Content that Builds Your Audience: 3 Keys
In this video we'll look at three factors, that actually make a difference and actually move the needle when. You're trying to build an audience online in, the last video we looked at some of the factors, that are the wrong things to focus on the things that are keeping entrepreneurs, stuck they're trying to generate more traffic and build an audience for, their business, we've seen that there are a lot of superficial. Things that we can focus on, in, trying. To make better content, or trying to reach an audience that simply, don't move the needle in this video the goal is to take a deeper look past those superficial, factors, and look, at what actually matters. And the first thing I want to address here is a certain, illusion, that keeps a lot of people stuck, like. We have this comforting. Fantasy, that, maybe if only. We get enough followers, if only, we build up a large, enough group of you know Instagram, followers social followers YouTube subs whatever, if, only that number gets large enough that, will basically solve, all of our problems and, one of the reasons why a lot of entrepreneurs get stuck there is because we, feel that we already know how to do that we are already social. Media users, we are already used to be or you know how to post on social media and we've already seen, that, sometimes, when we post something it gets a bigger, response, we. Get more validation we get more of a result from that than. Other times and we also have this image of some, people have these huge accounts, and they get sponsorship, deals and stuff and they basically live these, lavish lifestyles, thanks to their massive. Accounts and we kind of put two and two together and we ask myself well what, if I just do more of this stuff on social media that gets lots of likes that gets more, of a response, won't I eventually, also get to that point or, I have loads of followers and again, the idea is it kind of solves all of our problems and, that sounds, easier, than they. Get the complicated work of actually, building an online business that sounds kind of difficult. And intimidating and means that we have to do things that were not familiar with yet and so this familiarity. With social media and the fantasy, of all the problems being solved by a large enough follower, count is what. Makes a lot of entrepreneurs not even attempt, to do any real business building, work of course in reality it is always, more, complicated than that and by, just trying to stick to what we know were really, avoiding. A deeper confrontation, with what's actually going, on so right here, let's have. That deeper, confrontation. And here. Are two things to keep in mind right, away number. One we have to start thinking about traffic. And about, our audience as people. These, are made up of individual, people and we can't think of it in the abstract it's, not like we simply can you know open up the tap of followers, or traffic, and in some abstract sense we just have millions, and somehow, that translates, into money no there, is, something. Happening there that involves, individual. People who individually make, a decision, to either engage with your content or not to either visit your website or not to either buy something, from you or not and if you don't understand. That, process, then, you'll never be able to make deliberate, strategic, choices about how to grow your business and number two what we're going to do here in order to move away from, the superficiality of, the kind of vanity metrics you talked about in the last video we're, going to approach this not, from a technical, viewpoint, but.
From A viewpoint of human psychology because. Again we're, talking about actual, people who, are in real time making decisions about whether they want to pay attention to you and your business and your brand whether they want to buy from you and so on so we have to understand, the psychology of the individual, human that, is engaging with us online so with that said let's look at a model, that has three parts that will show, you what, actually moves the needle and those three parts are reach, share. Ability and, retention let's. Start with part number one three key so. What is it that gives anything online reach or exposure what's the difference, between a blog post or a video or a social post that. Gets basically, no engagement, at all and one, that gets thousands. Or hundreds of thousands or even more views, what is actually, happening there on a deeper level so the first thing here is that we have to place a message, in the right place so think, about the difference between, someone standing. In a broom closet and, telling a story where. Obviously no one will ever hear it versus, standing. In, a, busy crowd or on stage in front of an audience and telling the same story so. That's, the first factor where is our message being, and are there people there and then, the second factor is what. Do we talk about and is the message aligned with something, that the people we're talking to, or interested, in and is it aligned with their, interests, their worldview, does, it speak to a problem, they have or anything like that here, the important thing to remember is that the demand, comes, from the users that demand, comes from the audience so, think of it like this if I simply turn on the camera and start talking about whatever, is on my mind right now whatever is interesting. Or important to me right now what. Happens well, first of all whatever, I produce is, gonna be fairly brambly, and I'm, gonna be jumping between tangents, and so on as things, come up for me and it's, very unlikely, that this is going to be a really, valuable really. Interesting, piece of content, and it's. Very unlikely that it will exactly, match someone. Else's interests, of what. Is important, to them right now what's, on their mind or what they want to learn right now so if I kind of just make stream-of-consciousness. Content. Like that maybe I lock out maybe, that, appeals to some people maybe that gain some reach but it's very unlikely, and really, I'm just rolling the dice on that so, I have to have an awareness of what. Are people interested in what can, I do to. Connect what I'm singing with, what's, on someone's mind what they want to learn and so on and that's. What I mean by the demand, comes, from, the users so what we have to do is first of all we have to be able to get out of our own heads and not, just think of in terms of what do I think is important, what is on my mind what do I find, interesting but think about how will this be received, what, does this sound like to someone who isn't living, inside of my head so to continue with this example instead of making a rambling, stream-of-consciousness. Piece, of content, I want to intersect, my own interests, in my own knowledge with. Something that there's demand for so let's say I am, interested in productivity and I realize that one of the problems that people in my space have, that entrepreneurs, have is that they struggle with productivity.
And Procrastination. And so, I narrow my focus down, to that and I make a piece of content about how to deal, with or, defeat, procrastination. As a. Work-from-home entrepreneur. Now suddenly, instead. Of it just being well shamed talking for an or it is a very specific, topic, and that, helps people find it so, the other thing here is I need to use the right terms and the right language, and this is where we get into the realm of basically, algorithms. So, here the question is what. Terms, are people using to actually find, this content so someone who is struggling, with procrastination as, not ignore what. Search terms are they typing what other content, are they consuming and then. We, have things like search, optimization, so, using, the right keywords the right terms in, in the title and in the content, and we have also things like hash tag optimization, and so on on social media where we have to be aware of basically. Where are the right people and how, can I create a piece of content that will get surfaced, for, those people, and then the next step is again. Algorithmic. That is basically, how reach, happens, my content, has to serve. The people that find, it it has to you know be entertaining, and informative and useful enough for them and, it has to serve the platform, that is being placed on whether. Something is surfaced, in Google, search results, then, you know Google wants to be the place that offers, the, best search results so that it can sell their ads or, whether it is on a social platform where. The social platform wants to keep people engaged on, the social platform, so, my content has to help the platform, reach. That goal let's say it's a YouTube video YouTube, wants, people to watch more YouTube videos so if I manage to make a video where if people watch it they keep watching, it they watch it for a long time and they, go on to engage maybe they leave a comment, and they go watch something else I posted, YouTube, will see that and say I like, this I'm, gonna show this to more people and that is how reach works there's no magic, to it right that is the only way reach happens, I have to make a piece, of content that intersects, with a demand that comes from people I have, to use the right terms to, help that get, surfaced, for those people, and I have to serve the platform, that my content is being surfaced, on in, order, for that platform to boost my, content, and bring. It to more people one, of the reasons I'm insisting so much and deconstructing. This is because something, I see far too often is a lot of talk about value, and quality, content as if, if all, you do is I'm just making good content, right I make a good video with valuable. Advice that's gonna be enough to, get reach to get traffic well, that's just not true but, the algorithm. The platform's don't, care really. About the quality of your content and there, is no such thing as quality, content what they care about is engagement. What they care about they have each platform, has its signals by which it makes those decisions of who gets to see what and, if. We're not that. And if we just say oh I'm just gonna try, my best to make good content, we're gonna forever be frustrated, about the results we get having said that there is one thing, that is in a way non, algorithmic. And that is sharing, so if someone decides to share a piece of content with, their friends send, it to someone, that is something that the algorithm, essentially has no control over and you can gain reach through.
Word-of-mouth, Essentially. People sharing, riffing, so. That, is factor number two let's talk about share, ability now. When it comes to what makes people share something, again. You'll see a lot of talk about quality content, and all this kind of stuff but it, is not as simple as that and you can probably tell by now that, we're gonna go deeper, than that what, is it that makes people share, something, well one, factor, is of course that, intersection, with, their interest, the, intersection, with something they care about something they're interested in and their worldview, and that's. What we've just covered before and, here's, a hint these three factors that we're talking about are, not just separate, factors but they can be built up on each, other so if you, use this correctly you can stack these three factors on top of each other to, get the best possible, results, so, that's the first, kind of stacking we are stacking principle, number one of reach. Intersecting. What we talked about with people's interest and demand and on top of that we're gonna stack share, ability so we. Create something that people are interested in and that. Helps them share it but what. Are other factors, well, the second factor is what I call sound bite nests so. How, easily can, this be kind of summarized, into, a sound, bite even, if you have a really in-depth, and lengthy. Piece of content it's horn the people can grasp what this thing is about without. Having to engage with all of it so let's say I have a three thousand word post about procrastination it's, important, that people don't have to read all 3000. Words before they can decide whether, this is something that aligns with their values whether this is something they'd want to share or not the perhaps unfortunate, truth is that a lot of people will share content, online and even discuss, content, online without, actually, reading, the contents, of studies have been made we can basically trick people in having big, discussions. On Facebook, about an article that really is only a headline and there was no actual content. So, people will see the, headline. And they will see the thumbnail, and based, on that they will decide what their stance on this thing isn't based on that they'll often decide whether or not to, share a piece of content so whatever your topic is and however in-depth it is make sure that, you have a title and a thumbnail for that thing that, summarizes, it that gives people kind, of a benefit. Or something, that arouses curiosity, but something.
That Basically, people can decide just based on that yes. This is the kind of thing I want to share and that, brings us to the third and, possibly. Most important, factor for shareability and that is how, does, it make the sharer look, so, if the share or the person who is sharing my, piece of content what, do they look like, visibly. Their friends that they're sharing this to this. Could, be one of the most important, factors some. Sociology, is positive that this kind of social signaling. Is one of the main drivers, behind most, human, behavior, so, when, someone posts something online, they're not simply, thinking, about is this, interesting, is this valuable for other people they're also thinking about what will this make me look like does, it make me look smart, if I, share this does it make me look sophisticated and. Sometimes. More importantly, does. This signal, of my belonging to, my tribe now once you pay attention to this you'll find this everywhere, oftentimes. People are sharing things online or, making. Statements, and posts online simply, as a way to, signal their belonging to their tribe so, whatever that tribe, is right so maybe on the political left or on the political right or maybe veganism. Or the keto diet or, functional. Fitness or whatever. It is right you have like your little tribe and you, post things and these are often very. Shallow things like, you know memes or jokes or whatever that, really. All they do is, they, signal, I belong. To this tribe so this is something we should always consider, especially. If we create a piece of content for example a blog post where we can have a social title. A social, Meta Description and, the social thumbnail, that are separate, from, the title, on our blog post itself and we can really cater that we can think of the, social title, and thumbnail is like the advertising. For, our piece of content, so if you think of the example of let's say someone, shares an article about something scientific, there. Are gonna be all three factors involved you know number one okay someone's interested. In science. E stuff maybe they have science, e friends, and so they want to share that article but number two it's gonna be more shareable, if the headline, is not, cryptic, if it doesn't take a great cognitive. Load or a lot of time to, kind of disentangle. What is this about right if it's very clear from a catchy headline what this is about then. That's gonna make it more shareable and number three someone. Sharing and that science-y article probably wants to be seen as someone who's very sophisticated wants, to be seen as someone who reads this kind of content, and again, depending. On how that is framed if it makes them look good if it makes them look smart, that, will make content far more shareable factor, number three is retention.
Now. Retention is a fairly tricky fact because we can create content that, gets, a lot of reach and that is very shareable but that doesn't get people to come back for more and here we can think of a lot of memes, and jokes and things where maybe some, meme, takes off lots. Of people start making variations, of that meme and, overall. That can get a lot of reach but, the, individual, person that sees that meme might, chuckle about it and might share it with their friends but. They probably don't care about who made it they're. Not gonna go oh who made this this is great right this aligns with my worldview I want more of this and go. Find out who the author of the meme is it is, something, that's extremely, shortly. So, retention, is that factor, that makes the difference between just kind of spreading, a message wide, and, getting, no results that's, basically only vanity. Metrics, versus. Actually. Building, an audience with, the work we do and for that we need to give people something. To identify with and a reason, to come back for more so how do we do that how do we create content that, gets. A lot of reach that is shareable, but, also gets. People to actually want to engage with us gets, people to remember us and our brand the, formula to follow here is that we need to create content. That is unique, so it's not just a copy pasted meme or something like that content. That aligns with someone's. Worldview. Or their. Values, plus. Content. That induces FOMO. Of some sort we have to have that fear, of missing out element. And that's the new puzzle, piece because, again as you can see we're stacking here, if we. Have followed the first, two steps we already, have content that aligns with people's values, and with their demand and their world views so, the thing we need to add is, that FOMO. Factor and there are two ways to tap into this there are two ways to create this the first one is the, entertainment, or news factor and the second one is about learning and becoming so the entertainment, or news factor you can think of this as like the Starbucks factor, whenever, you walk into a Starbucks you always, get the same experience is that a consistent, experience and, it's consistent, positive experience, so, if. You go to Starbucks and you like what you get then. You might form a habit of going to Starbucks because you can reliably get. That same experience, and that, is something that drives behavior so. This can be true for example for a new site maybe I read a news site and I feel like I'm up-to-date I know what's going on and that's a satisfying, feeling and then, I want to keep doing that every day I want to update again and get that feeling again of okay, I know what's going on but it could also be that I read a news site and I'm outraged, I get the feeling, that oh my god the world is terrible, everything, is falling apart but. Also that feeling, I can get addicted to that feeling and so I keep coming back because I, keep wanting that.
Response, And again, the factor here is the consistency. I have to be able to write I know that, every time I go to this new site I'm, gonna be angry at you know the other group that I'm that I like to be angry about and so if a brand or website offers, that kind of consistent, experience, that, is one thing that gets people coming, back for more the other factor, is the learning, or becoming, factor, which, is if I create a piece of content that fulfills. All the other criteria that we've talked about but, it's also one, piece of a longer journey and there's a promise of I can go along, this journey and it will help me along this journey if, I consume more of this content that is another thing that will get people coming back so again if we take the. Procrastinating. Entrepreneurs, example, we, can say okay you, want to be a highly productive highly, effective entrepreneur, obviously, that's not gonna happen in the span of one article, or one video so, there, is a longer, journey here, that you see yourself on where you say okay I'm here now and I, have this vision of at some point in the future I want to be this highly productive highly, successful entrepreneur, well, if I can make content, that helps you on that one step on that journey but also implies there's. More here right if you subscribe, if you come back if you get on my newsletter I will, keep. Delivering. Stuff that helps you on subsequent, steps on this journey that again keeps people coming back or if we think of it from the FOMO angle you, fear that you're missing out on the other valuable, steps along the journey if you don't come back for more so those are the three human, psychology, based factors. That actually, move the needle and actually, make an online, business or online brand, grow, now I know that this is a lot to take in so we've created a PDF worksheet. That summarizes, all this that shows you the formulas, and that. You can use to kind of check your own content. Against, this and if you've already been creating content and if you've already started with this work you can also use this to. Check, the, results, you got in the past and you'll find that if you, have a piece of content that got far better results than any others you'll, probably find that it was better at fulfilling these three, factors, than, your, usual content, that doesn't get as much result so, if you want to get that PDF worksheet, and you want to get notified for when we release the next part of this audience, building series make, sure you sign up.
2020-06-15 23:55
