Yes, for great content you do need to know how to write or speak fluently. And yes, you also need to know what you want to say, but the biggest content mistake you can make is to lack knowledge your audience. For your content to be effective, it must be tailored to the intended recipients. It must be well designed, but first it must have value for the people who will receive it.
Content that Fits the Audience
For your audience to find your content persuasive, you need to know who they are. The demographics are important (age, gender, education level, religion, culture and language), but so is the reason they have sought out your message. What are their interests? How do they spend their time? Who do they admire or dislike? What problems do they have? What experiences do they have in common? Metaphorically, you need to be able to walk in their shoes.
What Do You Need to Know About Your Audience?
1. What is their level of interest in what you are telling them?
Do not overestimate the receptivity of the audience. If they are unfamiliar with your message or are opposed to it you will have to entice them with feeling, humor, candor, or reason.
2. How much do they know about your topic?
An introduction is much different from closing the sale. People who are already interested tend to seek refinements rather than an overview.
3. How would they use the content you are providing?
Are you trying to entertain them or give them the steps for a solution to a specific problem? Plan your presentation to deliver the content they will appreciate. Always keep WIIFT (What’s In It For Them) at the center of your content.
4. What mood and style of content will be most appreciated?
The audience for an academic gathering will be different than a group of online gamers. They expect the content to be dry and supported by dense research evidence. The gamers would want to know about hardware, new games, strategies, and history. They expect content to be interactive and entertaining.
What Does Your Audience Need to Know About You?
Very little. You are the least important aspect of the message. In most cases, it is better to let the quality of your content demonstrate your credibility rather than proclaiming it.
Creating Persuasive Content
Whether you are giving a presentation or writing a blog post or a white paper, to please your audience you must put yourself in their shoes. What do they want and need to hear? What questions will they need to have answered? Your content must belay their fears and make them comfortable before they will find your message persuasive. The vocabulary and style must meet their expectations. The mood must mesh with theirs. Do not tell them more than they want to know but do not leave them suspicious about obvious oversights in your presentation. This calls for empathy on your part.
Be economical but engaging and, most of all, be authentic. Tell the truth and do not oversell. Admitting limitations and describing benefits accurately will be more persuasive than hype and exaggeration. The overall goal of any content presentation is to build relationships. Be helpful, honest and knowledgeable so that your audience will respect you and value the content. The biggest content mistake you can make is to forget that the content is for your audience. Always remember that the key to good content is WIIFT (What’s In It For Them.) Make sure that you tell them what they want and need to know. They will appreciate it.
The post The Biggest Content Mistake Ever appeared first on .