Content is king, they say … and that reign doesn’t look like being deposed any time soon. Content, content, content is what all publishers and media outlets need and that means it is one of the most powerful tools for building your brand. You can use content to get your views and profile out into the media, enhancing your standing and reputation. Although does pure content result in a successful article?
In fact, you don’t even need media outlet these days. You can publish on the largest publishing outlet in the world, LinkedIn.
However, just churning out any old content is absolutely redundant and can be damaging to your brand if you don’t include the one ingredient: teaching.
If you are wanting to build a profile as an authority in a particular industry, you need to be sharing what you know. Gone are the days of what I like to call “fluff” — articles that sound nice but at the end the reader realises there was no real substance. Like sugar.
The more you share your knowledge of something, the more likely you’ll develop a loyal following. The more detail you offer on “how” to do something, the greater your level of respect you will get from your following.
Now bear in mind, your articles don’t all have to be so intense. As long as you’re teaching your audience something valuable, you are already one step ahead of the rest.
Here are some tips to help you structure your articles and blog posts:
-
Find your inspiration from your own experience
As you learn, teach. It’s this mantra that I’ve followed throughout my career and is the cornerstone of my brand. I am not swayed by what other people say, I focus purely in what I know my audience needs to hear if they want to succeed.
-
Give advice
Aim for a minimum of three advice points: don’t leave the reader hanging with just one point unless of course you elaborate in great detail and they are left with a guide on what to do and/or how to do it.
-
Be brief
Keep it short to begin with. Don’t start with a 2,000 word blog post. Aim for 500 words. It’s short, sharp and keeps the readers’ attention. Over time you may have an article that requires more content, by then you’ll have more experience and your audience trust that you gave something valuable to share.
-
Think in ‘microtopics’
If you have a lot to say break your article up into more than one: often one topic ends up multiple because of our minds going off into tangents. If you find yourself going off topic, bring that subject to a close or take that section of the article and save it as a draft for another one.
-
Mix it up
Make sure you choose a heading and an image for your article that’s relevant to your platform. It’s also a great way to test which combination works best. You may have a different heading for your blog on LinkedIn to the one in the version you send to media.
Bonus tip #1: Share it.
If your article is pragmatic and teaches people in your industry things that no-one else is currently teaching — make sure you submit it to industry-related publications both online and offline.
Bonus tip #2: Humour.
There is one ingredient that will take you to the next level. Humour. Now… it isn’t always appropriate to use humour, but if you are able to put a non-offensive and witty article together on a topic, it will help with building a loyal following. And also your article may go viral — like this one.
