Does Your Content Need More Personality?
We all know that there is a need for relevant and targeted content for your audience. But do we have to stick to the corporate straight line or can we show who we are personally and perhaps even add some humor. That depends. Many companies and entrepreneurs tend to play it safe and show no personality while others are much lighter and share more of the personality of those responsible for their posts as long as it aligns with their tone of voice and brand.
I must admit. I was one of those who wanted to stay on the sidelines, be in the straight line of ‘stay on the subject’, yet it became difficult to be on subject when there wasn’t any feeling and personality interjected in my writing. I found I personally enjoyed articles, courses and seminars when I got a feel for the personality of the person behind it all. It became an important factor for me in my buying decisions. It also became more evident by the questions I got, as a coach and trainer, about who I was and why I was doing what I was doing.
When you consider content as a story being told, I believe it’s much easier to put things into context as you write. You easily see the real value of having personality in your content that’s a bit of you and your story. You do want to make sure that the subject isn’t lost in the personality, and rather, that it’s enhancing the content.
When you consider content as a story being told, I believe it’s much easier to put things into context as you write. You also easily see the real value of having personality in your content that’s a bit of you and your story. -V. Lynn Hawkins
Once content is shared, it never goes away. So before you post it is important to know your market and create something that can remain timeless, evergreen. Then you can decide if your content could use some personality. Alternatively, if we are writing to post in places where advertising or group shares are opportunities, you definitely want to display some degree of personality in your writing. There are several reasons for using this type of strategy and it’s important to know how personality is the connection to the emotions of your customer.
Let’s consider the top emotions we invoke in social media content. The marketing and content source, BuzzSumo, analyzed more than 10,000 of the most shareable articles for topic and tone. What they found is that the top three emotions invoked were laughter, awe, and amusement.
When you publish for content marketing, it engages a psychological contract, which is why it is so important for you to comprehend how you can call upon the correct emotions to make the online connection a positive one. Invoking one of these 3 emotions is easier said than done, however, I think a close next is … curiosity. If you, like me, sometimes have a challenge bringing in laughter, awe or amusement, go for evoking curiosity.
We also understand that there are those who choose controversy. This can evoke anger and resistance that can possibly cause damage to your brand, which in turn can cause a loss of sales. Yet, it is important to consider if we can still be controversial if we are not being political or personal. Some subjects need this viewpoint.
It is important to balance engaging, positive content that is sharable, and thought provoking, challenging content. Positive content is most always accepted, yet the challenging content requires a bit of personal strength and personality to handle any resistance. Some market sectors, like B2B, are more accepting of the challenging. They are more apt to be the responses of resistance, although there may also be support. And we really know it’s about engagement, which sometimes the challenging creates a lot of.
The question becomes should you play it safe or should you take the chance and push your boundaries by including content that is entertaining and thought provoking and that may not be agreed upon by all.
According to the experts the benefits of sharing entertaining positive content far exceed the risks (at least in most cases) because it is this kind of content that is likely to be shared for its value. Your visitors are likely to share this type of content with others who may not be currently following you and this can lead to a growth in followers and potential customers. An interesting topic can be an excellent ice breaker, and when you add a little personality it can take you from zero to one hundred in no time – at least when it comes to sharing your content and that’s the goal here right?
It’s important to not be worried about showing personality but rather to ensure you have set boundaries around that personality so none of your followers or visitors are negatively impacted and you do not negatively impact your brand.
P.S. If you liked this article and want some strategies on getting more visibility for your program, product or service, contact us. Get your Complimentary 45-minute Rapid Results Strategy Session and walk away with a plan or at least 1 strategy you can implement immediately that will get you closer to your objective.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lynn Hawkins is a certified business acceleration coach, consultant and small business funding strategist, specializing in helping entrepreneurs with online marketing to grow business and revenue. As CEO/Founder of the P3 Academy of Social Entrepreneurship, she coaches her signature 5 Tiers of Accelerated Business Development, courses and programs her audience is asking for. Lynn teaches how to raise capital using crowdfunding and is host of the Crowdfunding Hacker Show. She is an author, speaker and an advocate for growing women entrepreneurs and their businesses and is often caught saying “when you earn more revenue, you can do more good in the world”. She believes in creating a living legacy through your work. Her “Goddesspreneur DIAMOND Mastermind” and “Women Empowering Women” live events help women express their vision, vibe, voice, and visibility to live victorious legacy lives, creating and growing legacy businesses.
Keywords:
Business, business building, strategic planning, P3 Academy SE, content marketing, story, story leverage, docubranding,
