Creating Conversation with Content

By Claire Winter.

As humans, we love learning about new ideas, and we love sharing them with other people. But how exactly can we pique the interests of our target audience?

Sometimes, even when we have a great idea, we have to delve a little deeper into how we can make sure the people we want to see our content not only see it but share it. There are many ways you can make this happen, with some small but important steps:

Share your story

People want to know how your idea came about. Has it always been an ambition of yours? Is it in relation to a recent event? Or is it inspired by something you’ve discovered? Furthermore, think about how it has changed or benefited your life and how it can do the same for your audience. If they learn it has helped you, they will believe it can help them, and then they can share that idea with others, allowing conversations to flow. Ask people for their feedback, comments and views when you create posts for social media.

Choose the right platform

Choosing the right channel to share your ideas plays a vital role in ensuring you get the best engagement with your audience. Think about who you want to see your ideas. Social media may be the most efficient way to market your idea, or it could be a newsletter, blog post, a personal email or perhaps you want to make a podcast or try vlogging. I’ve loved reaching an international audience with my podcast Cracking Content thttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/cracking-content-podcast/id1529616010. It’s also been named one of the top 20 marketing podcasts in the UK. If you love speaking, podcasting could be the perfect platform for you.

A new angle

No one wants to read, watch, or listen to familiar content they’ve seen or heard before. It gets boring, and not only that, but it also doesn’t inspire anyone to learn anything new. Ask yourself what do I stand for? What do I stand against? If you try and appeal to everyone - you will appeal to no one. Try doing some research. You may want to think about looking for some recent statistics or newly discovered facts to make your audience think differently. You may also want to think about how you can show that your brand is different from others. What can your brand offer that other brands cannot? Why can your audience benefit more from your brand than others?

Utilise Hashtags

People may be looking for your idea but have no idea where to find it! The hashtag started as a Twitter trend but has since evolved onto many platforms, such as Instagram and LinkedIn. The hashtag offers us the opportunity to categorise our ideas so people can search for information and ideas. Hashtags also allow us to see what is trending globally and can be a valuable tool to find out what content to provide to your audience. Remember, relatable content will enable us to better connect with our audience. You can also generate your own hashtag to ensure your message is heard and searchable!

Remember that everyone reading your content, whether they are the CEO of a large bank, a big name influencer or a yoga teacher is a human being. They call crave human connection and conversations. Be clear about whom you are speaking to and the stories and conversations they would like to have, and the rest will follow!

Claire Winter is the host of the Cracking Content podcast and a Copy and Content trainer and coach. She is passionate about helping coaches and creative entrepreneurs to amplify their expertise through storytelling, content, and PR so that they can get more sales and make a bigger impact through 1:1 coaching, her digital courses and membership.

Claire currently writes for all 41 Families magazines that cover the UK, which reach 9 million parents a year. She has have been a content creator for 20 years and helped thousands of business owners get more sales with their content marketing. She is a trained NCTJ journalist and started her career at ITN in radio and television. She also runs a free Facebook community called Cracking Content where she shares writing, content, and PR tips.