hustle slowing, taking the extra time to review your approach to content could be the biggest hit of summer 2017 for your business.
