Working as a reporter, not a marketing copywriter, levels up your content. It allows audiences to view your brand as a trusted resource for valuable information, not a product-hawking promotional engine.
The first step? Think outside your company.
Third-party sources can elevate the conversation with multiple and diverse viewpoints, examples, and experiences. In turn, the audience is more likely to consume and engage with the content because they recognize the publishing brand as an independent media resource, not a vendor of products and services.
Let’s explore five paths to inject relevant and helpful external sources into your articles, infographics, videos, podcasts, and any other kind of content:
- Ask industry-, role-, or geographic-specific organizations.
- Connect on interactive platforms.
- Seek non-human sources.
- Use Qwoted as a brand journalist.
- Build a source network.
Ask industry-, role-, or geographic-specific groups and associations
Tens of thousands of professional and trade organizations exist in the United States alone. The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) reports over 7,400 member organizations, and estimates show that the total number in the United States is more than 56,000. At least one of them likely connects to your content’s subject matter.
To find knowledgeable sources in these organizations, check out their websites:
- Identify senior leaders and their specialty areas, then email or call the one most relevant to your content topic.
- Review board members to see which companies they represent and contact those who represent brands your audience will recognize.
- Attend the organization’s in-person events to connect with potential sources. Go to the annual trade show and talk to some attendees to get a better understanding of their expertise. Ask them if you could reach out in the future when you’re creating content where their input would be helpful.
Connect on interactive platforms
Use your brand’s social channels to elicit input from your existing audience. This works well for reaction-focused or crowdsourced content because it lets you incorporate many voices in your piece – and you can do it quickly. (Don’t forget to mention in your social post that you may use their responses in an upcoming article, video, or podcast.)…Read More