As marketers, we’ve all encountered it before, the proverbial writer’s block.
We stare upon a blank page, for hours on end, wracking our brains on what to populate the sheet with. And at times, even when we get the ball rolling, we end up stopping ourselves, doubting ourselves or pre-supposing our failure.
At times like these, a helping hand is much appreciated—whether it may be a guide to kickstart the ideation or some sense of validation telling you that you are on the right track.
Luckily, you don’t have to go far. We came up with some tips to nudge you towards discovering what paths you could take on your next writing journey.
When it comes to writing, the general rule of thumb is to write something that you yourself would read.
Let’s transpose that idea to writing about your brand.
Consider if you were a reader. What topic about your brand would spark your curiosity? What would answer your questions? Could an article even provide solutions to your problems?
Once you’ve pinpointed a topic, it’s time to look at things from the perspective of a writer. Will working on this topic bring you excitement? Is it something you know or something you’re willing to learn about?
The key to securing a topic is finding the sweet spot between what entices you and what entices the reader.
Have you ever tried Googling your brand? What articles come up in the results? What keywords get featured in the autocomplete?
On one end, this simple online navigation already gives you an idea about how people perceive your brand. You could already write about these topics, because who better to address them than you?
On the other hand, though, you could challenge yourself by taking these favorite topics and shifting your perspective.
Change your angle. Maybe you could focus on a particular detail? Choose a topic and remember you’re writing to offer up fresh takes and new information.
While strong gut feels are integral to developing your business acumen, it never hurts to augment your skills and strategy with hard analytics.
Thinking that creativity and data don’t work well together is a false dichotomy. The trick is using data to help you creatively craft better targeted and more engaging stories.
And by data, we don’t just mean demographics. We mean studying contextual information such as consumer habits and behavior.
What type of content from your brand engages your audience the most? What kind of stories are they looking for online?
The adage of “knowing thy audience” has evolved in these digital times. Today, you could actually have data to back up insights on your audience.
The power of data allows you not only to hook your existing audience continuously, but it may also even help you reach the right people you need to tell your stories to.
Audiences appreciate personalized experiences. There’s nothing wrong in letting them know that you want their help in crafting better tailor-fitted content for their consumption.
Go to social media like Twitter and Facebook and start a poll. If you have a mailing list, create a survey and ask your readers if they have questions.
By reaching out, you let your audience know that you care about them. Not only will you get to create good content for your readers, but you also build a better relationship with them along the way.
What are your own personal thought starters in generating good content? Let us know in the comments section below!
Also read:
What Types Of Written Content Should I Produce?
Why You Should Do Content Marketing and Sponsored Content
10 Creative Ways To Run Branded Content and Influencer Marketing Campaigns