Valeria Publications

There are so many types of marketing. Content marketing. Digital marketing. Traditional marketing.

And regardless of which one you’re a part of, there are ways that you can make your brand stand out.

Marketing is more than just getting your product or service out to the public. It’s a way for you to build a connection between your brand and your audience.

And how do you build a genuine connection with your audience? By being authentic.

How To Win With Authenticity

You could have the most professional website and the best equipment. You could be the best writer on the Internet. You could know everything about X, Y, and Z.

But people can tell when you’re not being authentic. Even online.

In marketing, authenticity matters now more than ever. People don’t want to just part with their time, money, or other resources. But they will for brands that they trust and believe in.

And you’re not going to build trust with your audience by remaining informal. No matter what content you create for your audience, you need to be as transparent as possible.

Here are some tips that can help you create authentic content for your audience.

Define Your Brand

It’s easier to create authentic content when your content is aligned with your brand.

But if you don’t know what your brand is, you’ll fall for the latest marketing trend.

What is an authentic brand? There is no right or wrong answer, but in general, it’s a brand where the messaging and the behavior of the business are aligned.

What does your brand stand for? What values matter to you? How do you express those values through your content?

Most importantly, how do you use those values to add value to your customers?

These are just some questions that you can use to define your brand. Once your brand is defined, you next want to define your audience.

Define Your Target Audience

While your business should be open to everyone, it’s important to know who your target audience is.

The more you can visualize your target audience, the easier it will be to create authentic content for them.

You want to create content that addresses the pain points of your target audience. It’s easy to create transparent content when your content is catered toward a specific audience.

It also helps you become more productive with your content marketing. Instead of wasting time marketing content to people who may not be interested, you’ll know what marketing platforms to use to connect with your audience.

After you know who your target audience is, you want to think of ways to connect with them. You want to practice transparency with them throughout all of your content, which is the next tip.

Find Ways To Be Vulnerable

Does this mean that you have to share all of your personal thoughts with your audience? No.

But you want your content to be as honest as possible. You want your customers to feel like they actually know you based on what you provide in your content.

One great example is sharing any mistakes you’ve made. What person hasn’t made a mistake in their life, especially when they’ve started out in a new career?

When you’re open to sharing this type of information with your audience, it makes them trust you. Most people aren’t willing to admit to their mistakes.

Another way that you can be vulnerable with your content is by sharing your brand story. A brand story is when you share your business’s purpose and mission with your audience.

One of the most authentic ways that you can share this information with your audience is through storytelling. Storytelling is a great way to build a connection with your audience. Everyone loves to hear a good story, especially one with a powerful message.

In addition to being vulnerable, think of ways that you can do the next tip: build a relationship with your customers.

Focus On Building Relationships

Your content does not have to be one-sided. While you should use your content to add value to your customers, you can also create content that your audience can engage with.

What are some ways that you can make your content more engaging for your audience?

• Allowing customers to post comments.
• Asking your customers questions in a survey.
• Addressing customer complaints.
• Seeking feedback for improvement on a product or service.
• Ask your audience about their favorite topics.
• Sharing customer testimonies (with permission).

These are some ways that you can include your audience in your content.

Be Consistent With Your Content

Last but not least, you can make your content authentic by staying consistent.

Let’s say that you are a content writer who specializes in nutrition. For whatever reason, you don’t post any blog posts on nutrition for three weeks. The next time you write a blog post, it’s about cryptocurrency.

That is going to confuse your audience. Even worse, it’s going to cause them to question your brand.

A consistent person is the most trusted person on the planet. Being consistent with your brand means more than just posting regularly.

It also means being consistent with your messaging and values across all content pieces.

When your brand voice is consistent in all of your content, it makes it easier for your customers to trust you. Your content remains authentic, no matter what platform you choose to distribute it.

Final Thoughts

As you focus on creating content, don’t focus on what it can do for you.

Focus on building a relationship with your customers and being as authentic as possible.

Make sure that your content is honest, relatable, and helpful for your audience. And your marketing will take care of itself.

If you need more help with creating content, be on the lookout for my eBook The Ultimate Guide To Creating A Content Marketing Strategy.

Share your comments below.