Creating Contributed Content, Part 1: Deciding What to Write
No advertisement has ever been truly unbiased, and people know it. No matter how honest or humble it may be, consumers know better than to put stock in a boast. That is not to say that advertisement isn’t effective—it is, of course—but rather that there are inherent limitations to the amount of trust that self-promotion can earn. The problem is that telling consumers about what your company can offer them isn’t good enough; to think otherwise would be to presuppose the very trust you are aiming to establish. The solution, then, is not to tell at all, but rather to show.
That is the purpose of contributed content. Contributed content is drafted from the wealth of expertise which already exists within your company, and then presented to a media outlet for publication. By sending out genuinely useful content in this way, your company is able to deliver value—in the form of insight—directly to the consumer or investor. In other words, you are showing your target audience the value that your company has to offer, first-hand.
The media industry is not, however, a lenient one. If an article is to be accepted by a respectable publisher and, subsequently, well received by the public eye, it must meet a very high standard of quality. This blog series offers our expertise on how to produce the kind of content that will not only reach far, but will bring the unique value of your company to the doorstep of future buyers, clients, and investors with both clarity and force.
Ideas with Direction
Deciding what to write is the first step in the process of creating any content, and it also happens to be the most vital. An adroitly crafted article will fall upon deaf ears if the content fails to captivate the audience. Fortunately, there is a helpful rule-of-thumb that will indicate right from the start whether an idea has potential: if the author cannot get excited about the topic at hand, neither will the reader. When deciding on ideas to pursue, then, be sure to consider only those which align with the drive of the company. This will result in a natural, even spontaneous flow of content, as opposed to the choppy, uncoordinated writing characteristic of uninspired effort.
Next, the author must understand two distinct components of content ideas: the subject and the angle.
Choosing a Subject
The first of these is the subject. This is what people generally think of when they consider what to write about. It’s the real-world foundation to which all the statements will relate. That means the subject is also the “trigger” which initiates interest within the reader, since people only pay attention to statements that pertain to the real-world issues with which they are concerned.
As such, authors should favor subjects that are relevant to the target audience. Both timing and an overall awareness of public events and attitudes are essential here. Generally, strong subjects pertain to current events, trends, and widespread concerns. Writing about artificial intelligence is more likely to catch a reader’s attention today than, say, blockchain. Tomorrow such an example may already be out-of-date. To know a good subject, you first must know the audience.
Choosing an Angle
The angle, in turn, is the perspective that the author offers regarding the subject. It’s what is actually being said. Good subjects generally garner much media attention, so a strong and unique angle is indispensable if your article is to stand out among the rest. Practically, this means presenting interesting, provocative viewpoints—think of headlines that captivate readers at first glance. “How Wayfair Killed Bed Bath & Beyond by Riding E-Commerce Tailwinds” is far more interesting than “What Bed Bath & Beyond’s Bankruptcy Means for Retailers” precisely because it’s saying something novel. Do recall, however, that your idea must be true to your company. Being provocative without foundation is a recipe for distrust.
Bringing It Together
With an idea driven by educated enthusiasm, a relevant subject matter, and a unique angle, the author now holds the beginning of a contributed article. Taking the time to diligently consider the concept at its root allows you to ensure that the idea has direction. Failing to do so often leads to burnout, writer’s-block, and many discouraging end-products. An idea with drive and direction, however, is far more likely to hit the target; you’ve made the effort to aim.
While we may employ generative artificial intelligence for research purposes, the entirety of this blog and of any content published by Razor Sharp Public Relations is written directly by our team.