How to create content that makes your audience tune in--not tune out

Sometimes I feel like being online is the equivalent of being screamed at by a million people all at once.

Oh wait, it is.

Not only do we have our peers’ content flashing through our TL, there’s also the work of content creators, businesses and, of course, ads.

SO MANY ADS.

As far as how many ads we consume in a day, the internet has been divided. I've heard rumours that the number is in the thousands – which is absurd. However, that myth has been debunked, with the real number sitting around 130 (still a lot!!).

And what happens when we see so many ads, day in and day out? We start to tune them out, which means those ads become much less effective.

For us digital marketers, that means pumping out hundreds of adverts a week simply won’t cut it anymore.

To be honest, it will likely end up having the opposite effect. Bombard your consumers, and they'll either develop a blindness to your ads, or you'll annoy them so much, your brand's reputation will suffer.

But if that’s the case, what’s the balm?

To capture your audience in a meaningful way, the quality and relevance of your brand messages are crucial.

This is where developing a slow content strategy could be beneficial.

Maybe your initial strategy of pumping out x number of ads per day is not converting. Or perhaps you don’t have the resources or budget to churn out content 24/7.

Either way, a slow content strategy focuses on the long-term. It’s not pushy or aggressive. There’s no rapid fire click-baity BS.

It’s intentional and thoughtful, putting quality over quantity. A slower message is a more soulful one, while still maintaining your aims and objectives.

So how does one implement a slow marketing approach?

Let’s unpack (gently, of course.)

First things first, get to know your audience (and I’m NOT talking just demographics).

I don’t mean their age groups, marital status, etc. These demographics aren’t particularly helpful on their own. What you want to know is what your audience is interested in. What conversations are they having right now?

You can learn about your audience's interests and behaviour through desktop browsing data. You can also check out social media third-party data and conduct surveys or interviews.

Once you know what your audience cares about, their wants, needs, desires, concerns, the conversations they’re having, and the like, you can decipher how to be a part of those conversations. This will help you understand what they might need from a brand like yours.

Then, look for where you can add value.

3 golden rules for your content:

You need to either educate, inspire, or entertain. This is the value your content adds to your audience’s life.

So let's break these down...

Educate. For example, what are some common misconceptions surrounding your industry? What do you wish people knew about your job? How does your brand help people do XYZ? What benefit does your company bring to the world?

Inspire. Do you have customer stories that show how people benefit from your product or service in an uplifting and positive way? What are some methods or techniques you provide that spark joy and fresh ideas? How can people use your product or service in different ways than the expected?

Entertain. This could be 'world building content,' where the audience gets to know your staff or you on a personal level. It may help them understand what makes your business tick behind the scenes. You don’t have to be a comedian to entertain your audience. Ask yourself, what are some shared frustrations among your customers? How can you turn that into relatable content?

This is where you want to get real intentional.

Figure out which content style feels 100% right for your customers, but also for you.

Can you commit to meticulously planning out, scripting, and filming entertaining content? Or do you feel like you can add more value through educational content that you can create over a long period of time?

Only you know the answer. Just remember to take the time to plan these steps into the future to ensure you're presenting your brand in the best possible light.

Research, intentionality and planning will help you find best approaches to your marketing. As you go along, you can continue to tweak and repackage them, with nearly endless results.

Quality over quantity.

Audiences can smell bullshit from a mile away. Constantly pushing your marketing messages onto them with no breaks between campaigns feels cheap to those on the receiving end. Slow content emphasises the importance of delivering high-quality content instead. This will, in turn, enhance the perceived value of your brand.

Remember, your content may be the first touchpoint for a potential customer, and first impressions matter.

Life comes at you from all directions. In every sense of the phrase. But particularly in regard to media. And it can be exhausting to produce and consume. Especially when so much of it is painfully average, at best.

Taking a slower approach to your marketing means your content will likely be of higher calibre. And that may be just the thing that cuts through the noise that is EVERYWHERE in our digital world.

-Sophie, Writer

We covered this on the podcast—check out the clip Why Posting Less Could Boost Your Engagement