In today’s crowded online world of content, finding something authentic can be like searching for a needle in haystack. You know it’s there, but it can be impossible to find.
Most writers want to be known for creating authentic content. But with so much competition around how can we inject some authenticity into our work?
The answer lies in going back to basics.
That means reconnecting with the reason for writing. What is the aim? Will it inform and educate? Will it inspire?
Creating authentic content takes time and effort, and involves planning and research, but it’s worth it to write something of value.
Why? Because when something is authentic, we are more likely to trust it.
And with content it means readers are more likely to consider it as a highly rated source of information.
Be clear about the purpose
We are constantly consuming content – wherever we look.
Content is available on websites, on social media, in adverts, magazines, and newspapers. We can find an article or a blog on pretty much every topic that we can think of and we can post our own content at the click of a button.
The sheer volume of information that we can access is staggering and at times intimidating. But the really great pieces that stand out from the crowd are by writers that are clear about their purpose (like this article by GrowthTalk).
Having a purpose is a bit like having a road map on a long journey. It provides direction and a destination to work towards.
In terms of writing, a purpose not only offers a starting point – it also leads to establishing a target audience and key messages.
It’s an essential part of the creative process and forms the structure that the rest of the piece can be built around.
Inject some honesty
Authenticity and honesty go hand in hand. And honesty helps to foster trust with readers – when it’s relevant.
For example, I was inspired to write this blog post by reading other thought-provoking articles on the topic of authenticity.
It was something I had been thinking about for a while and, after discovering other writers were having similar thoughts, I was encouraged to write about the topic.
It would have been easy to use this article to position myself as an expert on writing authentic content and provide a 10-step guide on authenticity.
But that wouldn’t have been honest and it certainly wouldn’t have been authentic.
Being honest can be good, it shows integrity – it just has to be relevant to the topic.
Quality over quantity
Finally, quality over quantity are words to live by.
When writing and publishing content we should be striving to put our best work out there, whether it’s a blog post, a landing page, or an email newsletter.
The key to this is to write pieces that people will appreciate.
The aim should be to leave the reader feeling like their time has been well spent and not wasted by reading an empty article that failed to inform, educate, entertain or inspire.
Writing authentic content is actually easy. It just requires some thought and consideration before the writing begins.
Looking for a copywriter? Get in touch at hello@hayleymaguire.com.
Hayley Maguire 