Content is the lifeblood of digital media and publishing organizations. Magazines provide must-read articles, and cable networks produce unique films, all in order to sell subscriptions. In a word, media firms sell content, hence the value of that material cannot be overstated.

A fantastic piece of content requires a number of stages. To name a few requirements, you’ll need a memorable title, a compelling plot, and a mechanism to share it. However, as you go through the checklist, authenticity and credibility may be taken for granted or get forgotten in the day-to-day tasks of content development.

The worth of material

Content is more than simply a commodity for sale to media firms; it’s a tool for attracting and retaining members, as well as possibly driving money from ads. Here’s an example of the value that content provides:

Brand recognition

New subscribers are introduced to the firm via marketing its content. Subscribers become more aware of the company and identify its name and purpose when they see promotions.

Keeps subscribers up to date

Media firms may develop material that informs subscribers as well. An email about future TV premieres, a blog post about a celebrity interview, or an offer to be an extra on a magazine shoot are all examples of how media organizations may utilize content to keep customers informed.

Shareable material

Great information is easily shared in today’s digital world. When a subscriber reads a page-turner, they’re likely to post a link on Facebook or tweet about it. Media firms who embrace social media and make it simple for subscribers to share their content digitally recognize the significance of social audiences.

Why is authenticity important?

To be real, you must generate unique, genuine material, and today’s subscribers want nothing less. This is why:

Options overload

Subscribers have access to an enormous amount of material, which implies that competition for media firms is severe. Subscribers only have so much time in the day to read a magazine, watch television, or listen to the radio. To distinguish out in a congested market, media businesses must provide real content.

There are niches

Media firms cannot appeal to everyone in order to be honest. In fact, if you carve yourself a specialty, you’ll have greater success. Focusing on a specialized topic, such as fashion or gardening, may result in a smaller audience, but they will be highly engaged since you are giving material that is relevant to their interests.

The significance of credibility

Subscribers rely their judgments on the trustworthiness of a media firm, which is why it is critical to generate genuine, trustworthy content. The following is how credibility affects a subscription base:

Establishes a reputation

Media firms providing trustworthy material, such as fact-checked stories, validated information, and statements from qualified experts, establish a strong reputation. That reputation is what attracts and keeps subscribers.

Accountability

If a media business makes a mistake and publishes inaccurate material, it must confess its error and hold itself responsible. Subscribers demand reputable material, and breaking that commitment may damage confidence.

Tips for creating genuine and authentic content

Today’s subscribers will not accept cookie-cutter material. Here are a few actions that media firms may take to guarantee that must-read material is created:

Provide greater control to subscribers

Subscribers don’t necessarily want to view every piece of real material you create. Set up a preference center to allow subscribers to choose what material they want from your firm.

A preference center gives customers power. They may choose which subjects to get in their inbox and how often they receive them. Subscribers are more likely to interact with the material you deliver if you give them precisely what they want.

BuzzFeed urges its users to utilize this preference center, which enables them to choose the subjects they want to receive emails on and explains how often they will get them.

Create and market your applications

Delivering material to subscribers in an easy-to-use manner is part of providing trustworthy, genuine content. While putting information on a website is beneficial, it is not always what users desire. According to research, 90% of a user’s time is spent utilizing apps rather than perusing the web.

Create an app where you may present information and promote your business to satisfy expectations.

VICE, for example, provides users with an app that allows them to access articles, live material, and video.

Email marketing may be used to promote content

Creating excellent content is simply the first step. People must read your articles, watch your program, or listen to your podcast. Creating amazing content is pointless if you don’t have an audience.

Use email marketing to keep your audience updated. You may send emails informing subscribers when a new piece is available, building excitement for an impending concert, or asking subscribers what they want to see in the following month’s issue.

Many digital media firms, such as Fashion Magazine, publish email newsletters to expose readers to fresh material.

You may interact with your subscribers using email marketing. Conversations allow media firms to do a “pulse check” to discover what their audience thinks about their material.

Apartment Therapy provides an outstanding example. The corporation sends out a survey to its members in order to learn what they desire.

Allow subscribers to contact you

Aside from surveys, how may existing or prospective subscribers contact your company?

According to a recent poll, 90% of consumers view contact information to be a sign of authenticity and need it to feel secure enough to purchase a product or service. Given this information, you should double-check the contact information on the company’s website. Check that your company’s address, phone number, email address, and social media platforms are all provided on your website and in emails.

Fashion Magazine does an excellent job of including all contact information at the bottom of their emails:

Putting authenticity first in 2019

If you want to succeed in digital marketing, you must emphasize authenticity and trust. However, with so much material being produced every day, how can you be certain that your content is genuine?

Here are three simple methods for doing so.

Utilize user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) refers to material contributed by your consumers. This effective method of content generation is gaining popularity among organizations for one simple reason: it works. It operates due of the following factors:

• People trust material generated by others more than content provided by businesses.
• It alleviates the stress associated with internet buying.
• UGC boosts credibility.
• It adds a human element to your brand.

Allow your consumers to give their thoughts on your company or items. This may be done on social media, your website, emails, and all of your other marketing assets.

Create a distinct brand voice

Finding the same material posted in several places on the internet is one thing that turns customers off. Using a formulaic approach to content development undermines your overall trustworthiness.

You must be unique in order to stand out from the crowd. One method is to create a distinct brand voice. The personality you inject into your messaging is referred to as brand voice. Your choice of words and language are two variables that assist express your brand voice.

Here’s a sample of Jack Daniel’s brand language from our portfolio that clearly cuts through content noise to be heard loud and clear:

When it comes to brand voice, Jack Daniel’s is unrivaled. Their speech conveys the history and quality of their whiskey in a regal but amusing tone. Reading their commercials and emails makes you feel as though you’re being told a tale in an old western bar by a wise old cowboy. It’s an experience that fosters a devoted following as well as, of course, content credibility.

Engage your consumers

Engaging with your audience is another excellent technique to ensure that your material is genuine and trustworthy.

Social networking is one of the finest platforms to do so. Pay attention to what customers have to say about your brand, their expectations, and their criticisms.

Using the information gleaned from your social listening, produce content that speaks to them by solving their concerns. Your consumers will love it since it demonstrates that you care about them.

Authentic material must not just be unique, but it must also be timely. As a result, interacting with your consumers is critical to the content production process.

Conclusion

Every piece of content created by a digital media firm must be real and believable, from an investigative story in a magazine to the email used to market it.

Subscribers’ support is often dependent on the company’s ability to generate exceptional content that is honest and loyal to the company’s vision and values.

Your emails are the one area of your marketing that requires authenticity and content trustworthiness. Check out our email copywriting strategies for generating engagement to hone your skills in this area.