Content is everywhere both professionally and socially. When we talk content, we mean everything from a social media reel to a thought-provoking LinkedIn article or an in-depth media interview in The Times.
Without showing my age, when I started in PR, content was so much simpler – it came in the form of a news release with an attention-grabbing headline, an insightful feature exploring an issue or challenge in more depth, or engaging competition copy. And yes, I’m old enough to remember printing out 300 news releases, stapling them together, glueing a photo onto each one, sticking it in an envelope, and franking it!
How the world has changed since then. Now there are so many different forms of content and so much of it is instant and available 24/7. There’s no need to wait for the postman or the fax machine to churn out some paper. On an average day, we are constantly consuming content from the minute we wake up to the second we go to bed – whether it’s checking the news headlines first thing to reading your Kindle before you fall asleep.
Which all goes to show just how important content is. But, if there is so much of it out there, how do you ensure that your content stands out in a sea of words?
- The first and most important thing is to make sure that it says something interesting that your audience – the people you really want to influence – wants to hear. Start with the audience-first approach and your content will always be relevant.
- Once you know your audience, it’s important to talk to them in their own language. Make sure the words you use resonate with them. At Limegreen, for example, content for our late-night bar client uses very different language from that of a B2B global tech client. As the young consumer audience would say you need to ‘keep it real’.
- Say something that adds value – how many times have you read a piece of content that says nothing? This is one of my biggest bugbears and agencies are often guilty of this – using lots of words and ‘fluff’ to say nothing. Keep it simple and be clear on what you want to communicate – that’s the easiest way to get your message across.
- Make your content work hard across all your channels – once you have a great piece of content you need to make sure that it reaches all your audiences. Whether it’s repurposing the content into a strong LinkedIn article, creating infographics to highlight key stats, or interviewing key spokespeople for a podcast, there are so many ways to maximize the reach – and engagement – of your content, without having to create more.
- Think attention span – I know, you’re getting bored already! Depending on the type of content, less can be more, so keep it as brief and engaging as possible. Don’t waffle, don’t over complicate, get to the point.
- Be objective – ask yourself whether you would want to read it, and if you would be interested in what the writer is saying. People want to be entertained, they want to be educated, inspired, reassured, or challenged. What they don’t want is to be bored. It’s very easy to hit the delete button and move on to something more interesting, so make sure it adds value to your audience.
The truth is that in our 24/7 world, well-written and insightful content will always be king. No matter what the channel or the audience, this will always be the case.
So, if you need some help to make sure that your content shines, contact the specialists at Limegreen Communications. Pick up the phone and speak to Sarah on 07774 925943 or drop her an email sarah@limegreencommunications.com
