We talk all the time about the importance of content marketing and how we have to provide value in order to stand out. But with everyone trying to add that stand out value, it can be hard. Here are five creative ways to provide more valuable content:
- Respond to FAQs, but get your questions from a wider audience. Instead of just responding to questions from your website or social media channels, actually go into the community and see what people want to know about your business. This is especially good advice if your customers are mostly B2B. Talking to people at networking events will give you a ton of new ideas for content. Leave the bubble of your peers and current followers to see what people in your physical community would like to know about your business.
- Take a fresh approach to educational content. Instead of focusing on what you want your audience to know, think about what they themselves want to know. As always, putting yourself in the shoes of your customer is extremely useful. Say you are in the business of candle making. You might have identified your core customers as people who value natural products, and you want them to know why you use soy instead of paraffin. It’s a great idea to provide that content. However, your customers may also be interested in other things, such as your process for choosing scents that go together. Because you believe the “natural” angle will make more sales, you don’t think to provide other pieces of content that show your process, humanize your brand, interest your audience, and position you as an expert. Look beyond what you think will bring in value to make sure you’re putting value out there.
- Fill the content gaps with your unique approach to problem solving. If you and your competition are vying for customers that all have the same pain points, the only way your content will stand out is if you provide different solutions. You’ve likely had many of the same challenges your customers have had and you’ve been able to solve them through your business. You have unique solutions because of your experiences. No one has lived your life, so no one has the exact same solutions you do. Speak to the solutions that are uniquely yours.
- Add your process to the customer stories you tell. Success stories and social proof will always be powerful. Combining customer stories with the stories of how you were able to help them can really set you apart. The more you can make your potential customers see themselves in your current customers, the better. If you are able to show the value you provided and the process you used, you will seem more credible to potential customers. While this method more directly affects your bottom line than the others, it is still providing value to your audience. It’s important for people to see people like themselves having their needs met, and it’s useful for them to see that there are solutions they might not have considered on their own.
- Make recommendations that don’t directly benefit you. If you know an app that can solve someone’s problem or a book that can help someone out, or even a piece of art or content that you think someone will enjoy, recommend it. Pass on anything that is relevant and useful to your customers and audience. People trust people who recommend good things, and they like people who don’t think they know everything. Truly make helping people the goal of your content.
Substance and Style 