When it comes to gaining consumers' love and loyalty, content is king - but it’s also incredibly expensive. So how to do you engage users, get them sharing your work and ensure your content operation is worthwhile? By putting authenticity is at the heart of everything you publish – and this is how.

1. Hire digital natives. So many brands go down the route of headhunting names from print publications when actually they need content producers who live and die by analytics and understand SEO. They need people who can keep a true digital pace (the deadline is always five minutes ago), understand the importance of shareability and who speak Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Periscope. My advice? Look up Hannah Gale, Ellen Stewart and Emma Gannon – not only do they get digital, they’re insanely talented writers and editors too.

2. Focus on relateability. Everyone loves a fancy feature on a cool person with a fabulous lifestyle. However, despite being glamorous, these pieces are staged, expensive and done to death. With authentic digital content, you’re not looking for the “I wish that was me” response, you’re looking for the “that’s SO me” reaction.

3. Define the lifestyle and culture of your brand. Authenticity needs a foundation, and essentially every piece of content should in some way tell your brand’s story. This story has to be consistent, positive and engaging, written in language potential customers can relate to. Priority number one? Outlaw pretentiousness. Basically, if you wouldn’t say a sentence out out loud, don’t publish it on your site. Avoid the word “lensed”, never ever use the dreaded “passion for fashion” and above all else stay away from French and Latin (unless you are actually a French or Latin language site). Remember, most collections of things are absolutely, definitely not treasure troves.

4. Don’t try to be another brand. Emulation is pointless – and completely cringworthy - unless you can better your idol. For example, there was a point in 2013(ish) where The Sun tried to do Buzzfeed-style content and all it did was make the world and his dog shudder. Find your own voice and style and go from there. A brand to be inspired by? Peppermayo. It’s content operation is small – just a blog – but it completely represents the brand, and that’s the goal, right?

 

By Sara McCorquodale, Senior Editor of WGSN.

 

Originally featured on Digital Marketing Magazine.


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