How To Diversify Your Content Portfolio With Authentic Content

We often say that it’s hard to understand people because we are a complicated bunch. We feel a multitude of emotions–many of which are abstract and can’t be articulated into words. Within us, we hold many opinions, some contradicting each other. And we don’t let single adjectives define us because our personalities are much more layered than that.

Naturally, the media we consume are those that cater to our complexity. In marketing – especially with our highly saturated social media landscape – the content that reflects this humanity and authenticity are the ones that gain attention and trust.

The key to making content more human and authentic? Diversity.

Diversifying content is a way to attract an audience organically. People look to channels and brands that carry their penchant for variety. It should be able to go with their various moods, many interests, and the constant need for something new.

Likewise, content should also be able to carry voices different than their own. It is an act of exploration and exposure to the thoughts and interests of others. Content, as a whole, should embody a fundamental trait of being human – connecting amidst diversity.

The question now is: how does one churn out content that is diverse but authentic at the same time? We have some tips.

See what already works

Chances are, even if you don’t know it, you have done something right with your brand.

Your first task now is to pinpoint what exactly are you doing right, and which things are you doing wrong.

Many times, marketers forget to evaluate the content that they are churning out; it’s just a quantities game. It always helps to take a step back and do an internal scan from time to time.

For example, have you ever asked your self what your brand voice is?

After rediscovering your brand voice, it’s time to go into the nitty gritty. Ask yourselves these questions: From which channels are site traffic coming from? What kinds are the central topics of your best performing content?

The answers to these questions will give you a sense of your current market and their interests. Use what currently works and build on it. Tap its audience with new content by sharing similar themes.

With this covered, you can now move on in diversifying content to reach more audiences.

Experiment

By experimenting, we don’t mean to do full-on rebranding right away. It means trying to switch up little things first in subtle, unobtrusive ways for your own internal review.

Is your brand the type that usually produces templated (e.g., each article should be 600-800 words)? Time to try creating both significantly shorter and longer content. How about a 2,000 word deep dive? How about bite-sized pieces with just 1-3 paragraphs?

You can even try skipping article creation from time to time. Have you ever just posting short quotes on images via social media?

Try small stuff, and see what gains traction.

Your best content may not be in words

Articles may not be everything for your brand. Videos, for one, are gaining better traction when it comes to social media marketing. A recent study by Ciscoprojected that video traffic will take up 82% of all consumer traffic by 2021.

This doesn’t mean creating full-blown commercials that are costly. You can post more organic lifestyle videos that are more personal and show consumers the human side to your brand.

You can also try posting interactive content such as quizzes, or go for more visual content such as infographics.

Don’t be box yourself in a corner. Go out of your comfort zone and let your imagination run wild.

Find collaborators

Lastly, to achieve full diversity, you need to see your brand from a fresh set of eyes. Sometimes, the best solutions come from outsiders looking at what you have for the first time.

Bolster your site’s engagement by crowdsourcing content such as stories and opinion pieces that are in line with your brand.

Try and hire content creators to serve as contributors. Nowadays, content creators and influencers are no longer just billboards. Many are creative and will be of help in adding more personality – and thus, diversity – to your marketing.

As a rule of thumb, the saying you are what you eat is also true for content. Nobody wants to consume something stale. Nobody wants being served the same dish repeatedly for months on end. Treat your content as something that fulfills you. If you feel like things are starting to feel dull and no longer as filling, don’t be afraid to switch things up.

‍